The annual observance of Disarmament Week on October 24-30, which begins on the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, was called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly 1978 special session on disarmament (resolution S-10/2). States were invited to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament.

• In 1995, the General Assembly invited governments, as well as NGOs, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B, 12 December 1995).
• It invited the Secretary-General to continue using United Nations information entities as widely as possible, to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament problems, and the aims of the Week.
• On 26 September 2013 the General Assembly convened a high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament to contribute to achieving the goal of nuclear disarmament.
• Arms Trade Treaty: Every year during the annual United Nations Treaty Event – , much of the attention was focused on the Arms Trade Treaty, which (as of October 2016) has 130 signatories.
• The Treaty, regulating the international trade in conventional arms – from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships – entered into force on 24 December 2014.
• It is of particular significance that the largest arms-exporting country in the world, the United States, is now also among those countries who have committed themselves to a global regulation of the arms trade.