CANADA, October 24 - “Eighty years ago, out of the devastation of the Second World War, the world sought peace. As 50 nations gathered in San Francisco, the United Nations (UN) Charter was signed, and the UN was born. Its mission was transformative – to bring the world together to solve our most pressing challenges through dialogue and cooperation.

Canada was a founding member of the UN, with our signature on the Charter itself. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King represented our nation at the signing ceremony, and Canadian John Peters Humphrey was responsible for the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Lester B. Pearson’s leadership during the Suez Crisis helped define modern peacekeeping – a legacy carried forward by more than 125,000 Canadians who have served on UN operations.

On this United Nations Day, Canada affirms our steadfast commitment to a world where prosperity is shared, security is collective, and peace is lasting. As the United Nations looks ahead to its next 80 years, Canada is building our economy and investing in our shared defence, so that we can lead our partners into a new era of cooperation. Canada’s leadership will not only be defined by the strength of our values, but also by the value of our strength.”