This General Conference The United Methodist Church
affirms its historic support for the United Nations. Today
wWe rejoice that since 1945...
-- Provided mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes.
-- Provided an arena for promotion of a just and equitable world
economic system.
-- Provided assistance through United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, United Nations Development Program, United Nations
Childrens Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization, and its other agencies to
persons who are usually neglected.
-- Established peacekeeping forces in troubled areas.
-- Developed principles of peace-building.
-- Defused big power confrontations.
-- Provided assistance through United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), and its other agencies to persons who are usually neglected.
Provided a forum for discussion of difficult issues, such as racism, population and decolonization.
Promoted just and equitable world social and economic systems.
Established internationally accepted standards of human rights for all persons, including women and children.
Forged international treaties on Ozone, Climate Change, Bio-diversity, and The Law of the Sea, and sponsored summits of heads of state and government on issues of children, environment and social development.
Brought nations together to coordinate the battles against smallpox, polio, childhood mortality, inadequate nutrition and HIV/AIDS.
Provided a means of coordination and communication for world Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's).
International relations are entering a new era. Governments turn to the United
Nations as they recognize that they must address their
problems multilaterally. through tThe
use of consultation and compromise as solutions intensifies.
Nations acting together...
However, wWe are not convinced...Nations
might still return to unilateral acts of violence... The arms
build-up has decreased but it has not ceased. Regional civil and
ethnic wars will continue to break out...
We encourage the governments of the world to discard old systems of
nationalistic self-will and to let the ideals and visions of the Charter of the
United Nations serve as their guide to a new spirit of international
cooperation.
The pursuit of peace is thwarted when media-promoted falsehoods
misunderstandings about the purpose and possibilities of the
United Nations are widely promoted disseminated and
believed. Therefore, we commend to the churches a wider study of the
United Nations in order that Christians might be enabled to work in unity for
peace and justice in the world.
We encourage the governments of the world to say no to nationalistic self-will, to say yes to the ideals and visions of the Charter of the United Nations, and to let it serve as their guide to a new spirit of international cooperation.
To that end:
1. We commend to the churches a wider study of the United Nations in order that Christians might be enabled to work in unity for peace and justice in the world.
1 2. We reaffirm decisions of the General Conference
beginning in 1944 to establish "an international office of education and
publicity for peace." These decisions resulted in establishment
of Supported by those decisions the church established the
Methodist Office for the United Nations and, in 1963, in construction
of constructed the Church Center for the United Nations.
2 3. We particularly commend...the work of the United
Nations as it grapples with the work strives for
peace.
4. We affirm and support the United Methodist Office for the United Nations as a facilitator and participant in the NGO network.
3 5. We also reaffirm the importance of
celebrating the signing entry into force of the Charter
of the United Nations on October 24, 1945, with an emphasis in local churches
on World Order United Nations Sunday, observed on that
date or the Sunday preceding it.
6. We call upon United Methodists to encourage their governments to strengthen the U.N. by fulfilling all treaty and financial obligations so that it may more effectively relieve the suffering of millions through better health, protect our planet's environment, promote human rights, and bring about genuine and lasting peace in the world.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21052-CS-R648-U
1996 United Methodist General Conference