Lesson video

Hi everyone.

And welcome to this unit, exploring the question, how does the UK still play a meaningful role in the international community? Kind of over the course in the next six lessons, we will be looking at the UK's membership, a range of different organisations, and how the UK helps keep global peace, is involved in international security, and helps resolve global humanitarian problems. So please make sure you're somewhere quiet, and let's get ready to get and ask someone.

Okay, so for today's lesson, you are going to need either your exercise book or some paper, and a black colby pen.

And it will be useful if you had had a different coloured pen so that you could self assess your work as we go through.

So, the three things that we are going to explore today, what is the United Nations? How is the United Nation organised? And what is the UK's role within the United Nations? So, let's have a look then up to this first question of what is the United Nations? And so, we're going to have a look at some pictures.

And all these pictures are pictures connected to the United Nations.

And once you've had a look at them, what would I like you to do, is consider the question, what is the United Nations? And just think of any words or ideas, what come to mind when you see the four images? So, we have got the United Nations flag, and with the image, it would be useful you have to look at what was depicted on the flag, and maybe look at the image in the centre, what is it showing, what other symbols does it have on it? What do you think that was might mean? We've also got a picture of inside the United nations building.

And we've got really important room.

We've got lots of people.

And we've got a stage.

What do you think all these things might mean? So the next couple of pictures is we've got, a United Nations helicopter.

And you can see some people are queuing at the back of it.

What do you think this might be useful? Why do you think it's important? And then we've also got what looks like some soldiers, and they're all wearing a blue helmet.

You know that might be significant.

I mean, this is actually the United Nations peacekeeping force who work in many areas around the world.

So hopefully those four pictures have given you a flavour of what the United nations is.

And hopefully you will be able to connect those ideas with what we're going to look up in today's the lesson.

So, the United nations is international organisation, and it was founded in 1945.

And if we have to think about what has been happening in the world, to this point 1945, the world has been ravaged by World Wars, there's all political tension.

So, one of the reasons United nations was formed, was to try and bring the world together, to stop this global conflict ever happening again.

And some argue, one of major strengths of the United Nations is that there has not been a World War III.

It currently has 193 members.

193 member States have come together, and signed up to the United Nations.

And this include UK, Germany, India and Congo.

And members come from all across the globe.

It is a very much a global organisation.

And the UN has a Charter.

And a Charter basically just list something that outlines what the organisation is about, what it promises to do.

Maybe your school had its own charter.

And the aim the UN can be summarised in the following ideas.

And so, one of its main aims, and one of it's principle aims, is to maintain international peace and security, to just stop conflict happening between different countries in the world.

And it protects human rights.

So entitlements that people have simply because their human.

And one of the most important documents that United Nations has ever produced, was the United Declaration of Human Rights.

And I'm sure within your assistantship you did at some point, you have looked at the 31 articles contained within that.

We've also got the idea of humanitarian aid.

So we got back to our last activity, and we looked up a picture of a helicopter, that is indeed an aid helicopter.

So aid is just where we support another country either with food, or expertise, medicines, et cetera.

And that helicopter was part of the World Food Programme which provides food to countries who need it.

And maybe they're suffering conflict, or maybe they have had a natural disaster, like drought, or flooding, et cetera.

And they promote sustainable development.

Okay, so it promotes the idea that the world needs to change, and it needs to improve.

But once we do this, like in a way which isn't going to harm the future.

So it looks at new methods to make the world a better place.

And we've also got the idea of holding international law.

And the UN just have a legal element to it, and it does have a court, and it tries to settle disputes between nations and bring them together, to talk about their issues rather than lead on to conflict.

So, bearing in mind what I've just said.

And I would ask to pause the video now.

And have a go at completing this gap fill here, which just goes over some of the things I've just set.

So there's some gaps, and the gaps represent the words.

And then for the bottom line, you've asked to see if you can remember the aims, and draw some pictures.

So, pause the video now, and fill up that gap, and then replay it once you have completed that task.

Okay, so here are some answers.

The United Nations is an international organisation.

It has 193 members.

It was founded in 1945, in the aftermath of World War II.

It has five aims. And these aims are upholding peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering aid, promoting sustainable development, and uploading international law.

So hopefully you got all those.

A big well done to you.

So, completed that task.

So since beginning, the United Nations has had a massive impact on the world.

Now, we couldn't possibly discuss everything impact United Nations has done.

Otherwise, we will be here for a very long time.

And so I've just picked some really key things that they have done.

So I've already mentioned this.

By 1948, they established the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

And this is a universal human rights of treaty that countries have signed up to to promise that they will protect their entitlements of the citizens in their country.

So right to life, right to freedom of expression, right to privacy, et cetera.

And has established a World Food Programme.

So what members contribute funds, services, and food, to this programme to help those in need who might need it.

And in 1951, establish the Refugee Convention.

So it provided an international definition, of what it means to be a refugee.

How many countries have signed this definition, and have agreed to take refugees from around the world, who are fleeing for their lives due to fear that their safety 'cause of conflict or persecution.

It has worked tirelessly to end discrimination against women, because of members have signed a declaration to say, "Well, actually we're going to do all we can, "to try and prevent discrimination against women." And I'm sure as you all know, that that is very much still a work in progress for the world today.

And, the UN had been very important in health.

So it's helped make vaccines for diseases.

It has been very important in conflict resolution.

So with its peacekeeping force, so soldiers from around the world, go to conflict zones, and try to reduce conflict, and help minimise impact of conflict.

It has tried to get the world to agree to a set of goals, a set of targets, with the Millennium Development Goals, which are now the sustainable development goals.

Members signed these to try.

So ending poverty, making sure the oceans are clean, et cetera.

It works tirelessly to try and help the environment.

So it encourages members to sign up to environmental promises, to reduce carbon emissions, et cetera.

And I'm sure maybe you see how in the news, over the last few months World Food Programme has actually won a Nobel Peace prize.

So it it's been rewarded for its efforts.

And of course, the World Health Organisation, which is an agency of the United Nations.

So someone who worked very close with it, and has been on the news pretty much every day talking about COVID, and how the world is coming together to try and overcome COVID and stop the spread of COVID.

And it's been instrumental in getting countries to work together.

And so, just to see what you remember about that.

In 1948, United Nations worked with members to produce the Declaration of Human Rights.

Is that true or is that false? But it is true.

I mean it is what you might say on the 10th of December every year, which remembers this piece of work.

Okay, let's have a second question.

In 1954, the United Nations introduced the Refugee Convention.

This proposed a global definition of what it means to be a refugee.

Is that true or is that false? Well done, if you said false, it can be a false.

Do we know why? Well that's because it is the wrong date.

It was actually introduced in 1951.

Our final question.

In 2020, the World Health Organisation, who are a specialised agency of the United Nations has helped coordinate the global effort to fight COVID-19.

Is that true or is that false? It is indeed true.

So, well done if you said true there.

So let's move on to look at the second question of today's lesson.

Okay, so the second question today.

How is the United Nations organised? And if you are doing GCSE citizenship, this is quite a common lower mark question, where the examination board will ask you.

For an example of a peace in United Nations, or an example of a role of what the United Nations does.

So, how are the United Nations organised? And most basic level, the UN is organised into six main organs.

Okay, an organ is just a word used by the United Nations to explain like a part.

And if you think of an organ, kind of a new body, all these organs come together to make your body work.

Just like all of these organs come together to make the United Nations work.

The UN couldn't , without the corporation of these organs.

So, organ number one is a General Assembly.

And this is essentially what allows all our members to come together as a whole organisation.

And organ number two, it's a Security Council.

And these are the people mostly responsible for maintaining peace and security in the world.

And these are the two organs that we're going to focus on in today's lesson.

So I will tell you a little bit more about them in a minute.

For the next one is the Secretariat.

And the Secretariat are basically the people, who make the UN work.

They're the ones who do all the huntsmen, all the research, all documents.

And it's where you find a Secretary General, who oversees any needs of the United Nations.

And it's where lots of diplomats work.

So maybe in the future, if you want to be a diplomat, or work in international politics, then maybe you'll get a job in the Secretariat.

So the next one is the Economic and Social Research Council.

So these are a body who put into practise all the things to do with social issues and economic issues.

For example, they are instrumental, or the really important input into practise the sustainable development goals.

Which try to overcome some of the world's biggest issues, such as poverty, lack of education, clean oceans, et cetera The International Court of Justice, is the UN's legal organ.

And this is where members may come to settle disputes, and the United Nations can offer legal advice to members in this court.

Although it isn't always an illegally binding.

War members do sign up to follow it's ruins.

And finally the Trusteeship Council, which actually isn't in existence anymore.

And so we're not going to really dwell on that.

If I were you, I would probably pause this video now, and just make a note of that mind map, just so you've got a note of all six organs, before we go on to look up to in great detail.

Okay, so again, just another question to check that you were listening.

The main aspects of the United Nations are called departments.

True or false? It is indeed false.

Well done, if you said false.

The six main aspects of the United Nations are called organs.

There are five organs of the United Nations.

True or false? It is indeed false.

Well, done.

How many organs are they? There are six organs of the United Nations.

The Secretariat provides administrative support to help the UN organs carry out their work.

True or false? Well done, it is indeed true.

The International Court of Justice settles legal disputes by members and gives legal advice to UN organs/agencies.

True or false? It is indeed true.

Again, very well done if you said that.

And there was no opportunity for 180 members of the United nations to come together.

Okay, the final question.

There is no opportunity for the 180 members of the United Nations to come together.

Is that true or is that false? That is indeed false.

Because, well, there are two reasons why it is false.

There is an opportunity for all the members of the United Nations to come together.

That is in the General Assembly.

And there are also 193 members of the United Nations not.

So well done if you got both of those.

Okay, so we're going to go and look at two more organs in a little bit more detail.

The General Assembly.

So the General Assembly provides the opportunity for all United Nations members to come together.

As it brings all 193 groups together.

There is an annual meeting of the GA in each September, normally held in New York.

And this, an important part of this meeting is called the General Debate.

And this provided every single member, so 193 to put forward their ideas, their views, on major international issues.

So you can imagine that this part of the meeting, goes on for quite awhile.

It's spread out over a few days.

And the General Assembly will praise, scrutinise, and make recommendations on the work of the UN organs and committees.

So it sounds very, very well.

The GA will be like, "Well done." If you know something is not gone well, they will be asking questions about why, and how that work can be improved.

The GA will approve the United Nations budget.

Which is a very big budget, so it's really important that budget is approved.

And now we're going to watch a little bit of a speech by the Prime Minister of the UK.

I now give the floor to distinguished representable the United Kingdom to introduce an address by the head of government.

Thank you Mr.President Mr.President, I have the honour to introduce the prerecorded statement, of his excellency Mr. Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of great Britain, and Northern Ireland.

Never in the history of our species, not since the Almighty failed the tower of being, has the human race being so obsessed with one single topic of conversation.

We've been following the same debates, researching the potential of the same drugs.

And time and again, we've been typing the same word into our search engines.

, Criminals as united humanity as never before.

And yet the crisis, has also been an extraordinary force for division.

We moving up against the same enemy, the same tiny opponent, threatening everyone in much the same way.

But members of the UN, have still waged 193 separate campaigns.

As if every country somehow contains a different species of human being.

Across the world there's been an infinite variety curfews, with restrictions, and closures.

And we've fought in a spirited, so deeper.

Peace has been so urgent.

The pressure is so intense.

With each national government democracy or otherwise, has decided entirely understandably to put the interests of its domestic population first.

We've seen borders spring up between friends and allies, sometimes without consultation.

We've seen the disruption of global supply chains, with check book wars on airport tarmacs, as nations bide with nations, for supply of PPE.

And after the nine months of fighting COVID, the very notion that the international community looks frankly pretty tatted.

And we know, that we simply can't continue this way.

Unless we get our act together, unless we , and turn off fire against our common foe, we know that everyone will lose.

The inevitable outcome will be to prolong this calamity, and increase the risk of another.

Now is the time.

Therefore here, when I divinely hope will be the first and last ever Zoom anger, for humanity to reach across borders, and repair these ugly myths.

Let's heal the world literally and metaphorically.

And let's begin.

So, that was the 2020 speech of the UK's Prime Minister.

While it was a few minutes of it, at this year's General Assembly.

Just to give you a flavour of the type of things, what I said.

So this is the United Nations General Assembly hall.

And so as you can see, it is kind of big enough for all the members to get together.

And all their teams, and diplomats who work at the United Nations as well.

Okay, so the Security Council.

The Security Council, basically tries to maintain international peace and security.

It is made of 15 members.

It's made up of five permanent members, and 10 non-permanent members.

The five permanent members are known as the P5.

And these are the USA, the UK, Russia, China, and France.

And something quite unique about P5 members, it's that they hold something called veto power.

So if you veto something, you can say no to it.

So they can stop any action of the United Nations it does not agree with, by a single vote.

And this power is one of the most hotly contested powers that the United Nations has, especially between its members, because some people argue that it's not fair that these five nations have the ability to stop the work of the UN.

And the UN Charter.

So the UN list of aims and purposes, ensures all members must comply with Security Council decisions.

So if you sign up to be a member of the United Nations you have to agree to basically follow what the Security Council says.

And while the Security Council will always favour peaceful means of dispute resolution.

So, come together and talk, and it does have the power to impose sanctions or use force.

So that means that it could stop a country trading a certain an item.

So maybe like guns or kind of things to make bombs with, or military equipment.

Oh, they can indeed than useful.

So it will get members to agree to use conflict with their armed forces.

So this is where the Security Council meets.

As you can see again, there is enough room for members to sit round.

There's enough room, the P5 members and the non-permanent members, all the associated staff too.

Okay, so let's take a bit of a pause to see what you can remember and to add to your notes.

What I would like to do is, leave the lesson, and access the worksheet.

And on the worksheet, you'll find a series of points.

And what I would actually do, is draw a table like the one you can see on your screen.

And sort the points into the correct columns.

So, is there a point about the General Assembly? Or is there a point about the Security Council? Now, once you've done that, return to the lesson, and we'll go through the answers.

So pause your video now to complete this task.

Okay, so hopefully you found that task okay.

And here are the answers on your screen now.

So, if you've got different coloured pen, I mentioned at the beginning, give your answers a tick, or give them a correction if they need it.

For the General Assembly, it has 193 members, it brings all UN members together, holds an annual meeting and it gives an opportunity for all to comment and involve themselves in the work and decisions of the United Nations.

Whereas the Security Council only has 15 members.

And the members split into P5 members which are the UK, the USA, Russia, France and China.

Also has non P5 members, which change.

It oversees international peace and security.

P5 members can veto and has the power to sanction, and use force in the military operations.

So hopefully that has allowed you to get a little bit more detailed knowledge on the organs and work of the United Nations.

And our third and final question for today, as I said will be, what is a UK role within the United Nations? So, what is the UK role within the United Nations? Now based on what we have discussed already, you should already know some answers to this question.

So if you take a minute, and just have a think about what we've done in today's lesson already, how would you answer this question? What is the UK's role in the United Nation? What two things can you already think of? Well, hopefully you got these two.

The UK is a member of the General Assembly.

And the UK is also a permanent member of the Security Council.

Can you remember what tasks and roles this might actually mean? What things does this role come with? The UK might have to do? And could you think of two or three for each one? Maybe I'm going to the pause video, and just jot some ideas down.

I got this.

So, hopefully you got kind of some things similar as well.

So we've got attend the annual meeting.

We've got give speech to the Great Debate And we've got comment and vote on the UN's work.

And then for the permanent member of the Security Council, we've got making decisions about international peace and security.

And has the ability to veto UN resolutions.

So another role which you might not be aware of is that it contributed towards the United Nations budget, is actually one of the biggest contributors.

That may contribute to both the UN regular budget.

And they also contributes to all other aspects of the UN's work.

So it's human rights work, it's health work, and it's development work.

And the UK also contributes to world peacekeeping missions.

And so in 2015 it contributed soldiers towards the UN, South Sudan and Somalia missions, and this was to fight and end terrorism in the region.

And also more recently, the UK contributed 300 soldiers to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, to help the area overcome conflict.

So hopefully you should have a nice full table with four really clear roles of the UK, within the United Nations.

And if you are doing GCSE citizenship, the exam questions will centre around here.

Explaining what the UK does, and what are its benefits of being a member.

But just to end with a little bit of reflection, is what do you think the most important role the UK carries out within the United Nations? And so, you can just write a little paragraph at the end of your notes, just to reflect on today.

So I think the most important role of the UK is.

this is because, an evidence for this may be, so pause the video now, just have a go back complete that task.

And so that brings the lesson to an end today.

Hopefully, you've enjoyed it.

And you can do the following things.

You know the aims and purposes of the United Nations.

You can give the role of different United Nations organs, and you know what the different United Nations organs are.

And you can explain the different roles of the UK within the United Nations.

So that brings to an end, and hope you enjoyed it.

And you've learned a little bit more about the United Nations.

And please don't get to complete the exit quiz, as you leave the lesson.

And hopefully I will see you again kindly next time, for the next lesson, exploring the UK's role in the international community, bye.