The United Nations will be 80 years old on Friday. Whether we should be joyfully singing “Happy Birthday” or merely searching for a cheap retirement home very much depends on your perspective.

At September’s meeting of the UN General Assembly, it soon became clear that US President Donald Trump wasn’t in the “Happy Birthday” camp. He asserted that the UN hadn’t helped him with his efforts to broker peace, questioning the organization’s effectiveness in its core purpose.

Trump’s take on the UN is in stark contrast to the more optimistic and celebratory tone of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “Eighty years ago, from the ashes of war, the world planted a seed of hope. One Charter, one vision, one promise: that peace is possible when humanity stands together.” His comments very much reflect the positive theme of the UN’s 80th session: “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.”

So how should we be marking this milestone anniversary of an institution born from the ashes of World War II in 1945? Is it still a cornerstone of global governance, uniting 193 member states in pursuit of peace, human rights, and sustainable development? Or is it an irrelevant relic of the past in an increasingly fragmented world? To answer this question, we first need some historical perspective.

The term “United Nations” was first coined by US President Franklin Roosevelt in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations”, signed by 26 countries pledging to fight the Axis powers. The organization’s formal inception came on June 26, 1945, with the signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco by representatives from 50 nations. It officially came into effect on October 24, 1945, after ratification by the five permanent Security Council members — China, France, the Soviet Union (now Russia), the United Kingdom, and the United States.

At the grand old age of 80, we should acknowledge its flaws and the need for reforms, but we should also celebrate its milestone anniversary, considerable achievements and inspirational values. Most importantly, for the sake of future generations, we should banish all ideas of parking it in a retirement home. The UN isn’t perfect but it’s our best hope for a peaceful future

Designed as a successor to the failed League of Nations, its purpose was to prevent the recurrence of devastating global wars by establishing a system of collective security and promoting peaceful conflict resolution. The UN Charter’s preamble articulates its core mission: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, and promote social progress and better standards of life. This vision represented a bold experiment in multilateralism, prioritizing dialogue over domination.

Over eight decades, the UN has notched up some remarkable successes, often in areas where collective action has been crucial. Peacekeeping operations, first launched in 1948, have deployed over 70 missions, stabilizing conflict zones from Cyprus to the Democratic Republic of Congo. One of the UN’s crowning achievements is decolonization. It inspired and helped to facilitate the independence of over 80 countries, liberating millions from colonial rule, reshaping the global map, and marking a seismic shift toward self-determination.

In human rights, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains a foundational document, influencing national constitutions and international law worldwide. The UN has also promoted gender equality, with girls now surpassing boys in education in many regions and increased female representation in governments. Health initiatives through agencies like the World Health Organization have eradicated smallpox, almost eliminated polio, and coordinated responses to pandemics, saving countless lives. UN agencies have also launched major initiatives to alleviate poverty and hunger, including providing humanitarian assistance in crises and supporting global food security through schemes like the World Food Programme.

At the same time, the UN is undertaking new work not envisaged by its founders in 1945. It has, for example, set sustainable development goals for 2030 and led the world in coordinating agreements on climate action to limit global warming. It has also facilitated treaties and initiatives aimed at reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

However, despite these triumphs, critics of the UN point to its significant failures, often stemming from structural flaws and geopolitical divisions. The Security Council’s veto power, held by the five permanent members, has frequently paralyzed action, allowing major powers to block resolutions, putting national interests over collective security.

One of the most glaring failures was the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where the UN failed to intervene despite warnings, resulting in nearly a million deaths. Similarly, the organization has struggled with persistent conflicts in the Middle East, including the Israel-Palestine issue, where calls for a two-state solution remain unfulfilled amid escalating violence.

Critics can also point to a lack of effective enforcement mechanisms, slow and inefficient bureaucracy, funding issues from reliance on member states, and a perception that the UN is unrepresentative, particularly of the Global South, with Africa and Latin America underrepresented in key decision-making bodies. These issues hinder the UN’s ability to prevent conflicts, enforce international law, and respond adequately to global challenges like terrorism, humanitarian crises and climate change. They illustrate disconnect between the UN’s ideals and its ability to enforce them in a world dominated by national interests.

Little wonder that Guterres has warned that the UN’s principles are “under siege”. Whether the organization will survive another 80 years is very much dependent on the willingness of member states to prioritize multilateralism over narrow national objectives.

In an increasingly fragmented, polarized and nationalistic world, the UN stands as a beacon of hope for a more collaborative, humanitarian and peaceful future. China’s internationalist sentiments contrast sharply with the “America first” mantra and offer a more uplifting, cooperative and multilateral vision for the future. The UN undoubtedly still has work to do.

At the grand old age of 80, we should acknowledge its flaws and the need for reforms, but we should also celebrate its milestone anniversary, considerable achievements and inspirational values. Most importantly, for the sake of future generations, we should banish all ideas of parking it in a retirement home. The UN isn’t perfect but it’s our best hope for a peaceful future.

The author is a British historian and former principal of Sha Tin College, an international secondary school in Hong Kong. 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.