THE HAGUE — The International Court of Justice marked its 80th anniversary on Friday with a celebration in the Great Hall in The Hague, where United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that international law was eroding before the world's eyes. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands attended the ceremony.

The court is the busiest it has been in its history, with cases related to the Gaza conflict, the war in Ukraine, and climate change on its docket. Russia has continued to attack Ukraine in violation of an order from the court.

The court is considering allegations of genocide against Myanmar over its treatment of the Rohingya ethnic minority and against Israel over its military actions in Gaza. Both countries deny the allegations. Guyana has also asked the court to resolve a border dispute with Venezuela that has been ongoing since 1899.

Established in the aftermath of World War II, the court adjudicates disputes between countries. All 193 United Nations member states are members of the court, though not all automatically recognize its jurisdiction. Certain UN bodies, including the General Assembly, can request advisory opinions from the court's 15 judges.

When the court held its inaugural session in 1946, it counted 51 member countries, and Queen Juliana of the Netherlands attended. The first case before the court was filed in 1947, when the United Kingdom brought a complaint against Albania over damage to naval ships in the Corfu Channel.

The anniversary marks a significant expansion in the court's workload since those early years. At its founding, the court had 51 member countries; today all 193 UN member states hold membership. The court issues both binding rulings in disputes between states and advisory opinions when requested by qualified UN bodies.