Seton Hall University houses more than 60 years of UNA-USA historical documents as part of the Msgr. William Noe Field Archives & Special Collections Center, and they want your pieces of history. The archive builds on the already rich 15-year relationship between the university and UNA-USA. Chapters and members that have materials to add to the archives can contact Alan Delozier, University archivist for Seton Hall University at alan.delozier@shu.edu. Send your documents, pictures, and other pieces of UNA-USA history to the archives to make sure they’re recognized for years to come! Click here to read more about the agreement.

The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) hosted its latest Nationwide Conference Call this past Tuesday, November 13, featuring United Nations Foundation board member and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize awardee Muhammad Yunus. After a brief presentation on how microfinance can help lift people out of poverty, UNA-USA members enjoyed 30 minutes of question and answer with him. The call was moderated by Peter Yeo, Vice President for Public Policy at the United Nations Foundation, and Executive Director of the Better World Campaign.

Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture George McGovern passed away on October 21, 2012 at the age of 90. Though best known for his service in the U.S. Senate and as a candidate for President of the United States, McGovern dedicated much of his life to vital issues the UN confronts every day. 

UNA-USA is a proud member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), the United Nations’ body for UNAs around the world. UNA-USA has been a leader of this group for decades and currently serves on its Executive Committee. From November 7-10, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, WFUNA will host its 40^th Plenary Assembly – a gathering of leadership and members from UNAs across the globe. UNA-USA will lead a delegation of up to 15 to this meeting, and members are invited to attend as part of the delegation. UNA-USA participants to the WFUNA Plenary are selected on a first-come, first-served basis by the UNA-USA national office.

The Social Good Summit is a yearly, innovative event that unites people from around the world around one common theme: the power of social media and technology to solve our world’s greatest issues.

This call was held on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 and featured Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State. After her presentation, Brimmer took questions from the audience for roughly 30 minutes. The call was moderated by Peter Yeo, Vice President for Public Policy at the United Nations Foundation, and Executive Director of the Better World Campaign.

Women’s Rights, Peace and Security
We recognise women’s vital role in achieving and maintaining international peace and security and as such understand the need for equal political, civic and economic participation in times of peace, conflict and during periods of political transition. We also recognise that failure to respect human  rights impacts on the wider peace and security agenda and reaffirm that women are equally entitled as men to the same rights enshrined in the UDHR and the two international covenants.

It's been a big sports year for cities across the U.S. Some team from New York won the Super Bowl; Kentucky and Baylor won the men's and women's NCAA basketball championships, respectively; LA won the Stanley Cup; and those three stars in Miami won the NBA Championship. For sports fans across the country, there's been some regional parity—a little something for everyone to cheer about. Some champions were expected, while others played the role of the underdog, earning their titles with every game. Now, with the Olympics starting in July, hundreds of American athletes will compete with the backing of millions at home glued to their televisions to see what unexpected feat will be accomplished.

Amir Dossal, former Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships who created the Global Partnerships Forum recently visited the Freehold Township High School.  Mr.  Dossal served as a guest speaker the first Global Issues Forum, at the invitation of Jeremy Zullow, president and founder of the FTHS Ambassadors Club, a Student Alliance Group of UNA-USA.

Verena Borton from the Davis Chapter spotted an editorial extolling a number of misnomers about the work of the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and its role in Internet regulation. As it turned out, the editorial wasn't even written by staff at the paper, the Davis Enterprise, it was purchased from a national news service. The editorial was published on the final day of the 2012 UNA-USA Annual Meeting, where members received training and materials on how to respond to falsehoods related to the UN's role on different issues that appear in the press.

Recently, the Denver Chapter of UNA-USA held our annual UN and You Series Seminar entitled, "The United Nations - Myth and Reality." As part of the seminar, the local UNA Women hosted the panel, "Women's Rights and the UN: Connecting You to UN Women." The purpose of the panel was to share how the UN advocates for women and how to become involved on a local and individual level.

Fifty UN supporters packed the home of Chapter President Ilse Diasio to celebrate the 20th anniversary of an organization that has brought southern hospitality to supporters of the global community in Alabama. Exchange students from the PAX program of the U.S. Department of State and Alabama students also took part in the 20^th anniversary celebration. Since the Chapter was chartered in May 17, 1992, Alabamans have shaped international programs and intercultural community through its activities, monthly meetings and special programs.

The West Triangle Chapter recently honored eight students, as well as their parents and teachers, at their April Lunch and Learning meeting for their creation of original projects related to the mission of the United Nations Charter.

At conferences around the world, both men and women are frequently asked, what do you do, is there time and reason enough to get to know you, and how can we contribute to one another's objectives? For women however, there is an underlying query: how did you get away from your responsibilities of family, children, hearth and home to work on this weighty project or to attend this conference? Usually, we find a quick way to appease the inquisitor--be it a man or a woman. But a deeper search begins as we attempt to answer those questions for ourselves.

UNA-USA's Mid-East Regional Conference, which took place March 11-12, was a success! The conference brought together representatives from across the region's 13 chapters and seven states to attend exclusive grassroots training sessions, advocacy meetings and special briefings.

DALLAS – United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) Executive Director Patrick Madden is announcing the launch of the association’s first Affinity Group, UNA Women, today at the Tower Club in Dallas. The announcement is taking place at a Peace Patron Luncheon in celebration of International Women’s Day, hosted by the UNA-USA Dallas Chapter and Peacemakers, Inc., where UN Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth is being honored with a peace award; UNA-USA is a program of the UN Foundation.

The UNA Calendar for Peace is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012 with more information about the UN and more ways to share it. The expanded weekly planner features more than 20 UN projects with ideas for local involvement.

Thousands gathered around the country as UNA-USA chapters celebrated UN Day 2011. More than 80 chapters held 130 events in 34 states. All events were built around the UN Day 2011 theme: The United Nations: In Everyone’s Interest. Events ran from mid-October through early November, and included parades, rallies, fairs, festivals, dinners, and a number of speaking engagements.

On October 3, 2011, United Nations Association of Rochester held the third annual Freedom of the Press Conference, part of the Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalists’ Program weekend. The half-day conference took place at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester. Journalists from fourteen developing countries gathered to discuss this year’s topic, Empowering Women and Girls. Participating country Journalists included the Bahamas, Barbados, Cameroon, Croatia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Kiribati, Oman, Palau, Swaziland, Republic of Tajikistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Joe Byrns Sills died in Nashville, Tennessee on September 25, 2011, at the age of 73.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe B. Sills (Sr.) and Lillian Starkey Sills and his brother, Richard L. Sills.