Inventing Global Cooperation: A Brief History of the United Nations

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Originally published in TEACH Magazine, 75 Years of the United Nations Special Issue, 2020

By Carolyn Gruske

If the United Nations didn’t exist, it would have to be invented. While that sounds like a resolution for a debate, it’s actually a conclusion that students of all ages are likely to form once they start learning about the organization’s history and purpose. At least, that’s the opinion expressed by more than one UN expert.

While the UN wasn’t established until after the Second World War, Marcel Jesenský, a history professor at the University of Ottawa, says that when he introduces the subject of UN history he refers back to much earlier events—to the 19th century. It was the time of the industrial revolution and the era when it was becoming easier for goods, services, and commerce to flow across international borders thanks to telegraph and railway lines, and particularly the 1874 Universal Postal Union (UPU), which created the rules that governed the handling of international mail. (Since 1948, the UPU has been a specialized agency of the UN.)

“This is the origin: international co-operation through an international organization, and the UN is more than a modern take on this idea. It’s the most global one, as it’s all-encompassing,” Jesenský says. “Going back and looking at the need for international co-operation beyond borders is something that makes a lot of sense, especially these days. I think that’s something kids can relate to, especially if you’re looking at something like the [current COVID-19] pandemic.”

Beyond that, Jesenský also points to Internet connectivity standards as well as climate change and environmental concerns as easy entry points for introducing even young students to the role international organizations like the UN play in world affairs. “Air pollution does not recognize borders. Neither do sea pollution and water issues.”

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Carolyn Gruske is an award-winning reporter and magazine editor. She often writes about the intersection of business, technology, and the law, but she also has a deep interest in educational topics.

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Carolyn Gruske
Carolyn Gruske
Carolyn Gruske is an award-winning reporter and magazine editor. She often writes about the intersection of business, technology, and the law, but she also has a deep interest in educational topics.

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