Established in 1945 as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) marks its 80th anniversary this year. The exhibition International Court of Justice: 80 Years in the Service of Peace and Justice” commemorates this anniversary and gives an overview of the history of the Court.

Also known as the “World Court”, the ICJ was born out of decades-long efforts to develop peaceful means to resolve international disputes. It was established by the UN Charter, which was signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco and to which the Statute of the Court is annexed.

The Court was created from the determination of States to ensure that law, rather than force, would guide relations among nations in the aftermath of the Second World War. As the Court marks its 80th anniversary, it must acknowledge the challenges facing the international legal order. There are troubling signs of disengagement from international obligations and growing scepticism about the value of multilateralism. These trends test the resilience of a system built on law. The Court will continue to respond to these challenges, staying true to its mission of interpreting and applying international law in good faith.