26 OCTOBER 2006
UNA-NY Gala Dinner to Celebrate UN Day
On October 26 the United Nations Association of New York (UNA-NY) hosted a black-tie gala dinner at the United Nations. More than 200 guests came to celebrate UN Day. The theme of the evening was education, which is one of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. The gala event opened with a reception on the 3rd floor of the General Assembly Building. Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and Mrs. Annan were in attendance. The Secretary General received a one-of-a-kind Peace Bowl that was made by world renowned artist, Miranda Thomas. At 8 p.m., dinner was served in the Delegates Dining Room where General Brent Scowcroft provided the keynote address. The MC was Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information at the United Nations. UNA-NY honored Robert L. Corcoran, President, General Electric Foundation and Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF for their commitment to educational opportunities and initiatives. Proceeds from the event will help fund forums, and educational and cultural programs that highlight the importance of the United Nations to the United States and our international neighbors.
Click here  and also here for photos from this event. 

24 OCTOBER 2006
Shashi Tharoor Speaks to Americans about the United Nations
Shashi Tharoor is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information and has led the Department of Public Information since 1991. As we celebrate United Nations Day on October 24th, we offer a brief video of Mr. Tharoor's thoughts on the world body with Americans in mind. This video can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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28 SEPTEMBER 2006
Why the U.N. Should Stop Worrying About the U.S.
Dr. Edward C. Luck, Professor of Practice in International and Public Affairs and Director of the Center on International Organization of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, addressed UNA-NY members on the topic of US-UN relations. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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19 SEPTEMBER 2006
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Address to the 61st General Assembly
Click here to view the text of Kofi Annan's final address as Secretary-General to the UN General Assembly.


JUNE 2006
UNA of New York Releases its 2005 Annual Report
Click here to view a summary of the past year's activities and achievements.


25 MAY 2006
German Ambassador Addresses UNA-NY Members at Annual Meeting
Germany's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Gunter Pleuger, spoke at UNA-NY's annual meeting this evening on the topic of the U.N.'s role in the 21st Century. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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20 APRIL 2006
The Challenge of Avian Flu: Strategies for an Impending Pandemic
Since 2003 more than 170 human cases of Avian flu have been reported, and almost 100 were fatal. The H5N1 strain of flu -- avian flu -- has led to the killing of millions of birds in more than 30 countries. Health officials fear that a mutation of the flu, passing from birds to humans, could trigger a pandemic killing milliions. Dr. David Nabarro, Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza, addressed the UN system's plans to make an effective and coordinated contribution to the global effort to control the epidemic of avian influenza. John Rennie, Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American magazine, addressed the scientific challenge of avian flu -- how an ailment in birds can become a lethal threat to humans, and the difficulties of preventing or controlling such a disease. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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APRIL 2006
Second Annual High School Art Exhibition
Natural Disasters: Their Causes, Effects, and Prevention Strategies was the title of this second annual art exhibition co-sponsored by UNA of New York and Friends of Art and Design featuring original artwork by students at The High School of Art and Design in New York City. It shares with the viewer a young person's interpretation of recent natural disasters -- tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes -- and their causes and effects on individuals, communities and society generally. The thought-provoking prevention strategies that have been developed should be seriously considered by all. We are most excited by all entries and thank all of the students, faculty and administration for eagerly and enthusiastically participating.

Click here for photos from this event.


16 MARCH 2006
34 Million Friends: Americans for UNFPA
Jane Roberts and Lois Abraham established 34 Million Friends of UNFPA when the Bush administration announced that they would withhold the $34 million that Congress had allocated to the UNFPA. Today, the total amount of blocked funds stands at over $125 million. They're project -- asking 34 million Americans to donate $1.00 to the UNFPA. They shared their story with UNA members this evening. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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16 FEBRUARY 2006
Lawyers Without Borders: Global Engagement in Rule of Law and Capacity Buiding
UNA-NY sponsored an event this evening featuring representatives from Lawyers Without Borders, the world's largest group of volunteer lawyers from around the globe, providing legal pro bono cost services to educate and train legal professionals and support Rule of Law projects and human rights initiatives. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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13 FEBRUARY 2006
UNA-NY Represented at the Info Fair of the Committee on Teaching About the UN
Representatives of the United Nations Association of New York participated in the Info Fair of the Committee on Teaching About the United Nations (CTAUN) on February 13th. Our goal was to inform teaching professionals about the range of educational program offerings by UNA-NY, Student Alliance and Adopt-A-Mission. The all day conference was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City with over 300 teachers participating from across the country. The theme of the conference was the Global Challenge of Water, featuring speakers on the topic of water conservation. The conference also included symposia on curriculum development. During the break-out sessions, participants were encouraged to visit the Information Fair. UNA-NY was one of 20 NGO's and related organizations to set up information booths at the fair. Executive Director, Ann Nicol, Rosemary Clemens, Director of the Education Committee and Daniel Gregoire, Outreach Coordinator kept station at the booth and invited participants to learn more about UNA-NY. They spoke to numerous teachers about our programs, and handed out brochures on our chapter's activities, Student Alliance advisor packets, and various promotional materials. A story board featuring pictures of Student Alliance activities in South Africa was prominently displayed and attracted much attention.
Click here for photos from this event.


16 JANUARY 2006
HERO: Addressing the Emergency Needs of Schools in Namibia
UNA-USA's HERO campaign (Help Educate At-Risk Orphans and Vulnerable Children) provides critical school-based support for HIV/AIDS - affected children in four program countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Ethiopia. In each country, HERO provides funds to local partners to implement "HERO Packages", which include infrastructural support, such as the construction of classrooms, toilets and water wells, and address the basic and educational needs of the most vulnerable learners through the provision of school lunches, books and classroom resources, food gardens and psychosocial support. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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1 DECEMBER 2005
The Legacy of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's Involvement with the United Nations
No two people are more responsible for the creation and development of the United Nations than Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Through the two great crises of the twentieth century-the Great Depression and World War II-they forged a personal commitment to the construction of a new world body dedicated to the promotion of peace and the establishment of basic human rights for all peoples, "everywhere in the world." It was this commitment-a commitment that found expression in FDR's Four Freedoms and in Eleanor Roosevelt's Universal Declaration on Human Rights-that still stands at the heart of the United Nations today. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, granddaughter of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and David B. Woolner, Executive Director of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, were our guest speakers sharing the inside story of how this couple influenced history. A video of this briefing can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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17 NOVEMBER 2005
The Regional Consequences of Misplaying North Korea
Leon Sigal, Director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project at the Social Research Council in New York and author of Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea, outlined the recent history and current status of negotiations with North Korea, as well as the relationships between the major players at the table. His remarks can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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22 SEPTEMBER 2005
The Power of People and Ideas: The Intellectual Contribution of the UN to Development Thinking As Told Through the Life Experiences of 73 Key Pariticipants
Ideas are a main driving force in human progress, and they are arguably the most important contribution of the United Nations. Yet until now, there has been no comprehensive study of the origins and evolution of the economic and social activities of the UN and of their impact on wider thinking and international action. The United Nations Intellectual History Project is filling this knowledge gap by tracing the origin and analyzing the evolution of key ideas and concepts about international economic and social development born or nurtured under UN auspices. Thomas G. Weiss, Director, Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies and Co-Director, United Nations Intellectual History Project and Tatiana Carayannis, Research Manager, United Nations Intellectual History Project were guest speakers at this briefing. A video of their presentation can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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17 JUNE 2005
Giandomenico Picco Speaks to UNA-NY Members About Terrorism
Giandomenico Picco, Chairman and CEO, GDP Associates and Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General, briefed UNA-NY members in a presentation titled "Alignment, Asymmetry, and Ideologies: A New Environment for Terrorism." His remarks can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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25 MAY 2005
Olara Otunnu Addresses UNA-NY Annual Meeting on Children and Armed Conflict
Olara Otunnu, UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and recipient of the 2005 Sydney Peace Prize, was the guest speaker at the UNA-NY Annual Meeting last evening. His remarks can be viewed online in Windows Media Player:

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13 MAY 2005
Turkish Mission to the UN Hosts Reception for UNA-NY Members
Representatives and staff of the UN Mission of the Republic of Turkey Consul were most gracious as they hosted a reception for members of UNA-NY last evening. General Omer Onhon outlined the current issues facing Turkish policy makers, such as terrorism, the situation in the Middle East including relations with Israel, Turkish-US relations as well as Turkey's EU membership bid and the prospects of Turkish economy. The Deputy Permanent Representative Ersin Ercin spoke about Turkey's contribution to the UN's activities and the central role the UN plays in key world events.


11 MARCH 2005
UNA-NY Receives Award for Membership Growth
At the bi-annual Convention of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (3/6-3/11/2005), the New York Chapter was recognized for its phenomenal membership increase of 20 percent during 2004.


7 FEBRUARY 2005
What is the United Nations Good For?
U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information answers the question.


2 JANUARY 2005
United Nations Repsonse to South Asia Tsunami
The United Nations will update information about the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami as information becomes available. This is a summary of the current situation and the UN's work to aid victims.


13 DECEMBER 2004
UNA Film Festival Visits New York City
The UNA-USA Film Festival mesmerized young members from UNA-NY YPIC and the Young Professionals of New York City.


7 DECEMBER 2004
Talking Points on the U.N. Oil-for-Food Programme
Allegations surrounding the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme are being made daily. This situation presents many challenges to UNA-USA and other supporters of the UN due to its sheer complexity, the lack of definitive information, and the fact that many long-time critics of the UN are using this story as a vehicle to ratchet up politically motivated attacks. To help UNA-USA members and others understand the issue and respond to misperceptions and false allegations, UNA-USA's National office has drafted this set of talking points.


2 DECEMBER 2004
Exciting Marketing Opportunity to Support the United Nations
UNA-NY is looking for help locating the money to enable it to produce a fun, interactive DVD introduction to the United Nations to be completed in time for the 2005 60th anniversary of the U.N.


30 NOVEMBER 2004
Report of the U.N. Secretary-General's High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges, and Change
In his address to the General Assembly in September 2003, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned Member States that the United Nations had reached a fork in the road. It could rise to the challenge of meeting new threats or it could risk erosion in the face of mounting discord between States and unilateral action by them. He created the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change to generate new ideas about the kinds of policies and institutions required for the UN to be effective in the 21st century. In its report, the High-level Panel sets out a bold, new vision of collective security for the 21st century.


9 AUGUST 2004
United Nations Association of New York to be Represented at UN Conference on Implementing Development Goals Set by World Leaders
Several members of UNA-NY's Board of Directors have been selected to represent the United Nations Association of New York at the 57th Annual United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Conference to be held at UN headquarters in New York City, 8 to 10 September, 2004.