"International Day of Peace Observed Annually on September 21"
Veto Power
the right of each P5 Security Council member to block any substantive resolution unilaterally
Chapter VII
UN Charter chapter authorising coercive measures including sanctions and military force against threats to peace
The pursuit of international peace has been a central concern of the modern state system since the catastrophic world wars of the twentieth century. The United Nations, established when its Charter came into force on October 24, 1945, was the most ambitious institutional response to this concern. The Charter was signed on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco by 50 founding nations, and its four core purposes are: maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and harmonising national actions toward these ends. The intellectual groundwork was laid through a series of wartime diplomatic milestones, the Atlantic Charter (1941), the Moscow Declaration (1943), the Tehran Conference (1943), the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations (1944), and the Yalta Conference (1945), where the permanent-member veto formula was finalised.
At the national level, India institutionalised its commitment to peace through the Gandhi Peace Prize, awarded annually by the Government of India since 1995. The Prize is given to individuals or institutions for their contributions to social, economic, and political transformation through non-violent means. Its jury is composed of the Prime Minister of India (who chairs it), the Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, a tripartite structure that reflects both executive and judicial authority alongside parliamentary accountability.
The International Day of Peace, observed every year on September 21, was established by the UN General Assembly. It is dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace among nations and peoples. Civil society organisations, academic institutions, and foundations around the world use this occasion to hold seminars, peace pledges, and public outreach activities, reinforcing the grassroots dimension of the global peace architecture.
The UN Charter's 111 articles across 19 chapters distribute responsibilities for peace and security across the principal organs. The Security Council bears primary responsibility for international peace and security under Chapter VI (pacific settlement of disputes) and Chapter VII (action with respect to threats to peace, breaches of peace, and acts of aggression). Chapter VII powers are the Charter's most coercive instrument: they allow the Council to authorise sanctions, arms embargoes, and military force.
The Council has 15 members: five permanent members (P5, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China) and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. The P5 each hold a veto right: any one of them can block a substantive resolution. This veto was a deliberate compromise at Yalta, the great powers would not have joined an organisation that could act against their core interests. …
Who amongst the following are members of the Jury to select the recipient of 'Gandhi Peace Prize'?
I.The President of India
II.The Prime Minister of India
III.The Chief Justice of India
IV.The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
With reference to the 'Gandhi Peace Prize', consider the following statements:
1.It is awarded annually by the Government of India.
2.The jury includes the President of India.
3.The Chief Justice of India is a member of the jury.
4.The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is a member of the jury.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to the United Nations Charter, consider the following statements:
1.The Charter came into force on October 24, 1945.
2.It was signed by 50 nations at San Francisco.
3.The Charter explicitly addresses nuclear weapons and climate change.
4.The veto formula for the permanent members was finalised at the Yalta Conference.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following pairs regarding the UN Security Council:
1.Total membership — 15
2.Non-permanent members' term — 3 years
3.Permanent members — 5
4.Veto right — held by all 15 members
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
The 'International Day of Peace' is observed on which date every year, and by which UN General Assembly resolution was this date fixed permanently?
Consider the following statements about the 'Liechtenstein Initiative' at the United Nations:
1.It requires any P5 member that casts a veto to justify it before the full General Assembly.
2.It structurally limits the number of vetoes a P5 member can cast in a year.
3.It was adopted by the UN General Assembly.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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