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September 2016
Newsletter
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George Garland
A busy summer included participating in a Strategic Planning Retreat with the Westchester chapter on July 23. Participants outlined priorities and board and committee responsibilities. I participated in discussions with the National Council's Policies and Procedures Committee affiliation to draft agreements for chapters and divisions--as well as templates for updating chapter and division bylaws. These vital structural changes will be discussed in future newsletters.
Our Division Education Retreat on Saturday on August 13 at the Manhattan UN Foundation offices gave us great opportunities to learn about chapter resources and discuss ways and means for more effective collaboration across the division and with national. The many ideas and opportunities that came out of this meeting are discussed below in our new Education column.
We look forward to robust New York area activities to celebrate the United Nations' birthday around the theme "
One Humanity, Shared Responsibility: Responding Locally to the Refugee Crisis." Chapters across the division are planning exciting, provocative, educational experiences for members and friends.
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From the UN "Voice"
As the global community is witnessing an unprecedented level of human mobility, the issue of safety and dignity for refugees and migrants will take center stage at the UN General Assembly, as it kicks off its 71st session on
Sept. 13.
The UN will host an all-day summit on refugees and migrants at headquarters on
Sept. 19.
This is the first time the General Assembly has called for a summit at the Heads of State and Government level.
Adopt-A-Future
UNA-USA Executive Director Chris Whatley encourages chapter participation in Adopt-A-Future, a UNA-USA campaign to add much needed civil society-funding for refugees to supplement governmental efforts. More information is available at
unausa.org/programs/adopt-a-future
With the UN High Commission on Refugees, UNA-USA has identified nine countries and 64 locations where we can amplify their work by raising funds for a classroom.
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On August 13, members representing Queens, Brooklyn, YP Manhattan, Westchester, and SNYS Division met for an all-day retreat at the United Nations Foundation NY office.
Director of UNA Education Programs Troy Wolfe facilitated our meeting and briefed participants on many UNA-USA education activities.
The purpose of the retreat was:
*to engage members in conversation about how best to leverage chapter assets, fundraise and host activities to attract new members;
and
*to discuss/develop plan and identify chapter leaders to implement strategic educational programming within the region.
Among the many planning resources discussed were:
NYC Junior Ambassadors
AKA ModelUN partnerships
Participants agreed to serve as the de facto SNYSD Development Committee and as such will seek opportunities to leverage relationships with
The Links Incorporated
,
LaRaza,
and other organizations. The Development Committee will also seek opportunities to fundraise in order to hire a relationship manager for the division and will establish a region-wide search committee to identify suitable candidates in 2017.
For more information about the retreat and its outcomes, please contact your chapter's president.
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News Around the Division /
Fall Calendar
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SNY Division
Our program "Race, Criminal Justice and Human Rights: What We Can Do" drew more than 40 participants on
August 17
at the UN Foundation office. Leaders in the field of criminal justice networked with members of the division and discussed issues and actions for stopping the school-to-prison pipeline; community policing; killing of the unarmed civilians; racial profiling; and mass incarceration. A report summarizing our discussions with followup actions is forthcoming.
Friday, Oct. 28
UN Day Panel: The Refugee Crisis
SUNY Global Center
116 East 55th St., New York
10:00 am
Speakers include DOJ Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Robert Weisel and Associate Professor Rey Koslowski, Rockefeller College.
SNY Young Professionals
Discussion, Panels and Networking: "Before the World Gathers" Confronting Global Challenges Ahead of the UN General Assembly
The Puck Building
295 Lafayette Street, 2nd Floor
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Join the Young Professionals group for a day of panel discussions, workshops, and networking related to today's most pressing global issues. P
resented by the United Nations Association of Southern
New York Young Professionals and NYU Wagner.
Brooklyn Chapter
Sunday, Sept. 11
Film screening: "The Age of Consequences"
Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture
53 Prospect Park West
3:00 pm
Private screening of
a new
documentary linking climate and conflict.
Drought, flood, scarcity, migration--how do the effects of climate change
inflame world conflicts?
Join filmmaker Sophie Robinson for a special discussion.
2ND Annual UNITED NATIONS DAY Celebration
Brooklyn Borough Hall
4:30-9:00 pm
4:30 Networking with local and international NGOs
6:00 Expert Panel-UN Combatting Climate Change
7:15 Reception with buffet and live music by Ourida
Monday, Sept. 19
Panel: "Too Young to Wed, Ending Global Child Marriages"
Netherlands Mission to the UN
666 Third Avenue (at 42nd Street),
New York, NY
6:00-8:30 pm
Reception following the program.
Panelists include:
H. R. H. Princess Mabel Van Oranje,
The Netherlands;
Ambassador Isobel Coleman,
US Representative to the UN;
Amy Paulin, New York State
Assemblywoman;
Stephanie Sinclair, p
hotojournalist.
Moderated by Lakshmi Puri, UN Women, Deputy Executive Director Assistant-Secretary General of the United Nations
Wednesday, Oct. 26
Humanitarian Awards Gala Dinner
JW Marriott Essex House, New York
Mid-Hudson Chapter
Thursday, Sept. 15
Lecture: UN in Peacekeeping Missions, Human and Women's Rights
SUNY Global Center
116 East 55th Street, New York, NY
6:00-8:00 pm
Foreign Policy Association and the SUNY Global Engagement Program present
Zainab Hawa Bangura, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
SAVE THE DATE!
Monday, Nov. 7
Panel: The Culture of Peace
Mohawk House
(Details to come)
Westchester Chapter
Sunday, October 23
UN Day Celebration:
"One Humanity, Shared Responsibility:
Responding Locally to the Refugee Crisis"
YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester
515 North St., White Plains, NY
3:00-5:30 pm
Chapters--share your news here!
Please send notices of your events, updates, and programs, including title, location, date, and time to: [email protected]
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Resources and Links
Please check your chapter websites and FB pages for upcoming events and details.
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United Nations Association Southern New York State Division
The United Nations Association is dedicated to 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.
The Southern New York State Division includes the New York (Manhattan), Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Nassau, Hudson Valley, and Westchester UNA Chapters and Young Professionals.
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