What city was the site of the first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly?

The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly was held in London, England. It opened on January 10, 1946, at Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, now known as Central Hall Westminster.

The meeting brought together representatives of the United Nations’ original 51 member states, shortly after the UN Charter came into force. Colombian diplomat Eduardo Zuleta Ángel, who chaired the Preparatory Commission, formally called the gathering to order. Belgium’s Paul-Henri Spaak was elected the first president of the General Assembly.

A common mix-up is New York City, which became the General Assembly’s permanent home. The first session began in London, but its second meeting opened at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York on October 23, 1946. The UN’s New York headquarters was completed later, in 1952.