US State Department Supports Adoption of CEDAW

The US State Department spokesman issued a press release on December 18th, the 30th anniversary of the UN's Adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, known as CEDAW, supporting its ratification by the US. Only the US and a handful of other countries have not ratified this treaty. Although Secretary Hillary Clinton's position has been known for some time, the press release should be good news to all who support CEDAW's ratification by the U.S. Senate. It is now important to make sure CEDAW gets on the agenda of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by John Kerry, (D - Mass), who has indicated that he supports the bill. Senator Barbara Boxer, a strong supporter, chairs the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women’s Issues, where the bill will be debated.

According to the statement, "President Obama’s Administration views CEDAW as a powerful tool for making gender equality a reality. We are committed to U.S. ratification of the Convention and look forward to joining the countries that have adopted it as a central part of their efforts to ensure that human rights are enjoyed fully and equally by all people."

It takes 67 Senators to vote for ratification, and it will be necessary for strong grassroots pressure for this to be achieved in a political climate of partisanship.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey named International Family Planning Hero

l to r: Cecile Richard (PPFA), Reina Schiffren (PP HP), The Hon. Nita Lowey, Dr. Gill Greer (IPPF), Kathy Bushkin Calvin (UN Foundation)

I was very happy to attend a breakfast at the Rye Town Hilton in Westchester County, at which Congresswoman Nita Lowey received the first "International Family Planning Hero" award offered by the UN Foundation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, as well as Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic. About 90 community leaders, politicians and Planned Parenthood supporters attended. Brenda Smith, board member of UNA Westchester and former Superintendent of Schools of Mount Vernon, Noema Chaplin, board member of UNA Queens and I made up the UNA-USA contingent.

I had a chance to talk with Kathy Bushkin Calvin of the UN Foundation, Amir Dossal, Executive Director of the UN Office for Partnerships, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Senator from my district (Greenburgh, Yonkers), Representative John Hall of the 19th Congressional District, Reina Schiffrin, President of PP Hudson Peconic, and Dr. Gill Greer, Director-General of IPPF. Adequate funding and U.S. support for family planning services and education, as well as linked issues such as women's economic rights and human rights, and education for women and girls, are very important to me.

I worked for many years as an international family planning consultant, beginning my career in family planning with Planned Parenthood's Washington office, and later worked in the IPPF Western Hemisphere Office in New York. I also consulted with the UN Population Fund. I'm a strong supporter of family planning- not only because for its implications for women's personal choice, but also for its impact on family health & economics and community & national development.

Through her position as the chair of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Lowey has worked to increase the level of funding for international reproductive health programs to an all-time high of $648.5 million in the Fiscal Year 2010 House Appropriations bill. The 2010 appropriations bill also expands funding for the UN Population Fund. Mrs. Lowey has also fought consistently against the Ronald Reagan/George H. W. Bush Mexico City policy that barred any foreign organization receiving U.S. foreign assistance from using its own funds or funds from other donors to perform abortions; advocate for the liberalization or decriminalization of abortion in laws and policies; or provide information, make referrals, or counsel women on the procedure—even in countries where abortion is legal. That policy was overturned by the Clinton Administration, reinstated by the Bush administration in 2001, and repealed by President Obama this year.

Madagascar's Youth - a UNICEF Study

Nombone, 26, has six children, with whom she lives in a rickety hut in Anjado village. Many Madagascans have been left without a livelihood amid the turmoil and economic decline since a coup in March. (Graeme Williams / UNICEF/ World Food Program / October 14, 2009)

Madagascar was a "least developed country" and one of the poorest in the world when political unrest began in January 2009. Now, nearly a year later, conditions are worse and worsening for the majority of its people. Especially hard-hit are children and youth.

I've just read a report for UNICEF published in June called "Pandora's Box: Youth at a Crossroad," which assesses the status of youth in relation to the socio-political crisis in Madagascar. It's a disturbing picture of societal breakdown related to political unrest, reduced jobs and income, and the hopes, fears, beliefs, expectations and experiences of the mainly urban youth who were interviewed. Worth a read. It will take some while for the country to be restored to peace.

Robyn Dixon of the L.A. Times has also reported on the status of youth in her Los Angeles Times article "Madagascar's children face hunger, abuse and neglect."

Perspectives on the International Criminal Court & US Membership

UNA Westchester will present a discussion on the International Criminal Court in cooperation wih Pace Law School on December 1, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. John Washburn, Director and Convener of the American NGO Coalition for the ICC and Prof. Jide Nzalibe, Visiting Professor at NYU and Professor of Law at Northwestern School of Law, will speak. Prof. Alexander Greenawalt of Pace Unversity Law School will moderate the meeting, which will focus on the different views of the advantages and disadvantages of the Interational Criminal Court and US membership in it.

Co-sponsors include Pace Law School,Citizens for Global Situations, Unitarian Universalist UN Office and the Westchester Bar Association. The meeting will be held at Pace Law School - Preston Hall - Tudor Room, at 52 North Broadway, White Plains, NY. All are welcome. A question and answer period will follow the pogram and refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact: philreynolds60@hotmail.com ; call him at 914-472-5490.

Exciting Times / Challenging Times

I'm grateful and honored to be the President-Elect of the UNA Southern New York State Division, and to work with the team that includes Catherine D. White and Marcia Brewster, Vice Presidents, Margaret Shannon, Secretary, and Lee H. Bloom, Treasurer, as well as the rest of the UNA Southern New York State Division Board.

I've been approached in the last few weeks by several prospective UNA volunteers who are offering their time and talent to the UNA Southern New York State Division. In this new era of U.S. multilateralism, it's exciting to meet people who have found us on-line and want to become part of the UNA-USA mission to support the United Nations.

Ambassador Tom Miller, who has been President of UNA-USA just since May, has asked Chapters, Divisions and individual members to step up their volunteer support as well as financial support, so that we can together bring to the American public the important news of the important work of the UN. Tom's remarks and Jeff Laurenti's remarks to the Annual Meeting of the UNA Southern NY State Division are posted on our new Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/UNAsouthernNYStatedv

Several of us will be calling UNA friends to encourage greater involvement as well as the needed financial support. I hope you will step up, volunteer your time and enthusiasm, and lend your strong support to the United Nations. Email or call me to become part of this volunteer effort or just to learn more. jinka.stillman@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

UNA Connecticut Division and Connecticut Post Publish Supplement for the Schools

The Connecticut Post has published a supplement "The United Nations and You" for UN Day 2009. This Newspaper in Education supplement was spearheaded by Division member Mary Keane and includes a welcome letter from Division president Dr. Joseph Baxer. Lafayette College senior Alina Stelman served as editor. The supplement has been distributed to schools in Bridgeport, as well as electronically. Hard copies distributed by the Division included the excellent annual Peace Calendar. Congratulations to all involved!

I particularly enjoyed a recipe for "Peace Pudding", which starts with "In a large bowl, gently sift 1 c. tolerance, 1 c. respect, 1/2 c. empathy, 1 tsp. patience...."

The Supplement includes articles on the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, US Ambassador Susan Rice, and pieces on a number of Connecticut people who have devoted their time to global issues and the United Nations. Other articles are on Sports and Peace, Model UN, UNA-USA Student Alliance, and UN Peacekeepers. Some articles first appeared in supplements produced by The Journal News Newspaper in Education program.

If the supplement becomes available on-line, this blog will let you know!

Development jobs

I came across a very interesting resource for international development jobs that might be of particular interest to UNA Young Professionals for International Cooperation, or anyone seeking employment in the international development area. There seems to be a broad range of positions, in the US and UK and generally internationally.
http://www.indevjobs.org/subscribe.htm

UNA-USA Southern New York State Division Elects Officers

At its Annual Meeting on October 20, at the National Arts Club in Manhattan, the UNA-USA Southern New York State Division elected officers for 2010-2011. Elected are: Jeanne Betsock Stillman, President; Catherine D. White and Marcia Brewster, Vice Presidents, Margaret Shannon, Secretary, and Lee H. Bloom, Treasurer. The two-year terms begin January 1, 2010.
You can double click on the photo to get a larger size.

Ambassador Tom Miller, President of UNA-USA, spoke of his vision for UNA-USA and especially work with the Chapters and Divisions. He mentioned that the strength of UNA-USA is in its 12,000+ members, and its 135 chapters. The challenge is to educate the American people about the UN, and to work on certain policy issues. He concluded by saying, "We have the wind at our backs, with an administration that 'gets' multilateral diplomacy, and the challenge for us is to take advantage of this."

Jeffrey Laurenti, UNA-USA Board member representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, spoke on international policy issues before the Obama administration as well as how chapters, divisions and individuals can be strong advocates for a positive US policy vis-a-vis the United Nations. Laurenti is senior fellow and director of foreign policy programs at The Century Foundation.

Dr. Joseph Baxer, president of the UNA Connecticut Division, spoke about his travel to South Korea to attend the International Plenary of the World Federaion of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), held in Seoul from August 10-12, 2009. He, Ambassador Miller and Jeff Laurenti were part of a 10-person U.S. delegation to the conference. He gave some of the history of WFUNA, and UNA-USA's important role in it. He urged that chapters and divisions should consider partner relationships with other countries' UNAs. Bilateral relationships were good, but chapters and divisions could also become involved. For example, the Connecticut Division had for some time partnered with the Dominican Republic.

Patricia Sacristan, Chair of the Division's Young Professionals for International Cooperation group, spoke of the upcoming travel by YPIC members to Haiti, as part of their flagship program, The Haiti Expedition Project. The group planned to fly on UN Day to Port-au-Prince, and to return to New York on November 1. They planned to meet with UN, Inter-American Development Bank and other officials and to volunteer with several non-profit organizations.

For more and links to photos, see the UNA Southern New York State Division website.

UNA-USA Student Alliance Program

The very exciting UNA-USA Student Alliance Program is successfully re-launched, with groups starting up at colleges, universities, high schools and middle schools around the country, including in Westchester County and elsewhere in New York State.

The program is designed to meet "the needs of today’s globally minded middle school, high school, and undergraduate college students. UNA-USA Student Alliance is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and mobilizing American students to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations, strengthening the United Nations system, promoting constructive United States leadership in that system, and achieving the goals of the United Nations Charter. With the spirit of change in the air, UNA-USA's Student Alliance seeks to engage students in a nationwide network of motivated individuals, student advocacy groups, international affairs clubs, and Model UN teams who stand poised to collectively sound their voices and make their opinions heard amongst their peers, in their communities, across the nation and around the world! President Obama and his top officials have pledged to strengthen America’s global leadership through a renewed emphasis on international cooperation, diplomacy, and active participation at the United Nations."

The four areas of focus currently are: "Human Rights and International Justice," "Building a Consensus on Climate Change," "Strengthening the United Nations," plus a UNA-USA Student Alliance group can identify a priority interest of their own. Setting up a group is easy, and student leaders can participate in leadership training through periodic telephone calls with UNA-USA leaders and others. For more information, go to: http://www.unausa.org/studentalliance#

Michael Lapsley (South Africa) to Speak in Ossining

Fr. Michael Lapsley will speak on November 15 at 7:30 pm at St. Paul's-on-the-Hill Episcopal Church, 40 Ganung Drive, Ossining, NY 10562-3936(914) 941-6627 . All are welcome.

I've received a note from Lisa Rosenbloom, who writes:

Bob and I had the privilege to meet Michael Lapsley at the Institute for the Healing of Memories when we were in Cape Town last year. He is truly a remarkable man and an international leader in addressing the "post traumatic" stress of ordinarily people who have survived great injustice - in South Africa, Rwanda and elsewhere. By coincidence, he is living at Maryknoll for awhile and is going to be speaking at St. Paul's, Ossisning, on Nov. 15 at 7:30.

Lapsley is an Episcopal priest whose own road to recovery, from a South African security forces-inspired package bomb, was clearly informed by his own belief system, but his project is a secular one. He is a friend of Bishop Desmond Tutu, has been praised by Nelson Mandela and is linked on Wikipedia to Albie Sax, another leading light of the anti-apartheid movement.

LIsa further writes, "He's very much worth the effort [of coming to hear him.]"

US-UN interactions on Climate Change; also some great resources

Historic meetings on climate change took place on Monday, September 22 -- one led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, where national leaders spoke at the United Nations, or addressed the issue through videos available on YouTube -- and a luncheon program with roundtables organized by the UN Global Compact and President Clinton, which brought together business leaders, members of civil society and others to address their commitment to climate change.

On that day President Obama stated, "No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten every coastline. More powerful storms and floods threaten every continent. More frequent droughts and crop failures breed hunger and conflict in places where hunger and conflict already thrive. On shrinking islands, families are already being forced to flee their homes as climate refugees. The security and stability of each nation and all peoples -- our prosperity, our health, and our safety -- are in jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out."
More of the President's speech is available on his weblog:
http://obamaweblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/no-nationcan-escape-impact-of-climate.html

I've been impressed by the excellent articles on these topics from UNA-USA. The UNA-USA World Bulletin reports on UN and US relations and important global topics. The October 23 issue includes Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's UN Day message, as well as many other articles. It's worth looking at back issues from September 23 and October 7 which highlight renewed US involvement with the UN, including President Obama's.
Also, Jeff Laurenti of The Century Foundation writes consistently interesting and erudite articles about UN issues and US actions. Read them and entries by others here .

Another excellent resource for UN-related material comes from Dr. Max Stamper, Editor of MaximsNews Network - You can subscribe and get regular updates. MaximsNews is rich with materials by many contributors, many videos, and other resources.

Hillary Rodham Clinton Previews the US Role vis-a-vis the UN

In preparation for the United States role in the work of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC on Friday, September 18 on US and UN relations, and President Obama's upcoming speech at the United Nations. The US is chairing the Security Council during September. Her commentary on the United Nations is refreshing for those of us who have cringed the past 8 years on the US stance toward the UN. She noted,


"As President Obama leads our U.S. delegation at this year’s General Assembly, I hope we can demonstrate that the United Nations does not have to be just a diplomatic talk shop on First Avenue. At its best, it can be an institution that brings the world’s nations together to solve global problems through adherence to rules and principles set forth in the UN charter. And it is the responsibility of the 192 member nations during the General Assembly and beyond to capitalize on the opportunity for global cooperation and progress that the United Nations affords to each of us."


Secretary Clinton's speech discusses the revamping of the Bush-era missile defense program, to counter any threats from Iran's nuclear program. She broadly discusses human rights, climate change, nuclear nonproliferation, and her leadership of a U.S. delegation to a conference on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Conserving Energy - Saving Our Planet

We Americans love big fast cars, big fast highways, bigger and bigger houses, and bigger and fancier kitchens. Our principal population growth areas are in the South, where we expect and demand ready access to air conditioning. And we're always grumbling about the high cost of gas and the high cost of electricity.

Government programs such as Energy Star are helping us start to save on some of our wasteful habits, and new rebates for buying these contribute an economic simulus. The Department of Energy is newly enabled by the Economic Stimulus Act of 2009, which extended renewable energy tax credits, and is focusing on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. We have a long way to go, and I hope we can persuade our lawmakers at all levels to support work toward the Copenhagen climate conference this December. We need to educate ourselves on the urgency of purpose and to challenge ourselves to meet goals of reducing carbon outputs.

Europe has long been ahead of the U.S. in conserving energy. This came out of coping with relative poverty and finding ways to save money in daily living. When traveling in France many years ago I learned of the hall switches in hotels and apartment buildings that turned on just long enough for a person to reach his or her room. Flash heaters attached to showers and kitchen faucets heated water only when it was needed.

Sergio Trippi, who publishes "Good News Agency," an email on international development, in his 12 September 2009 issue gave information on two programs I think are inspiring for us here in the U.S.:
Two new programs have websites that encourage conservation: the European Union-based website Flick the Switch offers projects and actions children and adults can take, and is available in many languages. The website Topten presents the best products of Europe, and focuses on laws to end use of incandescent bulbs and their newer alternatives. This is the equivalent of a Consumers Report on energy saving appliances, vehicles and other household and office equipment. While these don't transfer directly to the U.S. the concept is welcome. (To subscribe to the Good News Agency emails, write to Mr. Trippi at: s.tripi@tiscali.it )

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UNDP's New Framework for Measuring Democratic Governance

I have long been interested in policy frameworks and indicators to measure progress related to women. David Stillman's doctoral dissertation on "Population-related Policies in Togo and Ghana: A Framework for Analysis" identified some 70 types of policies that influenced fertility, mortality or migration, whether or not that was their intended consequence. He went on to carry out research at the United Nations on policies relating to the advancement of women. I was a member of a WHO Committee on Family Health Indicators, and also worked on research methodology for quality of care. I was therefore very interested to read about the new UNDP framework for selecting "pro-poor" and "gender sensitive" indicators, to be used at the national and sub-national levels. Sixty-pages long, it is intended to assist policymakers to monitor and evaluate democratic governance at the country level. The full title is:
Measuring Democratic Governance: A Framework for selecting pro-poor and gender sensitive indicators One question is -- How does this framework relate to the MDGs and monitoring of achievement of MDGs #1 on poverty and # 4 on gender equality?

Well laid-out and clearly written, the framework starts with two basic principles of democracy drawn from International IDEA’s Democracy Assessment Framework (the State of Democracy Project), which have been used to identify the democratic values that underlie pro-poor and gender sensitive indicators. The values are: 1. Popular control over public decision making and decision makers and 2. Equality between citizens in the exercise of that control. Mediating values include participation, representation, accountability, transparency, responsiveness, efficiency and equity.

Two definitions are important: Pro-poor monitoring focuses on those living in poverty. The authors note the following governance indicators that might be considered pro-poor: (i) Disaggregated by poverty status (ii) Specific to the poor (iii) Implicitly pro-poor and (iv) Chosen by the poor. Gender sensitive monitoring should track changes in women’s empowerment and in gender equality. The following ndicators might be considered gender sensitive: (i) Disaggregated by sex (ii) Gender specific (iii) Implicitly gendered, and (iv) Chosen separately by men and women.

The framework then gives examples of application to parliamentary development; electoral systems and processes; human rights; justice; decentralised governance for development; and public administration reform and anti-corruption. A final section discusses the process for selecting indicators, including stakeholders to be involved.

UNDP has long experience with its Human Development Index, which results in its annual Human Development Reports, and with country-level sub-reports and the regional Arab Human Development Report (2002). It will be interesting to learn how the new framework for measuring democratic governance stacks up, how it will be used, and by whom.

CEDAW - the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

Today I called my Senator's office -- that of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, one of only 17 women in the US Senate. I was stunned to learn that the staffer who answered the phone had never heard of CEDAW - the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women - whether the acronym or the full title. He was sure the Senator would support something having to do with women, and knew that it was Women's Equality Day (must have received phone calls about that???). This made me wonder how many constituents had called the office in support of CEDAW, and whether I had happened to chance upon someone ignorant on the issue.

I explained the Treaty to the staffer, gave him my name, address and email address at his request, and hope to hear from the Senator sometime soon. This underlines how very important it is for all of us to make our voices known where policy is made, as well as among the general public.

A colleague at the Queens Chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA has created a video about CEDAW and uploaded it onto YouTube. (Thanks, Arnold!) You can view it here.

“A New Course in the World, a New Approach at the UN”

On August 12, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice gave a major policy speech at New York University on US-UN Relations. In "A New Course in the World, A New Approach at the UN" she offers thoughts about how the United States is changing its course in the world, and particularly and dramatically the US approach to the United Nations. She notes three core premises: (1) "...the global challenges we face cannot be met without U.S. leadership." (2) "While U.S. leadership is necessariy, it's rarely sufficient." and (3) "Others will likely shoulder a greater share of the global burden if the United States leads by example, acknowledges mistakes, corrects course when necessary, forges strategies in partnership and treats others with respect."
These premises are consistent with the mission of the United Nations Association, namely, "educating, inspiring and mobilizing Americans to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations, strengthening the United Nations system, promoting constructive United States leadership in that system and achieving the goals of the United Nations Charter."

Rice goes on to say, "..as President Obama has said time and again, America’s security and wellbeing are inextricably linked to those of people everywhere..." Citing examples in Haiti, Liberia and the Congo, she notes that "Building the capacity of fragile states is a major part of our work every day at the United Nations, since it is the UN that is leading the charge in many of the toughest corners of the world. At its best, the UN helps rebuild shattered societies, lay the foundations of democracy and development, and establish conditions in which people can live in dignity and mutual respect."

She further states, "When the United States joins others to confront these challenges, it’s not charity. It’s not even barter. In today’s world, more than ever, America’s interests and our values converge. What is good for others is often good for us. When we manifest our commitment to tackling the threats that menace so many other nations; when we invest in protecting the lives of others; and when we recognize that national security is no longer a zero-sum game, then we increase other countries’ will to cooperate on the issues most vital to us."


Rice ends her speech with a promise: "We work with passion and resolve, because we know that the change that has come to America can also change the world. The time for action is now. The challenges we face are vast. But the opportunities are even greater. And we will seize them—because the United States is back."

The idea of the United States being "back" is a starting point for all those passionate in supporting the UN. The US is paying its back dues, and there are prospects for timely payment to the UN in future in the month of January, rather than end-of-year payments. That kind of support to the UN shows the world indeed that "the United States is back."

Important steps for the US on the world stage will take place in September, when President Obama will address the UN General Assembly on the morning of September 23 at its opening. In September too the US takes its turn for a month as chair of the Security Council. President Obama will chair a high-level meeting of the Security Council on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament on September 24th.

It is ever more important for those of us who support the UN and a strong, positive role of the US in it, to educate all Americans about the work of the UN and its importance to UN foreign policy and to the world we leave for our children.

Health Care for All

The World Health Organization, the health arm of the United Nations, came into being when its constitution came into force in 1948. The constitution states, "The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without the distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition." Further, according to the WHO, "The right to health means that governments must generate conditions in which everyone can be as healthy as possible. Such conditions range from ensuring availability of health services, healthy and safe working conditions, adequate housing and nutritious food. The right to health does not mean the right to be healthy."

In September 1978 in the city of Alma Ata, then little known outside the Soviet Union, the global community came together and adopted the Declaration of Alma Ata, at the International Conference on Primary Health Care. The year 2000 was the target date for achievement of many of the goals. The Declaration could be called one of the precursors of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Then, as now, the United States has lacked universally available primary health care affordable by all. Take the example of infant mortality rates, a sensitive indicator of good health and good health care. According to the estimated 2009 figures (CIA World Fact Book), the U.S. has higher infant mortality than not only the Nordic nations--well-known for their health care--, but also than countries including Cuba, Italy, Greece, Canada, Belgium, Austria, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Slovenia, Israel, France, Japan, Hong Kong and a number of others.

Let's consider chronic diseases -- now the major cause of death and disability worldwide. Noncommunicable conditions, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, obesity, cancer and respiratory diseases, now account for 59% of the 57 million deaths annually worldwide and 46% of the global burden of disease.

Here in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Chronic diseases—such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Chronic diseases account for 70% of all deaths in the U.S., which is 1.7 million each year. These diseases also cause major limitations in daily living for almost 1 out of 10 Americans or about 25 million people." Further, "Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also among the most preventable. Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of these diseases."

As reported in a story on Forbes.com, "The conundrum, highlighted earlier this year when the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released its analysis of Medicare data, is a focus of this summer's health-reform debate. While it's estimated that Americans spent $2.4 trillion on health care last year and spending is expected to comprise 48% of the GDP by 2050, there is scant evidence to show that rising costs have led to improved health." To read more, click on this link.

President Obama's health care initiative seeks to bolster preventive care as well as curative health care. I strongly believe that we as Americans deserve a strong health bill that will curb costs, strengthen use of technology and wasteful duplicative recordkeeping, and offer excellent care to all, with choices for private or public payment. I believe this will increase competitiveness of our workforce and also of our businesses. A healthier population will be able to learn, to study, to challenge itself to a brighter future for our children.

Americans CAN come together for this reform of our health system. It is too important for us not to do! We voted for this in 2008 and now must act.

Hope for Madagascar

There is new hope for resolving the political crisis in Madagascar. Madagascar may be on its way toward a path to a new government, bringing to a close the drama that unfolded over several months earlier this year, in which President Marc Ravalomanana was ousted in a coup.

Various news agencies have reported on a meeting this weekend (August 8-9) in Maputo, Mozambique, which brought together Ravalomanana and his rival, former mayor of Antananarivo Andy Rajoelina, who led the coup and has been functioning as head of a "High Transition Authority" government. Others in the meeting included former presidents Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy.

Led by the former president of Mozambique and with participation of a United Nations Mediator, the meeting also included the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the International Organization of French-Speaking Countries.

In the agreement, there will be a political transition government for 15 months, representing all parties, while preparations are made for nationwide elections.

The United States and most European countries stopped all but humanitarian aid months ago because of the illegal coup. Madagascar is a least-developed country. Earlier in this blog I reported an appeal for funds for humanitarian needs, relating to the devastation of several cyclones and continued malnutrition of many children.

Integrated Approaches for Participatory Development

I'm awestruck by new technologies that can help communities develop and have a voice in their own development. The website http://www.iapad.org/ stands for Integrated Approaches for Participatory Development.

The focus is on using Geographic Information Technologies and Systems (GIT&S) together with Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) methods. The purpose is "to compose peoples’ spatial knowledge in the forms of virtual or physical, 2 or 3 dimensional maps used as interactive vehicles for discussion, information exchange, analysis and as support in advocacy, decision making and action taking. PGIS practice is usually geared towards community empowerment through measured, demand-driven, user-friendly and integrated applications of GIT&S, where maps become a major conduit in the process."

The site has a library of resources, examples, videos, and funding resources for non-profits.

There's also a companion site, www.PPgis.net, the electronic forum on participatory use of geo-spatial information systems and technologies. The forum hosts four distinct discussion lists, the global list which is Anglophone, and its Latin American (Spanish), Lusophone (Brazilian) and Francophone chapters.

The author of both sites is Giacomo Rambaldi, Natural Resource Management and Participation Specialist.

UNA-USA Student Alliances

There's a great new opportunity for students to become involved with the UN and with the Unitd Nations Association of the USA The UNA-USA Student Alliance program will re-launch in August with a new format. UNA's Membership Department is working with the Council of Chapters and Divisions Steering Committee and others to develop a trial format for the UNA-USA Student Alliance program. The one-year trial, which is scheduled to start in August in time for the 2009-2010 school year, will offer students an opportunity to learn about the UN, to become involved in leadership in important global issues, and to receive benefits from UNA and local chapters and divisions where they exist.

The UNA-USA Student Alliance Program will invite students to form UNA-USA Student Alliance Groups, at the middle school, high school or college levels. Students may also join individually. More information will be posted on the www.unausa.org website soon.

A Lot Going On

Since I've last written, I've been involved in two major events. One was the United Nations Association of the USA's Biannual Convention. That took place in Washington, DC, from June 12 - 14. Photos are online at the www.unausa.org Flickr account, and I've written an article for the UNA Southern New York State Division's website: www.unasouthernny.org. Anticipated by all was a chance to get to know Ambassador Tom Miller, UNA's new president. Tom plans to work closely with Chapters and Divisions of UNA-USA, a departure from the previous president, and this was welcomed by all.

The other event, on Ethanol and Bioenergy, was organized by the Public-Private Alliance Foundation. It featured aspects of investment in bioenergy, with participants from the financial sector, producers, non-Governmental organizations, and the United Nations. A report on the event will be available soon at www.ppafoundation.org Meanwhile, you can view one of the participants speaking about investment issues on PPAF's YouTube account: www.YouTube.com/ppafoundation

UNA-USA's YouTube Channel

The United Nations Association of the USA - UNA-USA - is now presenting videos on http://www.youtube.com/unausa01 . These include some videos produced by the United Nations, tapings done by UNA-USA of events such as the UNAUSA Model UN Conference held at the UN in May 2009, and interviews conducted by UNA Board Member Bill Miller, producer and moderator of Global Connections Television. Other materials include interviews with students participating in the UNA HERO project. If you're not familiar with YouTube - it's possible to go to the UNA-USA Channel link above, and sign on to alerts for updates.

The Story of Stuff

Although it's not directly related to the United Nations, The Story of Stuff, a 20-minute video available online and as a DVD, gives an important global message. The narrator and researcher, Annie Leonard, shows a cartoon-approach to the proliferation of "stuff" and its history. Extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal are shown in clear ways, with limited graphics and symbols. The main message is how to aim for sustainability and equity and the role of people in making such decisions. This is worthwhile for anyone from elementary school on up. It relates to finding ways to consume less (raw materials, energy) and thus to help reduce global warming and to leave a more sustainable earth for our children.

The Story of Stuff is available in eleven languages at www.storyofstuff.com/international (Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Taiwanese Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai. Teasers are available on YouTube. Here's a sample of a teaser about externalizing costs of goods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz3tPxUFGbY

UN's New Website!

What a great surprise to find a pleasant, accessible new website for the United Nations. Worth exploring: http://www.un.org/ . On the home page, just tap on Welcome in the language you want to read.

Losing women's rights

The Dominican Republic has added a clause to its constitution effectively prohibiting abortion. But Dr. Milton Cordero, according to a DR1 article, notes that approximately 90,000 abortions occur in the Dominican Republic annually, contributing to the third leading cause of maternal death. These are mainly self-induced, or at the hands of an untrained practitioner.

I know from my lifelong work in public health (maternal and child health, family planning and HIV/AIDS) that those abortions which were previously done by a trained physician are now likely to go underground. The Dominican Republic in 2000 already had about 150 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births - higher than many of its peers in the Caribbean and Latin America. One can expect more deaths of pregnant women if clandestine abortion becomes the norm.

According to an article online in Latina, Aldrian Almonte, president of the Dominican Gynecology and Obstetrics Society has warned that the number of maternal deaths will increase considerably once the new laws are enforced and women are no longer able to gain access to safe and medically supervised abortions. Even if the pregnancy endangers a woman’s life, abortion will no longer be a feasible option for physicians. “I would like the honorable legislators to tell me: What are we going to do before the presence of a woman with severe eclampsia, convulsing in any emergency room around the country? What must we do, see her die to protect ourselves from the repercussions this law stipulates?” Almonte asked.

According to Dominican Today (April 29, 2009), the national focal point for the UNDP Human Development Report, Miguel Ceara Hatton, has further said that the new Constitution excludes the women’s right to life and encourages the incidence of clandestine abortions and maternal deaths in the country.

The work of the UN's agencies to educate about and promote safe women's reproductive health must continue in support of women's reproductive rights in the D.R., while the draconian new policies are reviewed by the country's people.

UNESCO Launches World Digital Library

Bravo to UNESCO which, with 32 partner institutions, under the guidance of James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, today launched the Bibliothèque Numérique Mondiale (BNM), or World Digital Library (WDL). The library will offer on the website http://www.wdl.org/ the world's accumulated knowledge in seven languages for students everywhere. Adding to the six official languages of the UN (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish), the site includes materials in Portuguese. It will feature unique cultural materials from libraries and archives from around the world, and will include manuscripts, maps, rare books, films, sound recordings, and prints and photographs. It will provide unrestricted public access, free of charge, to this material.

The library has started with about 1,200 documents and their explanations from scholars. It is designed to accommodate an unlimited number of such texts, charts and illustrations from as many countries and libraries as want to contribute. The digital library's main server is also in Washington, but officials said plans are underway for regional servers around the world.

According to the UNESCO website, the WDL was developed by a team at the Library of Congress. Technical assistance was provided by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina of Alexandria, Egypt. Institutions contributing content and expertise to the WDL include national libraries and cultural and educational institutions in Brazil, Egypt, China, France, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The digital library's main server is in Washington, but plans are underway for regional servers around the world.

Current offerings include rubbings of oracle bones from the National Library of China, delicate drawings of court life from the National Diet Library of Japan and a 13th-century "Devil's Bible" from the National Library of Sweden. Each is accompanied by a brief explanation of its content and significance. The documents have been scanned onto the site directly, in their original languages, but the explanations appear in all seven of the site's official languages.

Users can sort through the information in several ways. They can ask what was going on anywhere in the world in, say, science or literature during the 4th century B.C., for instance. They can look up the history of a certain topic over the centuries in China alone, or in China and North America. By cross-referencing, a user can see how one area of the world compared with another at any given time. Materials also can be viewed by Place, Time, Topic, Type of Item and Institution.

This phenomenal site adds to work being done through Google and several universities to make books available online, and to the collaborative effort by Wikipedia in producing an encyclopedia of the world's knowledge.

Reflections

2009 is a real year of change for America and US-UN relations and also now for UNA-USA. Dr. Thomas J. Miller, recently named UNA-USA's new president, will take his position on May 11. He's a former U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia & Herzegovina and to Greece, taught at George Mason University, and, most recently, was CEO of Plan International (formerly Foster Parents Plan), a large non-profit with headquarters in the UK which works with children and their families. Tom is an advocate of the Model UN Program, having established one in Washington, DC, and another in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The National Convention, scheduled for June 12-14 in Washington, DC, will give an opportunity for UNA members, Council of Organization members, and others from throughout the country to meet and get to know him. Chapter / National Relations will be an important topic for discussion, and I am especially interested in the development of outreach to students through the Student Alliance program, which is being revamped. I understand that Tom is a strong advocate for Chapters, and plans to visit many in the coming months. In June I'll be stepping down from four years as a Middle Atlantic Representative to the Council of Chapters and Divisions Steering Committee, but will remain active with the Southern New York State Division of UNA. For more, see http://www.unausa.org/ and http://www.unasouthernny.org/

UNA-USA, like most non-profits, is experiencing shortfalls in fundraising. How to take advantage of the new national spirit toward working multilaterally is bound to be a major focus of discussions at the Convention.

Meanwhile, the Public-Private Alliance Foundation is planning an event on ethanol, especially sugar-cane based ethanol, that will take place at the UN on May 7. This will be PPAF's third annual Partners Against Poverty event, which will bring together people from the business world, UN agencies, non-profits, academic institutions and foundations and others. The purpose is to develop new business models that will contribute to reaching the Millennium Developmen Goals and help people lift themselves out of poverty. The website is: http://www.ppafoundation.org/ Focusing on a small, high-level group of participants, PPAF expects the event to result in practical actions toward sustainable development that will benefit local economies and boost peoples' incomes as well as improving availability of biofuel.

PPAF's Executive Director, David Stillman, will speak at a UNA Council of Organizations event at the Church Center for the UN on April 23. The panel's topic is The Changing Nature of Corporate-Civil Society Partnerships in the Global Economic Downturn. Olajobi Makinwa, Civil Society Coordinator, UN Global Compact will also speak. The third speaker is Tom Kadala, President of ResearchPAYS, which is partnering with PPAF on the Ethanol event.

It is fascinating to be involved in work that can directly affect the top universal issue of climate change through promoting sustainable development, and at the same time improve lives of families. Corporate social responsibility, research-based decision-making, ecology, globalism, technology, family economics, the global financial crisis, social and cultural preservation, two billion people living in poverty, international flow of capital and goods are all relevant topics. Passions run high around all these issues and their political and economic ramifications, and the resulting debates and actions are vital to our future.

UN Consolidated Appeal for Funding for Madagascar

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has issued a Consolidated Appeal Process for Madagascar - Flash Appeal , in the wake of the ongoing poverty of this "least developed" country and the political turmoil of the past several months. Drought in some areas, cyclones in others contribute to the need for significant food aid. The Appeal indicates:

"The current delays and/or the suspension of government programmes, combined with the reduced capacity of the administration due to the sudden change in leadership and the suspension of some international assistance, has severely curtailed the current Government’s capacity to meet the basic needs of the population. To prevent the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, the Madagascar Humanitarian Country Team is seeking US$ 35,732,550 to save lives, bolster social safety nets and, should the political situation allow, support time-critical recovery. This appeal will be revised as the situation evolves and further assessment and surveillance data becomes available."

What can an individual do? (1) Look at the list of organizations that form the common appeal, and if you have a connection with any, make your voice heard. (2) Track the political situation in Madagascar by signing into Google Tracker and keep informed. (3) Contribute to any of these organizations, or to the Public-Private Alliance Foundation, which works with Madagascar as one of its focus countries (http://www.ppafoundation.org/ ) Only through being informed can we make a difference. I took the photos above in Madagascar in 2004. Some of these children were old enough to be in school, but school wasn't available to them.

Asia Society Hosts International Education Prizes

I am very happy to report on the March 25 awards luncheon at the Asia Society's New York office which celebrated the final winners of the Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education. It is exciting to learn about such wonderful efforts around the country, which can and do serve as models for others. The Asia Society is a leading force in developing materials, programs and curricula to bring world education to America. (See this blog's posting for November 12, 2008 for more.)

Vivian Stewart, Asia Society Vice President, discussed the impact the prizes have been having since their inception in 2003. A video provided highlights of the John Stanford International School in Seattle, which was also represented on a panel by Karen Kodama, Founding Principal. (Watch this brief video and you can see more on edutopia.com ) There students learn Math and Science in Japanese or Spanish, depending on the track they choose.

Vishakha N. Desia, Asia Society President, moderated the panel, which also included Lynette Cletson, Managing Editor of The Root, Washington Post; Robert D. Harmats, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs International, and Gene Wilson, Executive Director of the Council of Chief state School Officers.
Award winners by category were:
Elementary/Middle School: The Independence Charter School, Philadelphia. This is an urban public charter school which combines "two second language acquisition programs with an interdisciplinary curriculum, integrating traditions, literature, geography, economics and history."
High School: Bergen County Academies is a public, county-wide magnet technical school which is also certified as an International Baccalaureate program. Students take three or more years of a world language: French, Spanish, Latin or Mandarin.
District/State: The winner, the State of New Jersey, is involved in across-the-board curriculum redesign to "develop a world-class workforce by assisting the state's students to obtain the skills and education needed in a competitive global economy." This includes all nine areas of the curriculum: Visual and Performing Arts; Comprehensive Health and Physical Education; Language Arts Literacy; Mathematics; Science, Social Studies; World Languages; Technological Literacty; and Career Education and Consumer, Family and Life Skills.
Media / Technology: Co-recipients:
Google Lit Trips marries the written word with Google Earth imagery with nuggets of information about destinations or paths along the way. It's divided by grade level (K-5, 6-8, 9-12, HiEd). Having learned about this, I had to tour the site. I lived in Pakistan and worked with Afghan refugees, and was particularly intrigued by The Kite Runner and the sites that popped up in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Then I looked at The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and at Voltaire's Candide. What a way to learn!

The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting has won for its Global Gateway , which provides teens and young adults with interactive information about important issues around the world. It tackles difficult subjects, such as "the water wars", and HIV/AIDS, as well as informing about conflicts and progress in various countries. My personal congratulations to Jon Sawyer, Executive Director of the Center and formerly the Washington correspondent for the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Jon was traveling in Ethiopia (doubtless with a video crew) and could not attend the lunch. Many of the Center's videos are shown on Foreign Exchange with Daljit Dhaliwal (a Public Television show started by Fareed Zakaria), which I also recommend.

Thank you to the Asia Society and the Goldman Sachs Foundation for your important work on promoting global education. I found this event not only celebratory of good work (which led me to think -- why aren't many, many more schools and educators doing more?) but also a great opportunity to network.

For those who asked for The Journal News Newspaper in Education supplements on global issues which go to about 55,000 students, teachers and administrators in Westchester, Putnam and Rockland Counties, NY, or for the video series "Going Global with the UN," which now has 69 of its 70 videos on line, here are the links:
SUPPLEMENTS:
Peace Makes the World a Better Place (December 2006)
Shaping Global Citizens -- The United Nations Millennium Development Goals in Action: Targeting Hunger (October 2007)
Shaping Global Citizens -- The Power of Partnerships (February 2009)
VIDEOS:
Going Global with the UN Video Series

YPIC's Haiti Expedition Project Launched

Those of you who read the UNA Southern NY Division website will see a longer article about the Young Professionals for International Cooperation (YPIC) recent fundraiser to launch their Haiti Project. Congratulations to YPIC and all who were involved. On March 25, YPIC brought together over 140 members and friends for this launch, a cocktail party held at the 92Y Tribeca center. Please take a little time to read about YPIC's Flagship Program: The Haïti Expedition Project , which is worth supporting.

David Stillman and I greatly enjoyed the event (though we don't fit in the 21-40 age group). The slide show was both inviting and poignant. The program was just long enough to invigorate an audience to become involved. Conor Bohan spoke about HELP, the program he started, which gives scholarships to help some of the poorest Haitian students to attend college. Martina Bruno, a Haitian-American singer, treated the audience with "Summertime" and with a lively call-and-reponse piece.

On a personal note, I worked in Haiti in public health, most recently about 15 years ago; David has traveled there twice in the past three years, and is currently developing two projects related to Haiti. We were the lucky winners of two of the four pieces of artwork that were part of the silent auction -- both by Richard Rapoport, a peace artist whose website is http://www.peacefreedom.com/ The art pictured above I purchased at a street market in Port-au-Prince.

YPIC Chair Patricia Sacristan, VP Michele Chaplin, Kevin Jamison, director of YPIC's European Affairs Committee and members of several other committees were responsible for the excellent planning and implementation of the event. Brava and Bravo!

John Carey's United Nations Week blog

John Carey, a member of the United Nations Association Westchester Chapter, is now posting on his blog his weekly notes on the TV program he hosts on Rye TV (NY) and Greenwich CT TV. He is former Vice President, American Society of International Law; Board of Editors, American Journal of International Law; Alternate U.S. Member, UN Human Rights Sub-Commission; TV producer, United Nations Week: News and Views. He is also a former Judge and former Mayor of the city of Rye, NY.

His contact information is:

UNITED NATIONS WEEK
News and Views
Rye NY Channels 76 and 33
Greenwich CT Channel 79
John Carey, Editor
J_PCarey@verizon.net
http://unweek.blogspot.com

To give an example, his posting for 3/29/09 starts with an analysis of the upcoming Durban Conference on Race (full title below). He writes:

"Durban Review next month: should we participate?

Next month many nations will gather for a look back to the 2001 Durban Declaration and pronounce themselves again on the subject of racism. Up to now, Washington has not said we will attend. In 2001, we and Israel walked out, and I have been trying to figure out why.

An “outcome document” for next month’s meeting has been under discussion for quite some time. In the latest draft, dated March 17th, there are certain provisions that bear examination, such as #10 referring to “Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianophobia[1] and anti-Arabism.” Paragraph 11 raises free speech issues since it states that certain advocacy shall be prohibited by law. On the other hand, paragraph 64 “Recalls that the Holocaust must never be forgotten, . . .”

The outcome document speaks in favor of the rights of indigenous peoples, for instance in paragraphs 42 and 43.

But the real problem for those who are reluctant to have anything to do with the Review Conference may be found in the very first paragraph of the outcome document. It reads: “Reaffirms the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) as it was adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) in 2001.” This reaffirmation means one must study the DDPA, as I have done. Is there anything in the DDPA that poisons the outcome document?"

He goes on to analyze the related issues. To read more, visit his blog.

Good going, John!!!

The Century Foundation Posts Mid-Atlantic Conference Video

You can view the video feed from the February 6th "Year of Change" UNA Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference on The Century Foundation website at http://www.tcf.org/list.asp?type=EV&pubid=246. Also look for a 5-minute "highlight moments" video from the morning session, as well as the results of the survey questionnaire about foreign policy priorities that participants have recommended to President Obama.

Thomas Friedman on the US Economy and Global Warming

Thomas Friedman's column in the New York Times on March 8, 2009, depicts 2008 as the beginning of "The Great Disruption" -- a momentus era which reforms the global economy and particularly that of the United States. It's worth reading - the article is called "The Great Inflection". It seems that historians may view 2008 as the antithesis to Aldous Huxley's "year of our Ford 632".

Blogs to Watch

I was wondering who out there is blogging about UNA, and was happy to find a number of brave souls. Look to the right and below the UN headlines those I've been able to find. UNA Michigan is maintaining a blog, as is Sultana Ali of the UNA Greater Orlando Chapter, who started one for the Young Professionals for International Cooperation (YPIC) group. Sultana's is called "a single flame". The United Nations Association Eastbay Chapter (Berkeley, California) is maintaining an interesting, substantive blog. UNA Iowa has also started a blog. The UNA Midpeninsula (California) Board also has an impressive blog. Just found another blog, from UNA Columbus (Ohio). I look forward to reading more from colleagues around the country.

I was delighted and surprised to find a blog by Bono and Bobby Shriver, on the Red campaign. A recent article notes that UNA-USA honored the Red campaign in October 2008.

If you know of other UNA bloggers, let me know! Also - I've just added Nasa's Earth Observatory Image of the day (as a gadget, below right), to help us focus on the critical issue of climate.

Commission on the Status of Women, March 2-13, 2009

Over 4,000 women and men are expected to converge on the United Nations in the coming days. The 53rd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women will take place from March 2 to 13, 2009, in New York. A few related events start on February 28. The main theme will be “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS” The session will be attended by representatives of Member States, UN entities and of ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world. A "Backgrounder" is available.

This is a Complete List of the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Parallel events to the official UN meetings. Over 200 events are scheduled. Many take place in the Church Center for the UN, while others will take place in the UN General Assembly building.

Here is the Official Documentation of the conference. It includes statements of the UN Secretary-General, which summarize the status and thinking across the UN System with regard to the main topic and related topics, and also statements by selected NGOs in Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council, including, for example, Zonta International, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the World Association of Girl Guides and Scouts, the International Federation of University Women and others.

Philanthropy and Global Public Health

Yesterday (February 23) I attended a Preparatory meeting for the 2009 High-level Segment of the UN Economic and Social Council on the theme of Philanthropy and Global Public Health. The meeting explored collaborative opportunities in advancing progress in maternal and girls' health and neglected tropical diseases. The aim was to share best practices and lessons learned and to build new innovative partnerships and alliances to address the Millennium Development Goals. Links to websites of co-convenors of the meeting are available.

It was brought out that half a million women die annually of consequences of childbirth, many from postpartum hemorrhage. That number hasn't changed in a decade or two (but denotes some progress, as the global population has increased). Another 300 million are debilitated by childbirth. The statistics are horrifying; young women, aged 19 and below, are particularly vulnerable.

Excellent papers were prepared before the event, and are available on the UN ECOSOC Website:
Background note:
Leadership for Health: Harnessing Business Skills with Social Needs

Issues note on Improving the Health Outcomes of Women and Girls

and
Issue note on Raising the Profile of Neglected Tropical Diseases

A UN webcast of the event is available. Look for the February 23 Special Event.

President Bill Clinton synthesized the meeting, giving a well-received keynote closing address in which he offered his ideas about the direction of philanthropy in the current tough economic situation globally. His remarks start at about 2 hours 48 minutes and I encourage you to watch.

Academic Earth goes Online

Norman Jacknis, a long-time leader in the Westchester Alliance for Telecommunications and Public Access (WATPA), has shared another great resource.

Academic Earth is an organization founded with the goal of giving everyone on earth access to a world class education. www.academicearth.org It features thousands of video lectures from the world's top scholars and other notable lecturers. Subjects include: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics,
Engineering, English, Entrepreneurship, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology and Religion.

In the area of political science, for example, you can watch Bill Bradley, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey, lecture on "Russia: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," and Thomas Friedman give a lecture at MIT on "The World is Flat 3.0" Princeton offers a series of five lectures on the global financial crisis, and Yale another six lectures.

What a great way to go back to school, or for high school students to get a preview of college!

Year of Change: New Prospects for America at the UN

The United Nations Association Mid-Atlantic Conference, held on February 6 at the UN, was a great success, with over 600 registered, including from 20 colleges and universities. You can find the Conference program, photos and other details at: www.unasouthernny.org . From the evaluations received it is very likely another conference will be planned for next spring. Click on the photos above to see close-ups.

Glowing words for Going Global with the UN

A UNA colleague in Fort Collins, Colorado has sent a lovely note, mentioning an event held on the MDGs, with over 150 in attendance. They used the DVD "The MDG's: Dream or Reality?" She remarked that "The 'Going Global' series is a treasure. We'll be recommending it to others."

Going Global videos have been shown at UNA events in California, Texas, North Carolina, Illinois and Colorado. For information email me at: jbs@stratdev.com, or telephone 914-478-3450.

Mid-Atlantic Conference set for February 6

You can now register to attend the United Nations Association Mid-Atlantic Conference Year of Change: New Prospects for America at the United Nations. In addition to keynote speakers, panels will focus on peace and security, human rights and climate change.

The Conference will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Conference Room 3 at the United Nations. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and you should arrive early to go through UN Security at the white tent at 46th St. and First Avenue.

You must register by February 2, so that your name can be placed on the United Nations security list.

The final program will be available soon. You can link to on-line registration at www.unasouthernny.org (Click on the red "register" in the article on the conference.)