There have been many memorable moments in the 80-year history of the United Nations , both at its headquarters in New York and at its far-flung global operations.
Here are photos of some of the U.N.'s history-making events as the world body marks the anniversary of its founding on June 26, 1945, when the U.N. Charter was signed by 50 countries in San Francisco.
Most of these moments made headlines - but for very different reasons.
June 1945: Signing of the U.N. Charter
Delegates from 50 countries met in San Francisco in the ashes of World War II to establish an international organization to prevent a repetition of such a conflict and promote global peace. The U.N. Charter remains the bedrock of the United Nations, which now has 193 member countries.