Born from the ashes of the Second World War, the dream of a more peaceful and fairer world drew nations together in 1945 under a new vision for humanity: the United Nations.
24 March 2026 - Eight decades on, the aspiration for peace, dignity and equality still resonates as the UN marks 80 years of its existence in New York City ¨C a place now inseparable from the organization¡¯s global identity¡but not always destined to be its home.
Hunter (now Lehman) college in the New York borough of The Bronx was one of the UN¡¯s initial temporary headquarters and the location of the first UN meeting on US soil on 25 March 1946.
The basketball gym at Hunter College was refurbished as the UN Security Council chamber in just three weeks. Journalists were accommodated in a converted swimming pool. One of the first issues the Council discussed was Iran.
Listen to from the first Security Council meeting at Hunter College.