To what extent is the legacy of the League of Nations tangible today? In the past decades, historians have nuanced the traditional historiography focusing on the failure of the League. On the contrary, they should have highlighted its pioneering activities and lasting legacy. Although the history of the League and the United Nations have often been studied separately, the continuity between the two organizations is clearly recognized today. The establishment of the United Nations in 1945 was influenced by the League’s experiences, and some functions of the League were transferred to the UN. Some UN administrative and multilateral practices which seem normal today were inherited from the League. In this regard, continuities can be seen at different levels. 

By bringing together historians and UN practitioners, this episode of HiStories aims at exploring some of the continuities and discontinuities between the League and the UN. The discussion will highlight in which terms the activities carried out by the United Nations today are related to the work of the League. It will also discuss how practices nowadays – sometimes associated with the daily work of UN staff – are similar to the ones established by the League of Nations.