NCUNA Newsletter Volume 1, #6 Nov. Dec. 2005
UNITED NATIONS DAY OBSERVANCE AND ESSAY CONTEST: About 35 people gathered at Harmony Library on October 24th to observe the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Three anti-UN protesters carrying signs outside were asked to leave by the library’s security staff, who explained that the picketers were on private property.
Authors of the top three essays in a locally sponsored contest read their essays on “How the United Nations Helps Children.” The winners were: First place ($100 award,) Callie Rose Mabry, Lincoln Junior High, Fort Collins; second place, Christine Lee, Lincoln Junior High, Fort Collins; and third place, Carley Trammell, Lucile Erwin Middle School, Loveland. A total of 21 entries were judged by members of the League of Women Voters of Larimer County.
Also speaking at the meeting were Lauren Richardson of CSU’s UNICEF chapter on the work of UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and how to help locally, and Grace Harris, member of the local UNA-USA chapter, on UN work in education, water purification, and de-mining of landmines in Angola. The celebration concluded with birthday cake and conversation.
FOOTHILLS UNITARIAN CHURCHFort Collins observed UN Day in a big way! Both services on Oct. 23rd featured a presentation on the UN in lieu of sermon. Dr. Marc Salkin, Foothills Unitarian minister, presented historical information on the UN and engaged the congregation by asking questions from the survey developed by Dick Rush.
Short presentations were made by Stan Kidder on the UN and Human Rights, by Eleanor Dwight on the UN and Peace Keeping, and by Peter Weller on the UN and its Agencies. Rev. Salkin read a piece by Ken Tharp on the Millennium Development Goals.
The presentation concluded by examining popular myths about the UN, which were debunked with facts by the UNA speakers.
Following the service, UN and UNA informational materials were offered in the social hall and drew a good response.
Thanks to all for a great job! See what your place of worship can do about observing UN Day next year.
CHURCH BULLETIN INSERTS highlighting UN Day were provided to representatives of the Fort Collins Area Interfaith Council for inclusion in bulletins for the weekend of October 23rd.
A WORLD WITHOUT THE UN: What would our world look like without 60 years of accomplishments by the UN? See Page 4 of this newsletter!
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THE MODEL UN CLUB at Fort Collins High School was featured in a major article in the Coloradoan on September 29th. In follow-up communications, we learned that the Club would really appreciate contributions. They are a “tier 2” club within PSD, so can use school busses to get to events, but this costs about $500 per trip. It is hoped that parents can help with transport. Possibly that’s something UNA Chapter members could help with as well.
Suzanne Dickens, the teacher who advises this Model UN Club, would also appreciate help with coaching or advising students, either on how to present a case or with background information on the country their group is to represent. We’ve already had a few volunteers from the Chapter, and also from League of Women Voters. If you are interested, please e-mail Suzanne at sdickens@psdschools.org
RX FOR SURVIVAL - A GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGE
Tune into PBS Tuesday, November 1st through Thursday, November 3rd, from 9-11 p.m. for a six-part series on global health narrated by Brad Pitt. This relates strongly to Millennium Development Goals. KRMA (CH. 6) program lists these times:
Monday, November 1st
THE ROLE OF A FREE PRESS
UNA-USA NORTHERN CHAPTER NOVEMBER PROGRAM will be on Saturday, November 12th, at 3:00 p.m. at Fort Collins downtown library. We plan to show a 30-minute film on the Millennium Development Goals, followed by discussion of the film and the MDG’s in general.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE UNA-USA NORTHERN CHAPTER will be Saturday, December 10th, which is also Human Rights Day. We plan on a brunch, a speaker on human rights, and the business of electing officers and directors and adopting a budget. Time, place, speaker, nominees, etc. will be announced at least two weeks before the meeting. Meanwhile, save the date!
GO ON SAFARI! On December 1st the Denver Zoo will present “An Evening on Safari with DAWA.” This is a fundraiser for DAWA: Denver and Africa Working Against AIDS, which was initially established as a subgroup of UNA-USA Colorado. We don’t yet have the time, cost, etc. but you might want to save the date and plan to car-pool. We’ll provide details when they are available.
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In the evening, a dinner meeting at Sri Thai was attended by Zach, Kathy, Colleen Conrad, Breanna Williams (an enthusiastic participant in last year’s ninth-grade fundraising), Jana Ley of the PSD School Board, and several UNA Northern Chapter representatives. Everyone present learned a good deal about AAM and the impact of its activities. We look forward to working with Ms. Conrad and her students on this year’s AAM campaign in March.
On October 21st Valerie Baker-Easley drove Zach to Boulder where he met with representatives of the Boulder chapter to provide updates on AAM activities. Our Boulder colleagues were pleased to have a representative from the Northern chapter in attendance and send their best wishes for our continued growth and success.
Thanks to Ken Tharp for setting up these events, and to Eleanor Dwight and Norman Illsley for hosting Zach overnight.
To learn more about AAM, check out their excellent website at: www.landmines.org
Adopt-A-Minefield hosts its annual Benefit Gala on November 15th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Music is provided by Paul McCartney, who with his wife Heather Mills McCartney is a Goodwill Ambassador for AAM. Paul performs with a special guest each year, and we have the scoop on his guest this year - it is none other than Tony Bennett.
If you are interested, more information is available at
Results: A majority of participants favored a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly as a requirement for membership to the Human Rights Council, and did not want to exclude states subject to UN sanctions or investigations. Respondents also favored creating a UN Peace Building Commission, and wanted the US to accept jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
SEE A SHOW AND SUPPORT UNA!
Raising funds through purchase of block tickets to local films and plays continues. It works like this:
1. The film series at CSU shows several international films each semester. Tickets for this series are $4.50 for non-students. If a sufficient number of tickets are purchased, a discount of $1.00 per ticket is given. Our hope is to purchase a block of tickets for the reduced price, sell them to ourselves for the regular price, and raise chapter funds with the difference. Tickets will be on sale at each of our general meetings, payable in cash or check made out to UNA, Northern Colorado chapter. Special arrangements can be made by calling Dick Rush, 667-5077, but please plan ahead and bring your plans to the general meetings.
2. Similar arrangements can be made with Bas Bleu and CSU theatre offerings. These opportunities will be handled case-by-case
and will depend on the interest shown in any particular play. A minimum number of 10 tickets must be purchased to receive a discount.
Two more plays may be available in the spring. Ticket prices for Bas Bleu are $19 adult/$15 senior.
NEW MEMBERS
The following individuals have joined the UNA-USA Northern Chapter in recent months. We extend them a warm welcome!
NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION AND DISARMAMENT was not addressed in the UN Summit declaration of reforms in September. This Chapter’s Board, at the request of Mountain Pacific Region of UNA-USA, has agreed that this should be a UNA-USA Advocacy Agenda priority for 2006. The Agenda has not yet been adopted at the time of this writing.
A WORLD WITHOUT THE UN
What would the world look like without the UN? How would it be different?
Consider these accomplishments by the UN:
30 million refugees have received food, water, shelter and medical aid
Without the UN, our world would be fragmented and burdened, with more sickness, more danger, and more war. The United Nations has shown itself to be the single organization able to unite the diverse countries of the world and to accomplish this much on a planetary scale. Its legacy of peace, health, and quality of life has rightly earned the support of concerned global citizens worldwide.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Information about the UN:
Information about the UNA: www.unausa.org
Information about the Northern Colorado Chapter (different computers seem to use different forms - try these):
UNA-USA HONORS ANGELINA JOLIE Actress Angelina Jolie was recently named one of two recipients of UNA-USA 2005 Global Leadership Awards. Jolie is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and has toured refugee camps worldwide, providing visibility to the needs of those displaced by war and conflict.
“I’m very privileged to be a very small part of the UN,” said Jolie as she accepted UNA-USA’s 2005 Global Humanitarian Action Award at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel last night. “I’ve had the honor of working with an amazing mix of very hardworking and often very tired people of all nationalities, with one common goal: to help other people. That’s the UN at its best, and it’s amazing.”
Ms. Jolie’s award was part of the United Nations Association of the USA’s annual Global Leadership Award Dinner. Every year, the Association honors individuals for outstanding leadership in furthering the purposes of the United Nations Charter. In addition to Angelina Jolie, Mrs. Leonore Annenerg received the 2005 Global Leadership. First Lady Laura Bush thanked Mrs. Annenberg via a taped message for “strengthening American culture and beautifying public places,” and congratulated Ms. Jolie for “opening her heart and home to people who need care.”
Jolie has written informative and thoughtful journals of her experiences, several of which can be read at:
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION: JOIN UNA-USA!
Please mail this form, along with your payment to:
UNA-NC Membership Director
Our chapter observed the 60th birthday of the United Nations on October 24th with a variety of activities:
High school Model UN’s scheduled for the rest of the school year include:
All are located in the Denver metro area.
November 19th -Cherry Creek/Smoky Hill, at Cherry Creek High School
February 4th - Littleton High/St. Mary’s Academy, at Littleton High School
March 11th - Bishop Machebeuf High School.
9:00-Disease Warriors (vaccinations)
10:00-Rise of the Superbugs (drug-resistant TB)
Tuesday November 2nd
9:00-Delivering the Goods (refugees and Bangladesh)
10:00-Deadly Messengers (insects)
Wednesday, November 3rd
9:00-Back to the Basics (clean water in Uganda, Nepal)
10:00-How Safe Are We? (HIV/AIDS, avian flu)
The League of Women Voters will present a panel discussion titled “The Role of a Free Press in a Free Society” on Thursday, November 10th at 7:00 p.m. Panelists include Jim Landers of the Department of Journalism at CSU and a former reporter and editor; James Thompson, co-editor of the Rocky Mountain Bullhorn, and Robert Moore, new senior editor of the Coloradoan. The public is invited. The program will be at the Community Room of the new Coloradoan building, 1300 Riverside Drive in Fort Collins.
ADOPT-A-MINEFIELD NEWS
AAM Communications Coordinator Zach Hudson visited Fort Collins on October 20th with Kathy Goncalves, head of the Colorado Initiative for AAM. Zach, Kathy, Eleanor Dwight and Margaret Smith met at 1:00 p.m. with Lincoln Jr. High principal Lou Marchesano. An assembly for interested ninth-graders was well attended, and Zach spoke briefly about de-mining and answered good questions from students. He announced that last year Lincoln had made the largest school contribution to AAM in the WORLD! Teacher Colleen Conrad’s initiative and encouragement of this effort was acknowledged.
Jeanne Nash
Sue Ellen Charlton
Grace Butrico
Alan Early
Don Heyse
Mary Jane Ward
Stan Kidder
Elizabeth Soloman
Paul Husted
Walter Schenkman
Loretta Scott
Child mortality rates in developing countries have been cut in half
Smallpox has been eradicated from the planet
Safe drinking water has been made available to1.3 billion people in the past decade
7 million children in Africa have been saved from losing their sight to river blindness
Over 3 million children’s lives are saved each year through UN-sponsored immunization programs
“Days of Tranquility,” have created cease-fire periods when children in war zones can receive vaccinations and medical aid
The literacy rate for women in developing countries has been raised from 36% to 56% (1970-1990)
Nearly 200 peaceful settlements have ended the bloodshed of regional conflicts
Apartheid in South Africa has ended.
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