October 24th is the International Day of the United Nations, the International Day of Diplomats and the International Day to Combat Climate Change.
International Day of the United Nations
Every year on October 24, the world celebrates the International Day of the United Nations (UN). This day was established in 1948 to mark the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. The creation of the United Nations was an important step in international relations after the Second World War, which ushered in a new era of cooperation to maintain peace and security.
The UN was founded to prevent future wars, promote international security, develop economic cooperation, protect human rights, and provide humanitarian assistance.
Interesting facts
The Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco on June 26, 1945 by representatives of 50 countries and entered into force on October 24, 1945 after ratification by the majority of member states.
At the time of its creation, the UN had 51 member states. As of 2024, it includes 193 countries, making it the largest international organization in the world.
The UN has six main organs, including the General Assembly, the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the Secretariat, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council (the latter is now defunct). Each body fulfills its unique function in ensuring peace, justice and cooperation between states.
The organization actively promotes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted in 2015 to tackle poverty, inequality, climate change and other challenges by 2030.
The UN is actively involved in peacekeeping operations and humanitarian missions around the world. It provides assistance to millions of people affected by conflicts, natural disasters and other crises.
Ukraine is one of the founding countries of the UN. She actively cooperates with this organization, in particular in matters of security, humanitarian aid during the war with Russia, as well as in support of Ukrainian immigrants.
International Day of Diplomats
International Diplomats Day is celebrated to honor the profession that plays a key role in establishing and maintaining international relations. Diplomats act as representatives of their countries, helping to strengthen peace, resolve conflicts, protect the rights of their citizens abroad, and develop economic cooperation.
Interesting facts
Although this holiday received concrete international recognition recently, diplomats have been honored in various countries for many centuries. In particular, India officially started celebrating this day in 2011 in honor of the first diplomat of independent India, Sardar Valabhbhai Patel.
Despite the multilingual nature of diplomatic meetings, English, French and Spanish are among the most common languages used in international negotiations and documents.
The Ukrainian diplomatic service played a decisive role in the recognition of Ukraine’s independence in 1991. Also during the war with Russia, diplomats help build international support by working on sanctions and aid from Western partners.
One of the most memorable events in diplomacy is the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815, at which the European states agreed on a new world order after the Napoleonic wars. This became an example of successful multilateral diplomacy.
In times of military aggression, as happened in Ukraine, diplomats remain at the forefront of international efforts, reaching agreements on humanitarian corridors, evacuations and aid to refugees.
International day to combat climate change
International Climate Change Day was first organized by the climate organization 350.org on October 24, 2009. This day became an important event to draw attention to the urgent problem of climate change. The main goal of the events that year was to influence the delegates of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15), which took place in December 2009 in Copenhagen. Activists sought to achieve more ambitious actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Since then, October 24 has become a day of global mobilization for climate activists, reminding governments of the need for urgent action to combat climate change.
Interesting facts
The name of the organization 350.org comes from the scientific goal of keeping the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere below 350 parts per million (ppm), which is considered a safe limit to avoid dangerous climate change. Currently, this figure exceeds 420 ppm.
Despite great expectations, the 2009 COP15 conference in Copenhagen did not produce a binding agreement on reducing emissions. However, it became a catalyst for greater public involvement in climate issues.
In 2009, actions for the International Day of Combating Climate Change took place in more than 180 countries of the world. It was one of the largest global mobilizations for climate protection at that time.
In addition to the ecological threat, climate change causes significant economic losses. For example, according to the World Meteorological Organization, in 2022 alone, natural disasters related to climate change will cause more than $200 billion in damages.
Every year, more and more young people join the climate movement, who consider the fight against climate change their priority. Activists like Greta Thunberg have become a symbol of the global movement for climate justice.
Historical events on this day
1648 – Peace of Westphalia
On October 24, 1648, the Peace of Westphalia was concluded, ending the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), one of the most destructive conflicts in Europe. This war began as a religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants, but later turned into a wider political conflict between European powers. The peace agreement established new principles of international diplomacy and territorial distribution, which largely shaped the political map of Europe for the following centuries. It also led to the weakening of the Holy Roman Empire and the strengthening of the independence of a number of European states.
1795 – The third division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
On October 24, 1795, the Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place, as a result of which the Polish state finally ceased to exist. This division between Russia, Prussia, and Austria ended the long struggle for control of Polish territories. Poland as an independent state was abolished, and its lands were divided between three great empires. The Polish people lost statehood for more than a century.
1857 – The first football club
On October 24, 1857, the world’s first football club, Sheffield FC, was founded in the English city of Sheffield. It became the basis for the further development of football as an organized sport. The club still exists today, and its founding was an important milestone in the history of football culture, which later turned into a global phenomenon.
1929 – “Black Thursday” and the beginning of the Great Depression
October 24, 1929 went down in history as “Black Thursday,” the day when nearly 13 million stocks were sold on the New York Stock Exchange, causing their prices to plummet. This was the beginning of a series of catastrophic events that continued with “Black Friday” (October 25), “Black Monday” (October 28) and “Black Tuesday” (October 29). Starting from October 29, a real panic began on the stock exchange.
Total stock market losses totaled $30 billion—more than the entire cost of the U.S. government during World War I. Over the next three years, losses rose to $75 billion. Many people lost all their savings literally in an instant. On Black Thursday, 11 people even committed suicide due to financial losses. Panic quickly spread to other world exchanges. This is how the Great Depression began – one of the most severe economic crises in the 20th century, and it took 25 years for the stock market to recover. Millions of people lost their jobs, businesses went bankrupt, and poverty and unemployment became global problems.
1939 – Invention of nylon stockings
On October 24, 1939, the first nylon stockings went on sale in the United States. They quickly gained popularity among women due to their strength and elasticity. It was a breakthrough in the textile industry and a symbol of change in women’s fashion.
1941 – Occupation of Kharkiv
On October 24, 1941, the German army captured Kharkiv during the Second World War. This city became an important center of fighting on the Eastern Front, and its occupation led to significant civilian casualties and destruction. Despite the fact that the city was well prepared for defense (several hundred barricades with a total length of 16,000 meters were erected on the central streets, with the use of more than four hundred city transport cars; 43 bridges were mined, and more than ten bridges were destroyed in advance), Kharkiv was practically surrendered without a fight
1945 – Creation of the United Nations
On October 24, 1945, the United Nations (UN) was officially opened after the ratification of the UN Charter. It became a key event in world politics after the Second World War, which made it possible to create a mechanism for maintaining peace and international cooperation. The UN still plays a critical role in addressing global issues such as conflict, poverty, human rights and climate change.
1956 – Suppression of the Hungarian Revolution
On October 24, 1956, Soviet troops entered Hungary to suppress the anti-communist uprising that had begun in the country. Although Hungarians sought democratic reforms and freedom from Soviet rule, this movement was brutally suppressed, resulting in many casualties and the flight of many Hungarians abroad.
1960 – Disaster on Baikonur
On October 24, 1960, an R-16 intercontinental ballistic missile exploded at the Baikonur Cosmodrome during testing. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 74 to 126 people, which became one of the biggest disasters in the history of the Soviet space program.
1964 – Independence of Zambia
On October 24, 1964, Northern Rhodesia declared independence and received a new name – Zambia. This event became part of the process of decolonization in Africa, when many countries gained independence from European colonial powers.
1991 – Nuclear-free status of Ukraine
On October 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine proclaimed the country’s nuclear-free status. This became an important step in the formation of the foreign policy of the newly independent Ukraine, which renounced nuclear weapons and declared its peaceful path of development.
1993 – Enthronement of Patriarch Volodymyr Romanyuk
On October 24, 1993, the enthronement of the Patriarch of Kyiv and All Russia-Ukraine Volodymyr Romanyuk, who headed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, took place in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.
