Video: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sept. 16, 2020 warns that the world organization faces its own "1945 moment," noting that efforts must be made to "meet that moment." (Xinhua)

"We must show unity like never before to overcome today's emergency, get the world moving and working and prospering again, and uphold the vision of the Charter," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday warned that the world organization faces its own "1945 moment," noting that efforts must be made to "meet that moment."

"In this 75th anniversary year, we face our own 1945 moment. We must meet that moment," Guterres told journalists at a hybrid press conference held at the UN headquarters in New York.

"We must show unity like never before to overcome today's emergency, get the world moving and working and prospering again, and uphold the vision of the Charter," said the UN chief.

The UN was established after World War II with the aim of preventing future wars, succeeding the ineffective League of Nations. On April 25, 1945, 50 government representatives met in San Francisco for a conference and started drafting the UN Charter, which was adopted on June 25, 1945 and took effect on Oct. 24, 1945, when the UN began operations.

Pursuant to the Charter, the organization's objectives include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development, and upholding international law.

At its founding, the UN had 51 member states. The membership now is 193, representing almost all of the world's sovereign states. ■