Dag Hammarskjöld Library at Uppsala University
Background Information
- © United Nations
The United Nations was created in 1945 with the purpose "to save the coming generations from the scourge of war". Since then it has faced new challenges and areas of concern.
Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 193 countries.The United Nations is not a world government and it can only act according to the decisions of its member states. Therefore, it becomes a forum for negotiations providing peaceful means of resolving international conflicts and formulate policies on matters affecting all of us.
According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:
- to maintain international peace and security
- to develop friendly relations among nations to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights
- to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations
Documentation
The Charter of the United Nations.
The United Nations Today, formerly Basic facts about the United Nations. A comprehensive account of the activities of the United Nations. It chronicles the work of the Organization in such areas as peace, development, human rights, humanitarian assistance, disarmament and international law. Includes a detailed subject index with references to relevant chapters. Updated regularly.
The Encyclopedia of the United Nations and international agreements is a comprehensive guide to the world body's institutions, procedures, policies, specialized agencies, historic personalities, initiatives, and involvement in world affairs with texts of conventions and treaties and relevant subject terms.
Everyone's United Nations - a handbook of the work of the United Nations - a handbook of the work of the United Nations - is updated regularly covering different time periods in the history of the United Nations.
Yearbook of the United Nations has been the primary reference work on the Organization since 1946. It details the many activities of the Organization and its organs, programmes and bodies, as they are carried out in all corners of the globe. The Collection includes every volume published since 1946 with a detailed subject index including bibliographical notes and references. Since October 2008 the complete full text collection of The United Nations Yearbooks is available online at http://unyearbook.un.org/.
Databases and Indexes
The United Nations Official Homepage - an extensive system of web sites with access to U.N. news, issues, conferences, member states, documents and publications, maps and databases and indexes.
Site Index is an alphabetical list of all web sites within the UN system.
Image and Reality ... about the UN gives a short introduction to the UN providing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the UN today.
History of the United Nations - gives a short introduction to the UN providing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the UN today.
United Nations Oral History consists of a series of interviews with eminent persons serving the United Nations. The interviews have been recorded over the years and cover the history of the United Nations as well as major world events. This site provides the audio files and transcripts of the interviews.
Official Web Site Locator for the UN System - contains an alphabetic and a thematic index of web sites of the United Nations system.
UN Member States on the Record is a web portal with information related to Member States' activities.
Permanent Missions to the United Nations lists the names, addresses and phone numbers of all representatives to the United Nations.