Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was in an international organization.
The United Nations -LRB- UN -RRB- is an intergovernmental organization to promote international co-operation and to create and maintain international order .. intergovernmental organization. intergovernmental organization. A replacement for the ineffective League of Nations , the organization was established on 24 October 1945 after World War II in order to prevent another such conflict .. League of Nations. League of Nations. World War II. World War II. At its founding , the UN had 51 member states ; there are now 193 .. member states. Member states of the United Nations. The headquarters of the UN is in Manhattan , New York City , and experiences extraterritoriality .. New York City. New York City. headquarters of the UN. headquarters of the United Nations. Manhattan. Manhattan. extraterritoriality. extraterritoriality. Further main offices are situated in Geneva , Nairobi , and Vienna .. Geneva. United Nations Office at Geneva. Nairobi. United Nations Office at Nairobi. Vienna. United Nations Office at Vienna. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states .. member states. Member states of the United Nations. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security , promoting human rights , fostering social and economic development , protecting the environment , and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine , natural disaster , and armed conflict .. The UN is the largest , most familiar , most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organisation in the world .. intergovernmental organisation. intergovernmental organisation. The UN Charter was drafted at a conference between April -- June 1945 in San Francisco , and was signed on 26 June 1945 at the conclusion of the conference ; this charter took effect 24 October 1945 , and the UN began operation .. UN Charter. United Nations Charter. a conference. United Nations Conference on International Organization. San Francisco. San Francisco. The UN 's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies .. Cold War. Cold War. The organization participated in major actions in Korea and the Congo , as well as approving the creation of the state of Israel in 1947 .. Korea. Korean War. the Congo. United Nations Operation in the Congo. The organization 's membership grew significantly following widespread decolonization in the 1960s , and by the 1970s its budget for economic and social development programmes far outstripped its spending on peacekeeping .. decolonization. decolonization. peacekeeping. peacekeeping. After the end of the Cold War , the UN took on major military and peacekeeping missions across the world with varying degrees of success .. Cold War. Cold War. peacekeeping. peacekeeping. The UN has six principal organs  : the General Assembly -LRB- the main deliberative assembly -RRB- ; the Security Council -LRB- for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security -RRB- ; the Economic and Social Council -LRB- ECOSOC ; for promoting international economic and social co-operation and development -RRB- ; the Secretariat -LRB- for providing studies , information , and facilities needed by the UN -RRB- ; the International Court of Justice -LRB- the primary judicial organ -RRB- ; and the UN Trusteeship Council -LRB- inactive since 1994 -RRB- .. General Assembly. United Nations General Assembly. Security Council. United Nations Security Council. Economic and Social Council. United Nations Economic and Social Council. Secretariat. United Nations Secretariat. International Court of Justice. International Court of Justice. UN Trusteeship Council. United Nations Trusteeship Council. UN System agencies include the World Bank Group , the World Health Organization , the World Food Programme , UNESCO , and UNICEF .. UN System. United Nations System. World Bank Group. World Bank Group. World Health Organization. World Health Organization. World Food Programme. World Food Programme. UNESCO. UNESCO. UNICEF. UNICEF. The UN 's most prominent officer is the Secretary-General , an office held by Portuguese Antonio Guterres since 2017 .. Antonio Guterres. Antonio Guterres. Secretary-General. Secretary-General of the United Nations. Non-governmental organizations may be granted consultative status with ECOSOC and other agencies to participate in the UN 's work .. The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 , and a number of its officers and agencies have also been awarded the prize .. Nobel Peace Prize. Nobel Peace Prize. Other evaluations of the UN 's effectiveness have been mixed .. Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development , while others have called the organization ineffective , corrupt , or biased .