On June 26, 1945, 50 world leaders gathered in San Francisco to sign a remarkable document. Born from months of painstaking negotiation, even as the second world war still raged, the charter of the United Nations called upon countries to ?save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind?.

It sought a new world order, guided by the principle that ?armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest? or in self-defence. A set of institutions, including a Security Council and General Assembly, would be established to make sure that happened.