Today in History: UNICEF Founded by the United Nations:

The following are some of the major notable events that occurred on December 11 throughout history:

1620 – Pilgrims Land at Plymouth (North America): On December 11, 1620, 102 Pilgrims from the Mayflower made their first landing in Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts. Arriving off course from their original Virginia destination, they signed the Mayflower Compact and established one of the earliest self-governing colonies in New England, laying a foundation for democratic traditions in America.

1792 – Trial of King Louis XVI Begins (France): On December 11, 1792, deposed King Louis XVI was brought before France’s National Convention, marking the start of his trial for treason during the French Revolution. This unprecedented event – putting a former monarch on trial – ultimately led to Louis XVI’s conviction and execution, symbolizing the revolutionary break with monarchical rule and the rise of the French Republic.

1917 – British Enter Jerusalem in World War I (Middle East): On December 11, 1917, British General Edmund Allenby formally entered Jerusalem on foot after the city surrendered during World War I. This ended Ottoman Turkish control of Jerusalem; Allenby’s respectful entrance (dismounting to walk through the Jaffa Gate) was a symbolic moment. Church bells in Rome and London rang to celebrate the occasion, as the Allied capture of the Holy City boosted morale and marked a significant shift in the Middle Eastern theatre of the war.

1931 – Statute of Westminster Passed (British Commonwealth): The Statute of Westminster was passed by the British Parliament on December 11, 1931, granting full legislative autonomy to the self-governing dominions of the British Empire. This law affirmed that dominions like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and others were equal in status to the UK, no longer subject to British parliamentary control, and is considered a critical step toward the de facto independence of these nations.

1936 – Abdication of King Edward VIII (United Kingdom): On December 11, 1936, King Edward VIII announced his abdication of the British throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. Edward became the first English monarch ever to voluntarily abdicate the crown. This constitutional crisis redefined the British monarchy’s succession – Edward’s brother Albert ascended as King George VI – and underscored the tension between royal duties and personal life in a very public way.

1941 – United States Enters WWII Against Germany and Italy: On December 11, 1941, four days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Adolf Hitler (for Germany) and Benito Mussolini (for Italy) declared war on the United States, and the U.S. Congress responded by declaring war on Germany and Italy that same day. This brought the United States into the European and North African theaters of World War II, transforming the conflict into a truly global war as America joined the Allies in the fight against the Axis Powers.

1946 – UNICEF Founded by the United Nations: On December 11, 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, the UN General Assembly voted to establish UNICEF, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. Created to provide food, healthcare, and relief to children devastated by the war, UNICEF evolved into a permanent UN agency that continues to work for children’s welfare and rights worldwide, marking a milestone in global humanitarian efforts.

1972 – Apollo 17 Lands on the Moon (United States): December 11, 1972, saw Apollo 17 – NASA’s final Apollo mission – land astronauts on the Moon. Commander Eugene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt touched down in the Taurus–Littrow valley at 19:54 UTC, achieving humanity’s sixth and most recent crewed Moon landing. Apollo 17 was the last mission in which humans walked on the lunar surface, closing the Apollo era of manned lunar exploration.

1997 – Kyoto Protocol Adopted (Global Climate Agreement): On December 11, 1997, delegates from around 160 countries meeting in Kyoto, Japan adopted the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This landmark environmental treaty committed industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reflecting the first major global effort to combat climate change. Though it only entered into force in 2005, the Kyoto Protocol set the stage for future international climate agreements by establishing binding targets for emissions reductions.

2001 – China Joins the World Trade Organization (Global Economy): On December 11, 2001, the People’s Republic of China officially acceded to the World Trade Organization, becoming its 143rd member after 15 years of negotiations. China’s entry into the WTO was a pivotal moment in globalization – integrating one of the world’s most populous nations into the global trading system – and it accelerated China’s rise as a major economic power, with far-reaching effects on world trade and finance.