The building at Flushing Meadows was originally built for the 1939 New York World's Fair. Seven years later, it hosted representatives of the countries that were building the new international organization after World War II.
On October 23, 1946, the United Nations General Assembly met for the first time in New York. This was not the beginning of its first session, but its renewal. The first part was held in London between January 10 and February 14, and the second began at Flushing Meadows and continued until December 15.
The first session was attended by representatives of 51 member states. The General Assembly is headed by Belgian Paul-Henri Spaak, and the first Secretary-General of the UN is Trygve Lie. The permanent headquarters of the organization has not yet been chosen, so meetings are held in temporary premises.
Harry Truman's speech
The opening in New York was marked by a speech by US President Harry Truman. He welcomed the delegations and emphasized the symbolic significance of his country hosting the organization.
“The United States is not only a member, but also the host of the United Nations“, Truman declared.In his speech, the US president spoke of the need for lasting peace, international cooperation, and the abandonment of the threat of a new war. He defined the General Assembly as a place where large and small countries were represented as equals, and called for disputes to be resolved through law and negotiation.
Truman also drew attention to the four freedoms related to speech and religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Among the main tasks facing the new organization, he indicated the control of atomic energy, the reconstruction of war-torn societies, and aid for refugees.
From the temporary hall to Manhattan
The first meeting in New York was held at a time when the city was still only a temporary center of the UN. Later in the same session, the General Assembly decided to build a permanent headquarters in Manhattan. The current UN complex was inaugurated a few years later, but the beginning of the organization's New York history remains linked to Flushing Meadows.
Thus, October 23, 1946, became a date that changed the geography of international diplomacy. The UN began in London, but New York gradually established itself as its permanent face to the world.