Better World Campaign

Last week, I had the honor to open our United Nations Day Lunch which was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of the United States of America and the United Nations Foundation. We welcomed two inspirational keynote speakers: Maria Isabel Salvador, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, participated in a fireside chat with Peter Yeo, Senior VP at the UN Foundation and President of the Better World Campaign, to share her insights on the UN’s humanitarian efforts and political landscape in Haiti. Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, discussed their significant achievements in the Partnership for a Lead-Free initiative.   We were also honored to hear from Lesly Weber McNitt about Eleanor Crook Foundation's critical work to combat global malnutrition. Dennis Ogbe, a UNF ShotAtLife champion and Paralympian, shared his inspiring journey of overcoming polio, alongside John Hewko, General Secretary and CEO at Rotary Int'l. who gave remarks as he accepted our UN Day award for Rotary International’s 35 years of efforts to eradicate polio. Of course, a UNA-USA/UNF program is not complete without our incredible youth leaders. We enjoyed hearing from UNA-USA's Youth Observer Oscar Lopez in conversation with UNA-USA Fellows about the value of interning at the UN. I am grateful for the generous support of our signature sponsors, the Eleanor Crook Foundation and the Gates Foundation, as well as our program partners, lunch attendees, and my incredible UNF/UNA-USA colleagues who helped make this event a success. #USAforUN

TODAY is #UNDay & marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. "The United Nations was build BY the world, FOR the world." - United Nations Secretary General António Guterres

Today the United Nations turns 79! From the UN’s founding in San Fran to its building in NYC, this storied institution was proudly born in the US, based in the US and better with US! Join us in celebrating our storied partnership! #UNforUS

Civil war has been raging in #Sudan now for 18 months. The impact on civilians has been devastating. More than 11 million displaced internally and millions more forced to flee. Tens of thousands been killed, in many instances through ethnically targeted massacres. There is famine in North Darfur with more than half the population facing conflict-induced food insecurity across the country. Armed forces have committed horrific abuses. Yet it has been a real struggle to garner global attention on this crisis. In September, the UN International Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan called for 'the deployment of an independent and impartial force with a mandate to protect civilians in Sudan', although not surprisingly this was rejected by the Sudanese authorities. The UN Secretary-General is expected to respond to a request from the Security Council and present further recommendations on the protection of civilians in Sudan before the end of October. Last week, The Stimson Center, through the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping, held an event on "Assessing Opportunities for Protection of Civilians in Sudan". As part of that event, I had an opportunity to sit down and discuss the U.S. Government's efforts to find peace in Sudan with U.S Special Envoy Tom Perriello. Our discussion was wide-ranging, covering the process to engage the parties to the conflict after the Geneva talks, importance of ensuring women are not side-lined from the political negotiations, addressing the flow of arms into the Sudan and role of proxy actors, and finally, how to foster longer-term protection interventions in Sudan while also addressing the imperative to protect civilians now and amplify existing local approaches. The discussion was followed by an incredibly insightful panel moderated by Hardin Lang with Quscondy Abdulshafi, Niemat Ahmadi, Daniel Sullivan and Julie A. Gregory. Panelists provided an update on the impact of the conflict on civilians, and options to address the protection crisis moving forward. Many thanks to the panelists and Special Envoy Perriello for sharing their reflections and providing an update on recent efforts to keep Sudan on the radar amidst so many global conflicts where civilians are suffering in staggering numbers. Many thanks also to our partners and colleagues at Refugees International, Center for Civilians in Conflict and the Better World Campaign for co-hosting the event, as well as Stimson's amazing Communications team and Vice President Rachel Stohl for driving the event. 🎥 You can catch up on the discussion here: https://lnkd.in/ezYCDDYe 📚 The event also featured recommendations emerging from a new Stimson Center report authored by Julie Gregory on 'Civilian Protection in Sudan: Emerging Lessons from UNITAMS': https://lnkd.in/ek4Xseca 📸 Credit: Stimson Center/Caitlin Goodman

The UN makes global connectivity possible. And that's just one of the unseen, everyday impacts it has on Americans. Ahead of #UNDay, learn how the UN makes a difference in the U.S. with the Better World Campaign: bit.ly/486o63X #UNforUS

Climate change sounds like a distant problem until its effects are knocking on your door. Growing up in Colorado, Gabriel Nagel has seen first-hand the impacts of increasingly frequent natural disasters and rising temperatures on his community. For tackling global problems and ensuring a more sustainable future, the UN works for US. #UNforUS

On this International Day of the Girl Child, the powerful words of #UNWomen's Sima Bahous are so very appropriate: "When more women are economically empowered, economies grow. Where women are equally represented in government, governance thrives. Where women are free to live their lives without the perpetual threat of violence, families flourish, and businesses benefit. Where women have a bigger say in peace processes, peace is found sooner and is more durable." More #empoweredwomen create a more empowered future 👏

In an era of unprecedented connectivity, the next generation of Americans is poised to be the most globally minded yet. By teaching the Sustainable Development Goals in his classroom, United Nations Association of the United States of America National Council Chair Akash Patel ensures that the leaders of tomorrow are more than ready for the task at hand. The UN works for US. #UNforUS

"A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not," said actress Meryl Streep as she addressed the deterioration of rights for women living in Afghanistan at #UNGA this week.   No one understands the importance of UN action on this issue like Moji Sidiqi. "As an Afghan woman, I would also urge people to remember the women of Afghanistan who are suffering immensely under the Taliban's oppressive rule. The UN's advocacy for human rights is vital in shining a light on their struggles and pushing for the global community to take action." The UN works for U.S. #UNforUS

Today marks one year of the UN-backed multinational security support (MSS) mission in Haiti. Since boots arrived on the ground on June 25, the Kenyan-led, international force has achieved progress despite an uphill battle against unstable funding and increasingly complex conditions. Read our most recent analysis to understand how we got here and what the future holds for the MSS and its continued work toward stability in Haiti. https://lnkd.in/eEbuU9Uf