Professor John Langmore
President

Julie Mackay
National Administrator

Address:
UNA-Australia
P.O. Box 6021
O'Connor    
Australian Capitol Territory  
Australia

Telephone: 02 6259 5078
Email: juliemmackay61@gmail.com
Website: http://www.unaa.org.au

UNYA-Australia

Alex Rafalowicz 
President

United Nations Youth Association of Australia
Mailing Address: 50 Mindona St, WISHART QLD 4122
Telephone: +61 411 277 764
Email: president@unya.asn.au
Website: www.unya.asn.au

UNA Activity Report

President: Professor John Langmore
Executive Director/ Secretary General: David Purnell OAM
Executive Committee Members: Jan Ryan
Kitty Knight
Heather Southcott
Christine Fletcher
Virginia Balmain
Mark Coffey
Russell Rollason
Harold Wilkinson
Margaret Reynolds
Mary Blake
Telephone: +612 6259 5078
Date of last election: 27 August 2006
Address: P.O. Box 6021
O'Connor
Aust. Capital Territory
2602
Fax:
E-mail: david.christine@iinet.net.au
Website: www.unaa.org.au
Number of Members: 2000
Brief description of structure of UNA (chapters? regions?): Federal association of Divisions based in each Australian State and Territory.
National office in Canberra, national capital.
Annual Budget: $20,000 (Aust.)
Does the UNA have a UN Youth Association or other Youth Network?: yes
Name of Youth Representative: Ben McKay
Email for Youth Association/ Representative: president@unya.asn.au
Policy Areas/ Issues of Interest: Children,Democracy,Disarmament/ Nuclear
Non-Proliferation,Education,Environment/ Climate Change,Gender Issues,Human
Rights,Indigenous Peoples,Millennium Development Goals,Peace and Conflict
Resolution,UN Reform
If other, please explain:
Priority Programs/Projects 2003-2006: 1. Refugees and Asylum Seekers -
lobbied for government to adhere to UN conventions in policies.
2. Millennium Development Goals - held public events and supported
campaigns.
3. Human Rights - regular discussions with government and other NGOs,
especially in relation to UN meetings.
4. Peace and Disarmament - regular submissions to Government and Parliament;
focus on abolition of nuclear weapons in coming year.
5. UN Reform - support and submissions.

Meetings/ Conferences/ Seminars 2003-2006: Annual conferences held:
2003 Canberra
2004 Brisbane
2005 Canberra
2006 Sydney

Public events - annual Media Peace Awards

Seminars held regularly in all States and Territories to mark UN Days and
Years.
Special Commemorations/ Events 2003-2006: UN Conference on Engaging
Communities - Brisbane August 2005

International Conference on Microcredit - Melbourne August 2005

UN60 anniversary seminar in Parliament House, Canberra, June 2005
Advocacy/ Campaigns: Support for national human rights legislation.
Support for UN Summit 2005.
Support for Millennium Development Goals.
Support for refugees and asylum seekers.
Campaign against anti-terrorism legislation.
Publications: UNITY - weekly on-line newsletter
Annual Reports
Divisional newsletters
Fundraising Strategies/ Main Sources of Funding: Donations
Sponsors for specific events
Links with UN agencies, funds and programmes : Regular contact with UN
Information Centre.
Use of speakers from UN agencies (eg UNHCR, UNIFEM)
Member of UNDPI
Partnerships with NGOs: Member of Australian Council for International
Development.
Links with Austcare, Oxfam, Amnesty etc.
Partnerships with other UNAs: Links with UNAs in New Zealandm UK and Canada
and emerging with some Asian UNAs (eg China)
In what ways does your UNA interact with WFUNA?: Regular exchange of
information.
Participation in Executive Committee.
Participation in some events (eg UN60 in China).
Authorized by (Secretary General/ President): David Purnell

Recent Activities

Advocacy

• Campaign on refugees and asylum seekers. UNAA has been working with other NGOs to uphold the right of these people.  UNAA has gathered evidence of abuses of human rights, presented them to UNHCR and to the Australian Government.  UNAA members have assisted detainees and refugees practically.
• Campaign on Peace and Disarmament, UNAA has participated in ongoing discussions with government officials and NGOs about Australia’ s policies on such things as missile defense, test ban, land mines, terrorism and peacekeeping.
• UNAA participates regularly in Government-NGO consultations on human rights, peace, and economic development.  Submissions are made to Parliamentary Enquiries on UN-related subjects, and to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about government policies.
• David Purnell, UNAA’s National Administrator, appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee inquiring into human rights and good governance education in the Asia Pacific region.  This followed the 2002 UNAA submission, which called for more funds to coordinate human rights education in schools and greater Australian participation in regional events to promote human rights and good governance.

Communication

• UNAA maintains a regular weekly newsletter through the Internet. This goes widely to government and non-government agencies, and keeps people informed of the latest relevant activities at the UN and Australia.

Millennium Development Goals

• UNAA supports MDGs and they have been adopted by the Australian Council for Overseas Aid, NGO body of aid groups, AusAID, and the government aid agency

Partnerships with other UNAs

• Through its Queensland Division, UNAA has built links with East Timor and developed a project called ‘Rhythm of Life’ in co-operation with Japan to assist good governance in East Timor.
• WFUNA Academy for a Stronger UN, Thailand May 02

Special Events of UNA-Australia

• On 13 August, the UNA-Australia hosted a Conference on the 60th anniversary of the UN in Canberra.  Professor Ramesh Thakur, Senior Vice-Rector of the United Nations University in Tokyo, was the keynote speaker.
• Media Peace Awards.  UNAA has for many years offered awards for excellence in peace making journalism, in radio, television and the print media.  Awards are also offered for special categories such as inter-ethnic subjects and Indigenous issues. 

World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA)

• UNAA is seeking to increase its connections with WFUNA through exchange of information and\ commitment to WFUNA priorities such as the Millennium Development Goals.
• Receive UN Connections, Model UN material, take part in the conference on an academy for a stronger UN and youth network
• Participated in the WFUNA 37^th Plenary Assembly
• Participated in the WFUNA Academy Session for a Stronger UN held in Bangkok, 2002
• Elected member of Ex Co at 37^th Plenary Assembly