Several momentous events took place at the United Nations, many of which can be considered encouraging achievements for the organization. In June, the President of the 63rd session of the General Assembly convened a summit of world leaders at UN Headquarters to assess the global financial crisis. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized that the crisis has revealed the need for a “renewed multilateralism” and that because “challenges are linked. Our solutions must be, too.” The meeting showed that, the United Nations needs to be more actively and effectively involved on this issue.

In July, the General Assembly had a debate on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). The 92 Member States which spoke on R2P demonstrated strong interest in the norm and made an important show of support for implementing the 2005 commitment to prevent and halt genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Two months later, the General Assembly adopted its first resolution on R2P, agreeing to hold further discussions on this norm.

The 64th session of the General Assembly opened in September. Highlights include first, the adoption of a resolution that begins the establishment of a new women’s rights entity at the United Nations. Next, the largest-ever high-level summit on climate change at UN Headquarters was convened by the Secretary-General, which demonstrated how climate change—the ‘defining challenge of our time’—has come to the fore of political attention. Finally, U.S. President Barack Obama chaired a historic meeting of the Security Council, which unanimously adopted resolution 1887, reaffirming the Council’s role as mediator of nuclear disputes, and voicing strong support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

This year has brought progress in the area of human rights as well. In 2009 the Human Rights Council examined a wide range of issues and adopted over 70 resolutions. Country specific resolutions focused on DPRK, DRC, the occupied Palestinian Territories, Myanmar, Somalia, and Sri Lanka. The UPR reviewed 48 countries. UNAs have been increasingly involved in this process by submitting documents to the Office of the High Commissioner and assisting their governments in preparing for the review. Despite a rocky start, the Durban Review Conference concluded with a positive outcome. The Human Rights Council will be reviewed in 2011. There is still a long way to go in order for the Council to properly fulfill its role.

As the year comes to a close, climate change is once again at the forefront of the UN’s agenda, as the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen wraps-up. Next year there will be a need for consolidated and strategic follow-up to the outcomes of this Summit, including working out a structure for the management of the climate change funding pledged by many governments. The United Nations should be at the forefront of this process.

The year 2010 will be significant. The next Review Conference of the NPT will be held from 3–28 May 2010 in New York, and it is hoped that governments will renew their commitment to the NPT in a fair and balanced manner, as well as intensifying disarmament. In September, the second review of progress on the Millennium Development Goals will take place in the context of a World Summit. With only 5 more years left to achieve the goals, there are high hopes that the conference will lead to political will and energy committed to sustainable human development.

WFUNA and our network of UNAs has been a source of support to the world body, and a channel for communicating its goals and objectives to local constituencies. In August, WFUNA held its 39th Plenary Assembly in Seoul, where representatives from 49 UNAs, from every region of the world, gathered to elect new leadership, proclaim the Seoul Declaration and issue a set of Resolutions focused on a wide scope of policy issues. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was the keynote speaker at the opening of this event, where he expressed gratitude for the long-term support that WFUNA has been providing to the United Nations. A youth meeting took place simultaneously with 49 participants from 23 UNAs. 

In November, WFUNA President Park Soo Gil, Executive Committee Chair Kathryn White, Director of the Board of the Friends of WFUNA John C. Whitehead and I had a meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who graciously hosted a lunch for the WFUNA leadership. We discussed a variety of topics relating to the relationship between UN leadership and WFUNA, as well as current global issues, with a special focus on climate change.

There are significant plans for WFUNA in 2010. In the context of the Global Citizen Campaign, we have developed programs in the areas of peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. All of these programs are in-line with the Seoul Declaration. I hope to have the support and active involvement of all UNAs for these projects, and look forward to collaborating with you in various ways. More information about the projects will be available early next year.

Global citizenship has been an ongoing theme for WFUNA in the past year. Every individual who is a part of our network is a Global Citizen. We are all committed to the ideals of the United Nations, express an acute interest in today’s global issues, and are working towards a world of peaceful cooperation, sustainable development, and human rights for all people. As the year draws to a close, I encourage you all to reflect on our accomplishments, and those of the United Nations, and to begin thinking about creative and actionable ways to contribute to further progress in the New Year.