On 26 June 1945, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco. It came into force on October 24 of that year. As the foundational document of the post-World War international legal order, the Charter sets out the high purposes of the United Nations: the maintenance of international peace and security, promoting social progress and better standards of life for all, strengthening international law, and promoting human rights.
Organised by the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly, the official program for the 75th anniversary Charter Day commemoration took place online from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon EST on June 26. It included a panel discussion about the Charter’s relevance today and in the future in which CIVICUS, Secretary General Lysa John, discussed the role of civil society, historically and in the years ahead.
Watch the discussion at 1h08m of this recording: