Happy Birthday, UN !

Happy Birthday, United Nations !  The UN will mark its 59th anniversary on October 24th.  An organization with a noble purpose, its founding document provides us with what has essentially been democracy's greatest aspirations... peace, equality, justice and human dignity.  Such words, heavily symbolic for the realization of societies that concretize such concepts, clash with the reality of our times.  The continent of Africa, the middle East, Oceania, Latin America, the Balkans, all present us with examples contrary to such principles.  And the current war in Iraq epitomizes the raison d'etre (reason for existence) for the birth of the United Nations.  May mankind, one day soon, awaken from its slumber ! May the UN one day represent its naiscent potential and concretize such beliefs, ideals and principles; as reflected in its charter and in its greatest document; "the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

We the Peoples of the United Nations

Determined

to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in

     our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and

to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and

     worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women

     and of nations large and small, and

to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the

     obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international

     law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better

     standards of life in larger feedom...

do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.

Excerpts from the Preamble of the UN Charter

                                        UN Peace Medal

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