I think the United Nations was created based on learning from 2 global historical wars. Although this organization was not working well all the previous time due to vitos from the owners of its security council, The UN had achieved many miracles during the past six decades to humanity in different domains, these include:

1- Peace making and keeping, the examples are enormous, more than 69 peacekeeping and observer missions to the world’s trouble spots over the past six decade. Moreover, preventing nuclear proliferation, clearing landmines in some all over the world, countering terrorism in many places in the world, preventing genocide, Combating Sexual Violence in Conflict, and more.

2- Economic development all over the world, particularly in developing countries such as promoting development, alleviating rural poverty, focusing on African development, promoting women's well-being, laying the groundwork for business, supporting industry, fighting hunger, improving global trade, promoting economic reform, supporting civil aviation, improving shipping, generating worldwide commitment in support of children, turning slums into decent human settlements, providing local access to a global network, improving global telecommunications, promoting responsible tourism, mobilizing volunteers for development and peace, and acting as a global think tank.

3- Social Developments all over the world these include improving Literacy and Education, Preserving Historic, Cultural, Architectural and Natural Sites, Facilitating Academic and Cultural Exchanges, Addressing global problems, and Taking the lead on global issues.

4- Human Rights, in this domain the UN had done the following: Promoting Human Rights, Fostering Democracy, Promoting Self-determination and Independence, Ending Apartheid in South Africa, Promoting Women's Rights, Combating violence against women, Promoting Decent Work, Promoting Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression, Promoting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Improving the Plight of Indigenous People.

5- Environment, in this domain the great UN had done the following: Seeking solutions to climate change, Helping Countries to Cope with Climate Change, Protecting the Environment, Protecting the Ozone Layer, Providing Safe Drinking Water, Tackling Fish Stock Depletion, Banning Toxic Chemicals.

6- International Law, in this domain the UN has done the following: Prosecuting War Criminals, Strengthening, International Law, Helping to Resolve Major, International Disputes, Promoting Stability and Order in the World's Oceans, Combating International Crime, Containing the World Drug Problem, and Encouraging Creativity and Innovation.

7- Humanitarian Affairs, in this domain the UN done the following: Assisting refugees, Aiding Palestinian Refugees, Helping Disaster Victims, Reducing the Effects of Natural Disasters, and Providing Food to the Neediest.

8- Health, in this important domain the UN had done the following: Promoting Reproductive and Maternal Health, Responding to HIV/AIDS, Wiping Out Polio, Eradicating Smallpox, Fighting Tropical Diseases, Halting the Spread of Epidemics, Pressing for Universal Immunization, Reducing Child Mortality, and Protecting Consumers' Health.

In summary the UN is the best organization created by man ever, it protected man from hunger, illnesses, environment and most importantly from his brother. However, some people are trying now to destroy it!

source: http://www.un.org/un70/en/content/70ways

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22We+learn+from+history%22

I think the United Nations was created based on learning from 2 global historical wars. Although this organization was not working well all the previous time due to vitos from the owners of its security council, The UN had achieved many miracles during the past six decades to humanity in different domains, these include:

1- Peace making and keeping, the examples are enormous, more than 69 peacekeeping and observer missions to the world’s trouble spots over the past six decade. Moreover, preventing nuclear proliferation, clearing landmines in some all over the world, countering terrorism in many places in the world, preventing genocide, Combating Sexual Violence in Conflict, and more.

2- Economic development all over the world, particularly in developing countries such as promoting development, alleviating rural poverty, focusing on African development, promoting women's well-being, laying the groundwork for business, supporting industry, fighting hunger, improving global trade, promoting economic reform, supporting civil aviation, improving shipping, generating worldwide commitment in support of children, turning slums into decent human settlements, providing local access to a global network, improving global telecommunications, promoting responsible tourism, mobilizing volunteers for development and peace, and acting as a global think tank.

3- Social Developments all over the world these include improving Literacy and Education, Preserving Historic, Cultural, Architectural and Natural Sites, Facilitating Academic and Cultural Exchanges, Addressing global problems, and Taking the lead on global issues.

4- Human Rights, in this domain the UN had done the following: Promoting Human Rights, Fostering Democracy, Promoting Self-determination and Independence, Ending Apartheid in South Africa, Promoting Women's Rights, Combating violence against women, Promoting Decent Work, Promoting Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression, Promoting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Improving the Plight of Indigenous People.

5- Environment, in this domain the great UN had done the following: Seeking solutions to climate change, Helping Countries to Cope with Climate Change, Protecting the Environment, Protecting the Ozone Layer, Providing Safe Drinking Water, Tackling Fish Stock Depletion, Banning Toxic Chemicals.

6- International Law, in this domain the UN has done the following: Prosecuting War Criminals, Strengthening, International Law, Helping to Resolve Major, International Disputes, Promoting Stability and Order in the World's Oceans, Combating International Crime, Containing the World Drug Problem, and Encouraging Creativity and Innovation.

7- Humanitarian Affairs, in this domain the UN done the following: Assisting refugees, Aiding Palestinian Refugees, Helping Disaster Victims, Reducing the Effects of Natural Disasters, and Providing Food to the Neediest.

8- Health, in this important domain the UN had done the following: Promoting Reproductive and Maternal Health, Responding to HIV/AIDS, Wiping Out Polio, Eradicating Smallpox, Fighting Tropical Diseases, Halting the Spread of Epidemics, Pressing for Universal Immunization, Reducing Child Mortality, and Protecting Consumers' Health.

In summary the UN is the best organization created by man ever, it protected man from hunger, illnesses, environment and most importantly from his brother. However, some people are trying now to destroy it!

source: http://www.un.org/un70/en/content/70ways

Hi! Good question. Do you imply that humans seldom learn from history?

I think some examples of learning from history can be identified in cultures and traditions and action patterns of ethnic minorities, especially often discriminated and sometimes persecuted minorities, as the Jewish or Roma peoples. Their history(ies) in Europe are both similar and very different, as the Jewish culture(s) always seems to have been a strong culture of reading, writing, texts and education, while most of this largely has been absent among the Roma into our time. So these group track their history(ies) very differently, but they have both many (and slighly similar) strategies of survival as minorities.

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