Students For a Nuclear Weapons-Free World Seminar
WFUNA President, Hans Blix, and representatives of the World Academy of Art and Science are looking forward to meeting the winners of the global essay, video and poster competition at the Students for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World seminar, to be held in Geneva from 13-16 July. Submissions for the competition were received from at least 41 countries. At the seminar, students will participate in roundtable sessions facilitated by disarmament and security experts from international organizations, State parties, NGOs and academia. During these interactive sessions the students will share and debate their ideas for advocacy. The outcome statements will be published as videos on the website www.youtube.com, and the proposals will be published on the website www.disarmamenthub.org, and cross linked with social networks such as facebook and myspace.
Together for Haiti
In response to the recent food crisis, musician Wyclef Jean, Jeffrey Sachs, celebrity friends, and community leaders from the Haitian Diaspora announced the emergency formation of Together for Haiti, an alliance of three major humanitarian organizations - Yéle Haiti, the UN World Food Programme, and the Pan American Development Foundation - committed to providing food, creating jobs and supporting local agriculture in the impoverished country. “We are not asking you to give us food, that would cripple our economy, instead, lets see how we can work together to provide jobs and equipment for Haitians to grow their own food” said Wyclef Jean at the project launch in New York, where representatives of UNA-Haiti and WFUNA were present. Together for Haiti plans to raise $48 million in the next six months. Find more information at: www.yele.org
Real-Time Delphi on Human Rights
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Dr. Hans Blix, President of WFUNA, invites NGOs linked to the UN to participate in the first-ever interactive global online conversation on the "Universality of Human Rights." The results will be presented to the UN DPI/NGO conference on the theme: "Reaffirming Human Rights: the Universal Declaration at 60," to be held in Paris 3-5 September 2008.
To participate in this exciting new initiative, please visit www.realtimedelphi.net, register and sign in (access code: humri). On the website there are 12 questions. You may omit any questions you wish and you do not have to complete this list of questions in one visit. All responses are anonymous. You can see what other respondents have been saying on each question. When you return to the questionnaire you will see your previous answers and may add to them or change them. You are encouraged to return to the website often to follow the conversation and participate actively. Please complete your input before 20 June 2008.
WFUNA Seminar on Human Rights
The annual WFUNA Seminar on Human Rights will be held from 13-16 July 2008 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, on the theme: 60 Years Towards the Universality of Human Rights: The Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review”.
The Seminar aims at stimulating debate between the speakers and the participants on the progress made by the Human Rights Council and other UN mechanisms for the promotion of human rights worldwide and to assess how these have had an impact on the concept of universality of human rights. The Seminar is conducted in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Geneva Graduate Institute of International Studies. Program, registration form and details available at:
www.wfuna.org/site/c.rvIYIcN1JwE/b.3784197/
This year, the annual International Day of UN Peacekeepers on 29 May marked the 60th anniversary of UN peacekeeping. The day was commemorated by UNAs around the world. Several WFUNA representatives attended the celebrations at UN headquarters.
To celebrate World Environment Day, on 2 June 2008, the UNA-New Zealand is hosting the “WFUNA Climate Change and the UN Workshop” in Auckland. The celebrations will include a dinner with Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of UNEP, as well as a tree-planting activity on 5 June itself. These events were preceded by the UNA-NZ National Conference “Our Common Future” from 31 May-1 June 2008. Information about both events is at: www.unanz.org.nz
As part of the WFUNA “Climate Change and the UN System” initiative, on 12 May 2008, the UNA-Slovenia organized a public lecture in which the Slovenian Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning spoke about climate change; outlining the position of the government on this issue, and commenting on the Bali process. Take a look at UNA-Slovenia’s new English website for more information: www.unaslovenia.org/index_eng.html
Global Youth MDG Summit – Mumbai, 2008
A WFUNA-sponsored youth summit on the Millennium Development Goals will take place in Mumbai, India on November 7-11, 2008. Young people from all over the world will come together to learn about the MDGs and attend workshops on communications, filmmaking and project development. They will have the opportunity to produce their own creative ideas for the achievement of the MDGs and express them in a documentary, which will be featured at a film festival at the United Nations in New York. More information can be found at: www.globalmdgsummit.org.
The Youth Section of UNA-Sweden is planning a campaign at the Hultsfred Festival, 10-14 June 2008, which is a well-known, annual music festival in Sweden with approximately 25,000 yearly visitors. At the festival, UNYA-Sweden will organize the “Dump a Sock” campaign. Participants will be asked to exchange one of their socks for a blue “UN-sock”. On their discarded sock they will attach a note about the Millennium Development Goal that they feel strongest about, and then hang it up on a clothesline. After the festival, the socks will be gathered and sent to Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, together with the statement: “Sweden must do its’ part to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger before 2015.” The thousands of socks are meant to represent the youth whose voices were heard.
UNYA-Cameroon is organizing a climate change workshop to celebrate World Environment Day, 5 June 2008. The workshop will be based on the same premise as the WFUNA project “Climate Change and the UN System”. Representatives from government, the private sector, and civil society are expected to attend.
Global Campaign for Youth to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
iEARN and Zerofootprint have initiated a global movement of youth uniting around the issue of climate change. The new initiative - “(OF)2 – Our Footprints, Our Future” - is aimed at encouraging young people aged 5-19 throughout the world to learn about carbon foot-printing, measure their footprint, compare the results with other students, and then interact online on specific lifestyle changes.
A youth-friendly calculator has been devised, which provides educational tips on how our actions impact the environment. This calculator is currently available, in English and Spanish, at www.of2.iearn.org.
University students around the Asia/Pacific region are preparing for the 3rd WFUNA Asia Pacific Model UN Conference which will be hosted by UNA-Republic of Korea in Incheon City on 21-25 July 2008. It is shaping up to be a very exciting event with delegations coming from all parts of the region - Armenia and Iran, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore, China, Japan and Russia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. APMUN 2008 will focus on the achievement of the MDGs through to 2015.Additional information is available at www.apmun2008.org.
UNA-Brazil will be co-hosting the Americas Model United Nations from 23-27 July 2008 in Brasilia. Go to www.amun.org.br
UNA-Tanzania will be hosting the 3rd annual East African Model UN conference (EARMUN) in August 2008.
The UNA-Dominican Republic will be hosting the annual International Conference in the Americas (CILA2008), under the auspices of WFUNA from 15-19 October 2008, in Punta Cana. The conference will simulate 12 organs and commissions of the UN and other multilateral institutions, with more than 1,500 participants. CILA 2008 will host a UNESCO Regional Youth Forum, the first seminar-workshop for journalists about the UN and Global Issues, and observe the UN Stand Up Against Poverty Day.
The second annual Latin American and Caribbean Regional UNA-WFUNA-UNIC meeting will be held in conjunction with CILA2008. For details, go to: www.unadr.org.
UNA-Spain organized the 3rd Catalonia Model UN conference in Barcelona from 30 April to 3 May 2008. Nearly 400 participants from 80 universities from all around the world worked hard - presenting, analyzing, debating and finally voting on their topics during the three days, with the end result of ten resolutions about issues of international interest, such as disarmament, human rights and climate change. This 3rd edition confirms C’MUN as one of the most important Model UN forums in Europe, and UNA-Spain is proud of the success and is already preparing the 2009 conference. Go to: www.anue.org/en/cmun/index.html
UNA-Argentina hosted its first Model UN of the University of Buenos Aires on 26 May 2008. Focus was on the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Go to: www.munuba.blogspot.com.
Emma Fursland, the new Model UN coordinator in the New York Office, has just completed her freshman year at the University of Tampa where she achieved Dean's List ranking. She looks forward to continuing her studies in International Conservation and Policy in Boston this fall. fursland@wfuna.org
Jo-Ann Karhson, who will be working on Model UN and the Millennium Development Goals in the New York Office, is a student of Comparative and International Politics at Princeton University. Her interests include human rights, political theory, and International Organizations. karhson@wfuna.org
Emma and Jo-Ann are replacing Erin Monaghan. They will be collaborating on the regional Model UN events, as well as other educational initiatives.
Marc Caverzasio is replacing Anna Dick as the new Disarmament Program Coordinator at the Geneva office. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Geneva. His final research work focused on the referendum coalitions in the Swiss political system. His past experiences include volunteer work for Caritas Jeunesse and two years of teaching in public schools in Geneva. caverzasio@wfuna.org
Live Vanina Gahore is the new UNA Coordinator at the Geneva office. She is Burundian and graduated in International Business Administration at the United States International University - Africa. Vanina plans to do a postgraduate degree in Finance. Her previous work experience consists of an internship with Standard Investment Bank. She is fluent in French and English. gahore@wfuna.org
Are you wondering what the former WFUNA interns are doing? Who graduated? Who is spending the summer in Thailand? Who joined the Peace Corps? Who is interning in Germany? Who became a mother? Find out on the new Intern Updates webpage at:
www.wfuna.org/site/c.rvIYIcN1JwE/b.4170849/k.8AC2/Intern_Updates.htm
If you are a former intern, please send your update with a photo to molnar@wfuna.org. We would love to hear from you!
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The Millennium Project is updating data and insights on the 15 Global Challenges for the 2008 State of the Future Report, for release in August. You can contribute your research and judgments at: www.millennium-project.org/millennium/chal-prot-06.html
The Global Millennium Prize 2008 contest was launched on 15 May with a 15 October deadline. Please go to www.globalmillenniumprize.org
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The current Assistant Secretary-General of the Department of Political Affairs Angela Kane, was appointed Under-Secretary-General for Management.
The former Under-Secretary-General for Management Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, whom Ms. Kane is replacing, will move to become the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Panel of governmental experts on the issue of missiles in all its aspects
2 – 6 June, New York
Human Rights Council, 8th session
2-18 June, Geneva
World Environment Day
5 June
General Assembly, follow-up meeting focusing on investment and climate change
9 June, New York
General Assembly, comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/ AIDS
10 - 11 June, New York
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
16 June – 3 July, New York
ECOSOC Substantive Session
30 June – 24 July, New York
Third Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects
14-18 July, New York
61st DPI/NGO Conference
3-5 September, Paris
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The UN Global Compact (GC) is a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative that engages businesses with civil society and labor organizations, governments, academic institutions and other stakeholder groups. It is based on ten universal principles that address the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. The Global Compact initiative has been undergoing an intensive review process since its establishment to ensure progress made by business participants. Business participants are provided with tools to create changes in their practices and must submit Communications on Progress, which are reports on their sustainability efforts to the office.
To read the entire article, go to: www.wfuna.org/site/c.rvIYIcN1JwE/b.4177929/
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Georg Kell is the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. Following extensive experiences in Africa and Asia as a financial analyst, Kell began his career at the UN in Geneva, where he worked from 1987 to 1990 with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In 1990, he joined the New York office of UNCTAD, which he headed from 1993 to 1997. In 1997, Kell became a senior officer in the Executive Office of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, responsible for fostering cooperation with the private sector. He has served as head of the UN Global Compact since 2000. A native of Germany, Kell holds advanced degrees in economics and engineering from the Technical University of Berlin.
How does the Global Compact facilitate the growing partnership between civil society and business?
The Global Compact (GC) is a multi-stake holder initiative, it urges businesses to embrace universal principles and take action on United Nation's goals. From its inception, the idea behind the GC was that providing frameworks for collaborative solutions between business, labor, and civil society would lead to a more level playing-field for profit and non-profit organizations. Today, eight years after our launch, we can proudly say that our country networks are up and running in about 80 countries and we have 5,000 participants from 120 countries. We have enhanced hundreds of partnerships that involve businesses, civil society and other stakeholders.
To read the entire article, go to: www.wfuna.org/site/c.rvIYIcN1JwE/b.4177939/
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On 11 November 2007 UNA-Iran in cooperation with UNDP organized the first Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility with the attendance of 30 top directors and experts from the business community of Iran. This event included a discussion of the UN Global Compact and the responsibility of companies in accomplishing the MDGs.
Twice a day, on every Tuesday in June, the Merton Chapter of UNA-UK will be conducting workshops about the UN Global Compact in London. For more information about the dates and venue visit www.una-uk.org/una_event_cal_june08.htm or contact the Chair, Alison Williams at alisonwilliams36@tiscali.co.uk
UNA-Spain started developing the project “Socially Responsible Territory” (SRT) in 2005, with the challenge of achieving the targets established by the Global Compact. Using the information framework from the Global Reporting Initiative G3 as a basis for the project, UNA-Spain prepared a list of indicators of Social Responsibility of Public Administration from which it is creating an auto-evaluation of the situation. The findings will be presented to the city council and later will be compiled into a report to be used as a guideline for future actions that could contribute to the improvement of the Social Responsibility of Public Administration.
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Global Witness exposes the corrupt exploitation of natural resources and international trade systems, to drive campaigns that end impunity, resource-linked conflict, and human rights and environmental abuses. Global Witness' investigations have had direct and major impacts, such as the IMF withdrawal from Cambodia in 1996 over corruption in the logging industry, the imposition of timber sanctions on Charles Taylor's Liberia in 2003, and the precedent-setting arrest of timber baron Gus Kouwenhoven, in the Netherlands in 2005. www.globalwitness.org
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Association in Turkey is an NGO aiming to promote the ideas of CSR not only in the business world but to other stakeholder groups such as government and non-governmental organizations as well. CSR Association in Turkey believes companies should and can incorporate CSR practices and policies into their businesses. This will not only help to improve the development of the society they operate in, but it will be a profitable strategy for their business. www.csrturkey.org
Corporate Accountability International has been waging winning campaigns to challenge corporate abuse for more than 30 years. Together with their members, they have had major victories that protect people's lives by forcing corporations like Nestlé, nuclear weapons makers General Electric, and big tobacco corporation Philip Morris/Altria to stop abusive practices. www.stopcorporateabuse.org/cms
Amartya seeks to promote business models that are socially and environmentally sustainable. The organization has two components: a for-profit organization that offers consulting services in the areas of social responsibility and development to the private sector, and a non-profit organization working on social investigation and the development of social projects. It has headquarters in Sweden and Argentina. www.amartya-ar.net
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By: Claude Fussler, Aron Cramer, Sebastian van der Vegt, June 2004
Raising the Bar was produced by a team of business experts and UN agencies to fill a gap between the support of more than 1,000 organizations for the UN Global Compact Principles and the need for this support to be converted into the everyday management of business to create value and improve performance. The book serves as a guide for businesses on how to put the principles into practice and how to capitalize on them, bringing together business, the public sector, trade unions and civil society in new partnerships in the process.
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The Carnegie Council website is featuring a presentation by Geoffrey Heal on the comprehensive examination of how social and environmental performance affects a corporation's profitability and how the stock market reacts. This presentation was made on 21 May 2008 at an event entitled: When Principles Pay: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Bottom Line. Mr. Heal is Professor of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility, and Professor of Finance and Economics at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University, Professor in the School of Public and International Affairs, Co-Director of Columbia’s Center for Economy Environment and Society and of the Earth Institute’s Center for Globalization and Sustainable Development. View the video for free at: www.policyinnovations.org:80/ideas/media/video/data/000061
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The UNA-Australia’s goals are to promote greater awareness of the purposes of the United Nations among Australians, and to ensure that the Australian Government fulfils its obligations as a member-state of the UN.
UNAA organizes educational events, makes submissions to government and parliament, participates in UN Day and Year activities, develops alliances, provides advice, and generally acts as a link between the UN and Australians. UNAA is governed by a Federal Council which meets annually and determines policy. The UNAA has eight branches across the country.
To read the entire article, go to: www.wfuna.org/site/c.rvIYIcN1JwE/b.4177947/
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