Sunday, December 30, 2007

UNA's Mission in 2008

The UN and the world are facing immense challenges, including the recent tragic assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan. Conflicts in Darfur, Iraq, the Middle East, Eastern Congo and other areas of the world persist. Global warming and the enormous growing gaps between the super rich and the middle class and the poor challenge everyone, especially ordinary citizens. Poverty and hunger diminish whenever funds diverted to war and arms decrease, and decreasing small arms as well as nuclear stockpiles is vital. The UN Millennium Development Goals remain laudable, and with adequate sense of purpose by the international community and ordinary citizens, can yet be achieved.

The United Nations Association of the USA and the Southern NY State Division and the chapters it serves have roles to play in educating the American people about these issues, and about the importance of the United Nations in facing them. It is important to focus on membership, on outreach, on publicity and on an "each one bring one" attitude. Development and building of partnerships with NGOs, organizations and businesses are one way to proceed. The generation represented by YPIC, and those involved in Model UNs and Student Alliances are essential to building a broad understanding of the United Nations in this country.

As UNA-USA members we need to support the United Nations as an important home and a tool for building international consensus. We need to ask political candidates who are running for office in the US in 2008 to explain their attitudes and positions toward the UN. Bhutto's assassination highlighted the need for leadership by the President of the US on global issues and revealed the presidential candidates' strengths and weaknesses in this sphere.

There is much to do during 2008, and we need to build coalitions, write editorials, and otherwise reach out to publicize the value of the UN to the American public and the world.

Best wishes to all for a productive and peace-building New Year.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination is a blow to good governance in Pakistan by forward-thinking people. It is a blow to all women as well. We will never know what changes she might have made in her country if elected in the planned January elections. What we do know is that political turmoil is likely, for some time to come.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council have condemned the assassination as a blow to stability in Pakistan and its democratic processes.

Bhutto's assassination is akin to those of Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi in neighboring India. Fortunately India has gone on to continue a tradition of democracy, and its current path to greater prosperity coincides with this. Pakistan can be set back for decades if extremism is allowed to take over, with great consequences for neighboring countries and the world.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Kofi Annan receives MacArthur Prize

Congratulations to Kofi Annan, recipient of MacArthur Foundation's first Award for International Justice! The award gives Mr. Annan $100,000 for his own work, with another $500,000 to be given to the international justice organization of his choice.

As cited on the website of the MacArthur Foundation, “Kofi Annan’s life work embodies the values of justice and human rights and the eternal hope for a humane, peaceful world that justice makes possible,” said Fanton. “It was under his leadership as Secretary General at the United Nations that the International Criminal Court was established and the Responsibility to Protect became an accepted principle for international action in the face of the worst human suffering. These critical building blocks of an effective international justice system form a legacy that will benefit the world for generations to come.” Jonathan Fanton is president of the Foundation.

Monday, December 17, 2007

UNA-USA Human Rights Day Event

On December 10 UNA-USA held the Inaugural Leo Nevas Human Rights Award luncheon, in association with its December Board meeting. This is named in honor of Leo Nevas, 95, the longest serving Board Member of UNA-USA and a champion of human rights around the world. Paul Newman and his Newman's Own Foundation support the effort.

The theme of the meeting was the UN's role in Darfur. Panelists included Sir Brian Urquehart, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs; Donald Steinberg, Director of the New York Office of the international Crisis Group; John Prendergast, co-chair of the ENOUGH PRoject; and Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service. Thomas J. Pickering moderated. Despite the efforts of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and special envoy Jan Eliasson, peace talks have been faltering and humanitarian needs are greater than ever. Aid is estimated at $1 billion a year for the refugees. Minimally 26 helicopters are needed, but no country is willing to supply them. Activism is required by NGOs and others to promote the needed policies and funding.

The Westchester Chapter was well represented, with Phil Reynolds, Molly Bruce and David and Ginger Stillman attending.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

December 10 is Human Rights Day

International Human Rights Day is marked every year on December 10, with activities led by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and in New York and in the field by United Nations . All States and interested organizations were invited by the General Assembly in 1950 to observe 10 December as Human Rights Day (resolution 423 (V)). The Day marks the anniversary of the Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

For information about the activities of the UN High Commission for Human Rights, see: http://www.ohchr.org/english/


A new commemoration will be launched on December 10 to observe the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights -- a year-long celebration in 2008. http://www.knowyourrights2008.org/ This gives an opportunity to post activities your organization is doing to celebrate this anniversary.

The following is the Simplified Version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:



Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(Simplified version)

1. All Human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights.

2. All people are entitled to rights without distinction based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, opinion, origin, property, birth or residency.

3. Right to life liberty and security of person

4. Freedom from slavery.

5. Freedom from torture.

6. Right to be treated equally by the law.

7. Right to equal protection by the law.

8. Right for all to effective remedy by competent tribunal.

9. Freedom from arbitrary arrest.

10. Right to fair public hearing by Independent tribunal.

11. Right to presumption of innocence until proven guilty at public trial with all guarantees necessary for defence.

12. Right to privacy in home, family and correspondence.

13. Freedom of movement in your own country and the right to leave and return to any countries.

14. Right to political asylum in other countries.

15. Right to nationality.

16. Right to marriage and family and to equal right of men and women during and after marriage.

17. Right to own property.

18. Freedom of thought and conscience and religion.

19. Freedom of opinion and expression and to seek, receive and impart information.

20. Freedom of Association and assembly.

21. Right to take part in and select government.

22. Right to social security and realisation of economic, social and cultural rights.

23. Right to work, to equal pay for equal work and to form and join trade unions.

24. Right to reasonable hours of work and paid holidays.

25. Right to adequate living standard for self and family, including food, housing, clothing,

medical care and social security.

26. Right to education.

27. Right to participate in cultural life and to protect intellectual property rights.

28. Right to social and international order permitting these freedoms to be realized.

29. Each person has responsibilities to the community and others as essential for a democratic

society.

30. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms ser forth herein.

Disclaimer: Your rights made simple is given only as a guide. For an exact rendering of each principle please refer to www.unric.org. Due to difficulties in Translation, the original Article 30 was used in all simplified versions.

UNA Westchester December 9 event

On Sunday, December 9, from 2 to 4 pm, UNA Westchester will host a short presentation about the United Nations, with questions and answers to follow. Bronxville Public Library, 310 Pondfield Road at Midland Avenue, will be the venue for the event.

Afterward, the Youth Philharmonic for United Nations, led by conductor George Mathew, will present a short performance. The group is a program of Friendship Ambassadors Foundation. It is made up of middle and high school students from the Westchester and Fairfield County areas.

A reception with refreshments will follow the concert.

World AIDS Day - December 1 - Westchester County Event


The concept of a World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention. Since then, it has been taken up by governments, international organizations and charities around the world.

From 1 pm until 4 pm on Saturday, December 1, the performing artist and survivor of the Rwandan genocide, Marie Claudine Mukamabano, will be featured at a Westchester County World AIDS Day gathering at Good Counsel in White Plains. This free program will also include table exhibits by both local and national organizations involved in the fight against global poverty and AIDS, other cultural and musical performances, and a short march down North Broadway to highlight global AIDS. The event is sponsored by the Westchester Coalition on Global Poverty and AIDS in support of the http://www.one.org/ campaign and the growing worldwide campaign to make poverty history.


The Good Counsel gymnasium is located at 52 North Broadway in White Plains (Call 914 798-1300 for directions). For more info: HAPNY@hotmail.com.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

NBC's Coverage of the Ends of the Earth

I commend NBC for its Green series, and particularly enjoy the Today Show's coverage of the Ends of the Earth.

The series hasn't mentioned it, but their work fits very well with achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, especially number 7. -- Environmental Sustainability. This Goal has three targets -- No. 9: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources. No. 10: Halve by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation; No. 11: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers.

The first target deals with the broad issues of environmental sustainability -- and all the policies our governments and international accords need to achieve to ensure that we mitigate the negative effects human beings have had and continue to have on the environment.

Google and Cisco have helped the UN Development Programme to create an MDG Monitor website. Partners are the Statistics Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Relief Web of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). .

The MDG Monitor is designed as a tool for policymakers, development practitioners, journalists, students and others to: TRACK progress through interactive maps and country-specific profiles; LEARN about countries' challenges and achievements and get the latest news; and SUPPORT organizations working on the MDGs around the world See http://www.mdgmonitor.org/

The MDG Awards Committee is planning an MDG Awards Festival and Telecast, to be held at the United Nations on June 5, 2008. See the website http://www.un-mdgawards.org/.

All who are contributing to achieving the MDGs (corporations, non-governmental organizations, schools, academic, business associations, etc.) are invited to apply and to publicize their efforts. Grammy Awards Producer Nile Rodgers will produce the event. Come on, Come all! Show the world what you're doing.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Teaching About the United Nations

A wonderful resource on teaching published in 2006 about the UN is available for purchase at:

http://catalog.socialstudies.com/c/product.html?record@TF39783+s@4FZRUzkJdLGZI

This was prepared by Jenna Arnold of the UN Works Unit of the Department of Public Information. It includes a teacher's guide, student handouts and a PowerPoint presentation with extensive slides about the UN, historical through 2006.

Teachers may incorporate slides into other presentations and use this in a very flexible way. Great too for Model UN preparation!
UNITED NATIONS CURRICULUM BUNDLE: PowerPoint® Presentation and Activity Book
Introduce students to the foundation and facets of the United Nations while helping them develop critical thinking skills. The PowerPoint® presentation features documentary photographs and film clips and informative text on 50 animated slides accompanied by a script, a 20-question multiple-choice quiz, discussion questions, extension activities, and related Web sites with annotations. The reproducible unit directs students to online primary sources, spurring analysis, interpretation, opinions, and well-shaped arguments. Topics include the League of Nations, Dumbarton Oaks, the UN's charter and organization, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the UN's agencies and their roles in the world today. The PowerPoint is contained on a single CD-ROM. Grades 7–12. Social Studies School Service. ©2004–06.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Globalization, Education and Us

I urge everyone to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U -- a most dramatic rendering of the world in which today's children are growing up, created for a school district in Denver and now spreading around the world.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

New Video in Going Global Season Three


We've substituted another of Bill Miller's excellent interviews for the episode originally planned.


Season Three's Episode 60 is a new interview with Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr. Migiro talks about her role as Deputy S-G, in relation to the UN Millennium Development Goals, management issues within the UN, climate change, and other timely topics. She is a Tanzanian.

For more information, see her biography, speeches and responsibilities at: http://www.un.org/sg/deputysg.shtml

Sunday, October 7, 2007

UN Millennium Development Goals Awards


A September 12, 2007 press conference and luncheon launched the MDG Awards Festival and Telecast event at the UN. Grammy Awards producer Nile Rodgers presented a special crystal statue symbolizing the Awards to Her Excellency, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa of Bahrain, the President of the 61st UN General Assembly, in view of her work to promote achievement of the MDGs.

The Permanent Missions of Madagascar, the Dominican Republic and other UN Member States, Offices and Agencies of the UN, and the Public-Private Alliance Foundation are supporting this event. An Awards Selection Panel of Experts and a Distinguished Panel of Judges will determine winners.

Winners will be selected for their actions toward promoting the eight MDGs, with a special category for programs that work with more than a single MDG. Corporations, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, schools, higher-education institutions, intergovernmental organizations, business and professional associations and individuals are all encouraged to apply. For the application form and more information, see: http://www.un-mdgawards.org/

We encourage Westchester County individuals, organizations, schools, colleges, corporations, NGOs to apply!

Monday, October 1, 2007

UNA Southern NY State Division website is Live!

UNA Southern NY State Division's new website is live, at http://www.unasouthernny.org/ .

The site will soon carry information about the Young Professionals for International Cooperation (YPIC) group and its many activities.

Highlights of the Southern NY State Division include an upcoming Middle Atlantic Conference, now in planning stages, a kiosk shared at the UN with WFUNA -- the World Federation of UN Associations -- and a new course for business leaders on world affairs.

For information, email Catherine White, President of the division. CatherineDWhite@AOL.com

High Schools help distribute Going Global


A big thank you from the UNA Westchester Chapter

Westchester Teachers Janet O'Toole, one of the leaders of the UNA Student Alliance at Walter Panas High School, and Demetrios Mihailidis (Mr. M.), social studies teacher working with the 9th Grade Academy at Mt. Vernon High School, are delivering Going Global with the UN videos to their local stations (Yorktown Cablevision and Mt. Vernon). This saves the Chapter extra miles, and puts videos not being shown in a given time period to use in the classroom.

The first eight videos of Going Global Season III are new, with the first one covering the UN in 2006, and some short spots. The next five are interviews with the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, Executive Director of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation, the UN focal point of Human Influenza and Avian Flu, the Executive Director of the UN Fund for International Partnerships, the Vice President for Education of UNA-USA and an intern working on Model UN and Global Classrooms, and the Director of the New York Office of Sport for Peace and Development. These are followed by a 2007 UNICEF report on the State of the World's Children, and excerpts from The Century Foundation's February 2007 conference on Weapons Threats and International Security.

The next 17 videos depict the UN Millennium Development Goals, with stories from around the world. These are repeated from last year's Season II, to give widest possible coverage to the importance of work toward meeting the MDGs.




Monday, September 17, 2007

GOING GLOBAL VIDEOS SEASON THREE


A “Must See”
Season Three – Schedule and Content

October 2007 through March 2008
produced by the United Nations Association of the USA Westchester Chapter.
For further information: e-mail: unausa@stratdev.com or visit: www.stratdev.com/UNA-USA/
Or www.unawestchester (after October 1) or call: 914-478-3450.

2006 STATE OF THE UN, AND VIDEOS FROM GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

Week 1 - Episode 53: The first half of this episode reviews United Nations progress, successes as well as issues that were addressed in 2006. The second half focuses on four different stories: (a) highlighting issues Bahraini women face in seeking political positions; (b) China Population Report 2007, with a focus on urbanization; (c) how the impact of global warming in polar regions affects the rest of the world; and (d) how the Alliance of Civilizations came about and its goals and strategies for reducing tensions among different societies.

The next five videos in this season of Going Global with the UN are interviews conducted by Bill Miller from the United Nations Association of Kentucky, on the series "Global Connections," which is filmed at the United Nations in cooperation with UN TV.

Week 2 - Episode 54: Global Connections host Bill Miller speaks with the Executive Director of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation, Dr. David Stillman and Ambassador Francis Lorenzo from the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations about the United Nation Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), highlighting the examples of progress made in the Dominican Republic. Ambassador Lorenzo and Dr. Stillman speak to the importance of cooperation between the UN and host countries. Stillman speaks on the work of the Public-Private Alliance in encouraging partnerships for development and its focus countries of Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.

Week 3 - Episode 55: In an interview with Global Connections host Bill Miller, Dr. David Nabarro, the UN System Senior Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza addresses issues surrounding the possibility of an avian influenza outbreak both in a local and global contexts, and the relationships with human influenza. Dr. Nabarro speaks about the potential for an outbreak to occur, and what sort of precautionary plans the UN has for dealing with such an occurrence, such as with issues of livestock and animal rearing. He also talks about how the UN plans to get control of the situation if an outbreak were to transpire.

Week 4 - Episode 56: Dr. Lucia Rodriguez, the Vice President for Education at the United Nations Association – USA, and Elizabeth Scarinci, intern at UNA – USA speak with Global Connections host Bill Miller about the Model UN and Global Classroom program from an organizational and a student perspective. Dr. Rodriguez discusses the Model UN program and how it helps students become more aware of world issues and become global citizens. Ms. Scarinci speaks about what it is like to participate in such a program, what she has learned, and how it has helped give her a clear focus for her college and career goals.

Week 5 - Episode 57: Global Connections host Bill Miller interviews Dr. Djibril Diallo, the Director of the United Nations New York Office of Sport for Development and Peace about this unique approach the UN is taking to help combat issues of illiteracy, poverty and hunger. Dr. Diallo comments on the role sports have in development and how communities can use sports and physical education to help further their economic development and to tackle issues of gender inequality. In addition, Dr. Diallo speaks about how important partnerships between the UN, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector are to the success of this innovative approach to development.

Week 6 - Episode 58: Amir Dossal, the Executive Director of the UN Fund for International Partnerships speaks with Global Connections host Bill Miller about his work in promoting partnerships in development work between the public and private sector. Mr. Dossal stresses the importance of these relationships and how it positively benefits countries as well as how collaboration between groups focuses attention on dealing with issues affecting US citizens and others around the world.

Week 7 - Episode 59: This episode profiles the UNICEF Report on the State of the World’s Children in ten different countries; Iran, Romania, Chad, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Brazil, USA. Djibouti and Madagascar. It gives viewers snapshots from each country into how the health of children is inextricably linked to that of their mothers and others in the community, thereby showing how important it is to consider these issues in development.

Week 8 - Episode 60: The program analyzes the key countries with nuclear weapons and focuses on how we can reach a global disarmament without repeating any past atrocities.


THE UN MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS) -- INTRODUCTION

Week 9 - Introduction: The MDGs: Dream or Reality? Also: UNDP MDGs. (Episode 31)

Week 10: MDGs: – Albania: Roadmap to 2015. Also: Too Brief a Child: Voices of Married Adolescents (Episode 32)

MDG Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Week 11: Helping Ourselves. The program looks at two projects that are helping Indian communities move out of poverty. Also: Feeding Schoolchildren in Rwanda. (Episode 33)

Week 12: Yemeni Futures. The program asks what is being done to address the fundamental needs of the Yemeni people, and achievements since the unification in 1990 to raise the quality of their lives. Also: Millennium Village in Malawi (Episode 34)

Week 13: Central African Republic: Silent Crisis. The country is on the verge of complete collapse. It is one of the least developed countries in the world and one of the poorest. 13 per cent of children die in infancy and only a third of the population has access to safe drinking water. (Episode 35)

Week 14: The Angle of Hunger. The documentary features FAO’s field work in the Peruvian Andes and the Ethiopian Highlands and explores why a disproportionate number of mountain dwellers experience periods of hunger and food insecurity. (Episode 36)

MDG Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Week 15: Achieve Universal Primary Education. Two approaches to improving the lives of poor people -- one through education, as in the Shilmundi project in Bangladesh, the other through "community-driven development" in Indonesia. Also: Colombia - Medellin Girls; and Nepal - Welcome to School. (Episode 37)

Week 16: Educating Yaprak. Education for children, especially girls, in Turkey. Also: 10 Ways to change the world with children. (Episode 38)

MDG Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Week 17: Las Borregeras. An IFAD-supported project in Mexico helps a women’s group set up a sheep farm. Also: Agents of change 2005: The 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference and progress until now; and Fighting Poverty with Roses in Rwanda. (Episode 39)

Week 18: Women on the Run. The famous Kenyan marathon runner Tegla Loroupe starts a peace race to help end armed conflicts in her poverty-stricken home area. The Kenyan politician Linah Kilimo, who herself ran from the knife, strives for the goal of putting an end to female genital mutilation. (Episode 40)

MDG Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Week 19: Fight for Life: Making Pregnancy Safer. This episode describes the attempt to improve maternal health in Moldova. (Episode 41)

Week 20: Fight for Life: Making Pregnancy Safer. This episode describes the attempt to improve maternal health in Bolivia. (Episode 42)


MDG Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Week 21: Malaria, Killer Number One. Africa’s Malaria Crisis. Ethiopia is among the places hardest hit by the disease. New cures, preventive action and massive intervention by the international community bring a glimmer of hope. Also: Fistula Advocacy Video. UNFPA brings awareness to this childbirth problem. (Episode 43)

Week 22: Research Capacity and Self-reliance in Developing Countries. The video explores needs and solutions to public health problems caused by neglected infectious diseases. Also: The Road Towards Universal Access. Reaching the MDG on HIV/AIDS requires far greater access to prevention, treatment, care and support than is currently available. Also: AIDS: For a Social Vaccine (ILO). (Episode 44)

MDG Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Stability

Week 23: Global Focus: The New Environmentalists. Features intimate portraits of seven dedicated individuals who have put themselves between government powers, corporate interests and other rivals on behalf of the Earth's well-being. Each compelling story takes place on a different continent. (Episode 45)

Week 24: Weather, Climate, Water in the Information Age About the World Meteorological Organization
Also: The other side of Paradise. About the December 2004 Tsunami and its impact; Grenada hurricane and impact; Sea Turtles in Barbados; Environmental Changes and impacts on islands. (Episode 46)

Week 25: Tomorrow's Catch. The video highlights FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
Also: The First Mile. This IFAD video looks an innovative two-year pilot project underway in Tanzania. Also, Inner Mongolia leads China in Wind Power Generation. (Episode 47)

MDG Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Week 26: Breaking Through. This film gives a glimpse of what microfinance means for millions throughout Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East, through the Grameen Foundation. Also: World Community Grid: IBM works with many partners to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Also, ITU backs ICTs to Aid Development. The International Telecommunications Union and information communications technology. (Episode 48)

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Going Global with the UN Videos available online


Going Global with the UN

The first season of our Going Global with the UN video series is up on streaming video, thanks to cooperation among UNA Westchester, the UNA Dallas Chapter and Richland Community College, part of the Dallas Community College system. Noeli Biggs (part of UNA Dallas and on staff at Richland Community College) plans to put up the second season starting in October. See http://www.rlc.dcccd.edu/modelun/videos.htm

This effort is made possible in part through a gift from an anonymous donor, which has enabled us to get permission from Smithsonian for use of their music, and from all collaborators who have permitted us to put their work on streaming video.

Going Global currently has 52 videos, with another eight in preparation in time for October's season on cable TV stations Westchester. Of the eight, five are from Bill Miller's excellent Global Connections series. Bill, with the UNA Kentucky Division, films these at the United Nations.

We would welcome your feedback on these videos as an educational and awareness tool. I hope you will take a little time to view some of them.

The videos are can be purchased from UNA Westchester. For information write to jinka.stillman@gmail.com.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Yonkers and Mount Vernon Projects Successful

YONKERS CHILDREN'S PEACE ART PROJECT

The UNA Westchester chapter's Yonkers Children's Peace Art Project this year reached 45 classrooms in 18 schools, and more than 1,200 3rd grade students. After a presentation by Chapter members, working in pairs in each classroom, children used crayons and paper to draw their vision of peace. These drawings were then hung at the Yonkers Riverfront Library, the YMCA of Yonkers, 20 South Broadway, and the Grinton I. Will Library. This was a wonderful experience for the Chapter's volunteers, and we think for the children. Volunteers work from a script, but bring many of their own experiences into the discussion. Children and their parents come from many different countries, and many speak languages other than English at home, so they understand quite well the idea of the need for different countries to come together for peace.

Many teachers and principals commented on how much they like this project, which is now in its third year. Again, the School Board offered its support through a letter from the Superintendent of Schools. Karen Rockwell El Badry coordinated the effort for the chapter.

MT. VERNON GLOBAL AWARENESS PROJECT

For the 2nd year, UNA Westchester has worked with Mt. Vernon Schools to offer a Global Awareness Project. This year 9th grade students learned about the United Nations and about the 8 Millennium Development Goals. Recognizing the potential of the initiative for the City’s students, the Verizon Foundation has provided a generous grant of $5,190 to help support and expand this year’s project.

With the guidance of their teachers, Mr. Demetrios Mihailidis and Mr. Sean Capiello, the students wrote essays exploring three MDGs: gender equality, poverty and HIV and disease, and the very important areas of security and access to higher education. They then embarked on a "Day of Diplomacy," beginning with a ceremony at City Hall with Mayor Ernest Davis and with Superintendent of Schools Brenda Smith. They then traveled to Manhattan for an interactive presentation at UNICEF, to the German consulate for a discussion comparing student experiences in Germany and the U.S., and then to the UN for a guided tour.

Mr. John Butler presented the Verizon Foundation’s grant to the United Nations Association Westchester Chapter at the kick-off event for the project at City Hall on May 8. Ms. Charlene Morisseau, Esq., a UNA-USA Westchester Board member and Mount Vernon native who founded the program, says, “The news tells us that adolescents today around the world confront unique challenges. Our students have taken the lead in proposing concrete solutions.” Students’ ideas for U.S. public schools included providing three school meals a day for peers with undernourished families, financial aid programs at the high school level similar to universities, and specialized screening, training and technology for school security guards.

The local community has embraced the students and their mission. Mr. Lowes L. Moore, Executive Director of the Mt. Vernon Boys and Girl’s Club, one of the cosponsoring organizations, says, “This project will expose our young people to issues in the global community and will help improve their future.” Other community cosponsors include the City’s Superintendent of Schools, Youth Bureau, Mt. Vernon Federation of Teachers, Junior Achievement of the Hudson Valley, Inc., and the African-American Men of Westchester, Inc.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Israel-Palestine - Our View

Israel - Palestine Peace and United Nations Involvement

For the past two years, the Westchester Chapter of UNA has offered to UNA’s Annual Meeting and National Convention a resolution on the Israeli-Palistinian Conflict, which the convention has passed. The following resolution was passed at the annual Convention in March 2007, and was drafted in fall 2006. The operative paragraphs read as follows:

UNA-USA Affirms that the ultimate goal of a comprehensive and peaceful settlement must be the security of the State of Israel within internationally recognized borders, and agreement on a viable, secure, and independent sovereign state for the Palestinian people,

Urges all concerned: 1. To encourage on-going discussions between the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, members of the Quartet, the Arab League, and key countries in the region, aimed at enhancing mutual security and supporting the revival of the Palestinian economy, and 2. To consider the convening of an international conference of all interested parties as soon as feasible, preferably under the auspices of the Quartet.

Expresses its support for the new Secretary General who will assume office in January 2007 at a critical time in the future of the UN and a particular need to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

In 2007, 33 countries face hunger crisis

The UN Millennium Development Goals include cutting in half poverty and hunger by the year 2015. Despite projected increases in grain crops, which should help, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 33 countries will not have enough food to feed their people this year. Women, children, the sick and the elderly are most at risk.

From the FAO website, it appears that in 2007 33 countries will require external assistance:

Exceptional shortfall in food production/supplies:
Iraq, Lesotho, Philippines, Swaziland, Zimbabwe

Widespread lack of access to food:
Afghanistan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Haiti, Liberia, Mauritania, Nepal, Niger, Sierra Leone

Severe localized food insecurity:
Bolivia, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania

Countries with unfavourable prospects for current crops

Bolivia - Adverse weather conditions (floods in lowlands; drought, hail and frost in highlands)
Iraq - Conflict, displacement
Lesotho - Dry weather
Namibia - Dry spells
South Africa - Dry, hot weather in maize growing areas
Swaziland - Dry weather
Timor-Leste - Drought
Zimbabwe - Dry spells in southern parts of the country

What action is needed: pressing our government to respond to calls for assistance when these are made. The US is a generous donor in food assistance, but it is important for Americans who care to keep this on the front burner among our elected officials.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Shaping Our Future: The U.S. and UN Treaties

Why should the people of Westchester care about the U.S. and international treaties? The simple answer is, U.S. participation in the world affects us all. The U.S. is often in the lead in pressing for international agreements. However, we have also learned that strong differences exist in some matters, as seen in the debate over the past four years over the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War and the UN Convention Against Torture.

International treaties and conventions are essential to the development of an international community based on law and justice. Any “loss of sovereignty” by the United States is more than compensated by the benefits of these treaties, and by the dialogue that is necessary to develop an international community.

The United States Senate has passed, and the President has signed, many many treaties over the years. But the US has NOT ratified a number of important ones, including the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. (Only the U.S. and Somalia haven’t ratified the Rights of the Child convention.) Such a failure is inexcusable. Moreover, the United States, as well as other countries that have ratified these conventions, is allowed sign while stating any reservations.

Great global issues are currently the subject of negotiations and treaty-making – nuclear testing, law of the sea, landmines, environment, climate change, and International Criminal Court. The U.S. needs to take a strong, positive role in shaping what remains under discussion and in ratifying the outcome of international consensus. Our country has more to lose than to gain by remaining slow in committing ourselves to the advancement of international norms.

The place of the United States in the twenty-first century will reflect in no small measure our willingness to “internationalize” the democratic values we have developed since 1776 and to engage with other countries to develop a law-based and just, international community.

In 2004, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, under Richard G. Lugar (R – Indiana), voted 19-0 to ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty, which relates to policies on navigation, commerce and the environment. However, despite wide support for the treaty from many groups—industry, green and other— the majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn) declined to bring the treaty to the floor for a vote.

In a recent article “Memo to America: Rejoin the World,” Strobe Talbott calls for ratification by the US Senate of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), re-signing of the Rome Treaty for the International Criminal Court (which President Bush “un-signed”), introducing legislation on greenhouse admissions in line with the Kyoto Treaty and in general rejoining the world in policies that will ensure America’s leadership, not demonstrate its recalcitrance. Talbott is President of the Brooking Institution and US Deputy Secretary of State from 1994 to 2001. His full essay appears online at www.theinterdependent.org. The Interdependent is the quarterly magazine of the United Nations Association of the USA.

On April 11, at the New York Judicial Institute in White Plains, the United Nations Association of the USA Westchester Chapter and Pace Law School will co-sponsor “UN Treaties: A Threat to U.S. Sovereignty?” Columbia Law School Professor Jose E. Alvarez, a county resident and authority on international treaties, will speak, and Prof. Gayl S. Westerman of Pace Law School, who specializes on the Law of the Sea Treaty, will moderate. The event will take place at 6 pm and is free and open to the public. This is an opportunity also to learn how citizens can promote action by our lawmakers on issues important to us all. For further information, call 914-478-3450 or email unausa@stratdev.com


Jeanne Betsock Stillman

Allen Weintraub, Esq.

Stillman is the Executive Director of the UN Association Westchester Chapter; Weintraub is a member of its Government Relations and Advocacy Committee.

Monday, March 12, 2007

UNA Convention a Great Success

The UNA-USA convention, held at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan from March 1 - 4, was a great success. Hundreds attended -- and close to 1,000 members joined in Members Day at the UN on the afternoon of the 3rd.

In addition to many Westchester board and chapter members, Westchester groups represented included 24 members from Kendal-on-Hudson, in Tarrytown. Peter Davies's organizational skills brought this group together. Many Kendal residents are long-time supporters of the United Nations, but many have just joined UNA since our chapter offered a trip to Hyde Park to hear Gillian Sorensen, Steven Schlesinger and others for UN Day in 2005.

Sleepy Hollow High School in Tarrytown registered eleven students for Members Day -- another great group.

On behalf of the chapter I presented information about our Going Global with the UN series, and about the Peace Makes the World a Better Place supplement published by The Journal News. That's now online, and you can view it at:

http://www.lohud.com/graphics/pdf/nie/unitednations.pdf

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Starting 2007 by supporting the UN

The United Nations and its work bring you into the exciting real world, with all its complexities and the desires and aims of its 6 1/2 billion people. This is too exciting, too important, to sit on the sidelines.

Did you know that the United Nations System includes agencies devoted to human rights? refugees? children? women's development, reproductive rights, and promotion of the advancement of women? the environment? housing/habitat? meteorological events? aviation? funding for development? and many more?

How can you support the work of the United Nations? By telling others about the UN and its programs. By keeping up-to-date on UN activities. By encouraging your school system to teach about the UN. If you're a student, by joining Model UN or forming a UNA Student Alliance.

To learn more about the UN, visit:

www.UNWire.org Sign up for a daily briefing on UN-related activities. Produced by the UN Foundation.

and www.un.org

To learn about how you can be involved with the United Nations, through the United Nations Association at the national and chapter levels, visit:

www.unausa.org and, for the Westchester Chapter,
www.stratdev.com/UNA-USA/

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

UN Millennium Development Goals


What can Westchester County do to help the UN and the world meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

These goals represent real people -- a hungry old man living in a shack, a child who has to work rather than go to school, a little girl who wants to learn to read but whose family can't afford school clothes and books, a baby dying of malnutrition, a mother of four who dies in childbirth, a teenager who has suffered from malaria all his life--and now has contracted HIV and tuberculosis. A community where the water supply has dried up, a rainforest, whose biodiversity is being sacrified for ranching. Over one billion people live on less than $1 a day and barely survive.

1. Learn about the goals:
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

For more information about targets and indicators -- and how we know whether we're meeting these goals, visit:
http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml

2. Interact with your Congressional representative and Senators and their staff members to bring the MDGs to their attention. Urge them to support funding for the United Nations to work on the MDGs. Congressional representatives who serve Westchester include Nita Lowey, Eliot Engel and John Hall. NY Senators are Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton. SEE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POSTING.

3. Contribute to www.one.org; to UNICEF at www.unicefusa.org ; to the HERO project of UNA-USA (www.heroaction.org), which works to help educate children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa and several other African countries; to www.savedarfur.org to urge immediate U.S. support for UN involvement in Darfur.

4. Post a comment to tell others what YOU are doing to help.


CONTACTING OFFICIALS:
http://www.house.gov/lowey/contact.htm
http://johnhall.house.gov/contact.shtml
http://engel.house.gov/index.cfm?SectionID=3&ParentID=0&SectionTypeID=5&SectionTree=3
http://clinton.senate.gov/contact/
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/contact.html

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

UN Secretary General's remarks

The new UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, met today with the UN Press Corps. He highlighted the current challenges he and the UN Face. For a full record, see the link below.

"SG: Happy New Year to you all.
I am very much delighted to see you out in full force, and I thank you very much for welcoming me most warmly.
I think I have met most of you during the last several months, either during the campaign process or the transition period. But only today, taking office as Secretary-General, I can see the full power of the UN press corps. I am very much overwhelmed by all this warm welcome and much attention you have shown to me. In fact, I am meeting all of you even before I meet my own staff.
I was just in the Meditation Room to pay my tribute to those colleagues fallen in the line of service to the United Nations.
Your presence this morning is very good proof that the United Nations is much alive, in the front lines, addressing all the challenges and issues, and trying to give hope to all the people around the world. It is a force to be reckoned with among governments and people everywhere.
I start my day as Secretary-General of the United Nations with much expectation and hope and promise. I need your strong support. I start my duties at a daunting time in international affairs, starting from Darfur to Middle East, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, North Korea - many other crises that trouble our world - from defending human rights and to the need to step up our efforts to reach the target by 2015 the Millennium Development Goals.
These challenges and issues need to be addressed collectively, with collective wisdom and collective efforts. Not a single person, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations; not a single country, however strong, powerful, resourceful, maybe, cannot address this. We need to have some common effort, therefore I need your support. In that regard, I think I am privileged to be able to draw upon the experience and expertise of many distinguished colleagues of the United Nations family; many distinguished predecessors, Secretaries-General, and throughout the wider community I have come to know while serving as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea.
My first priority today will be to meet my own staff. I am going to have my first staff meeting today. During the transition period, I have been very much impressed by the high level of professionalism, exemplary professionalism and dedication of my Secretariat staff. At the same time, I am determined to help my staff to serve even more and better for the international organization, by persevering in our efforts to change the United Nations, this Organization, and by building a staff equipped to address all the challenges in the 21st century, and also by trying to bridge the gap and divide and mistrust which have been plaguing too much the United Nations.
I am very much eager to get down to my work today, and I regard you as a very important, essential asset and persons who will connect the important works of our United Nations to all the people around the world, and I need your strong support and I promise you that I will try to have, as often as possible, contacts and discussions and dialogue with press corps members, and I wish you again all the best and Happy New Year, and I count on your continued support and friendship. Thank you very much, Ladies and Gentlemen."

http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp