The United Nations (UN) logo, representing the international organization that brings countries together to cooperate on peace, security and development, consists of an emblem and the organization’s name. At the center of the emblem is a world map in an azimuthal equidistant projection centered on the North Pole, surrounded by a grid of concentric circles and meridians. Two crossed olive branches frame the map and symbolize peace, while the world map reflects the organization’s global scope. The first version of the emblem was created in 1945 for the San Francisco Conference, and a revised version was approved on December 7, 1946. The current visual identity uses the UN’s signature light blue color. The name can appear beside the emblem on one or two lines, the emblem can also be used on its own, and an all-white version is available for dark backgrounds. The name United Nations was proposed by Franklin D. Roosevelt and was first officially used in the Declaration by United Nations on January 1, 1942.
The United Nations was established on October 24, 1945, after the UN Charter entered into force, and has 193 Member States. Its headquarters are in New York City, United States. The UN’s main areas of work include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, providing humanitarian assistance, developing international law and promoting sustainable development. The organization operates through the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice and Secretariat, as well as through UN funds, programmes and specialized agencies.
