UNA Annual Meetings 2011 Recap and Thoughts for the Future

The UNA Annual Meetings were held two weeks ago in Arlington, VA, June 11-14, 2011, bringing together approximately 200 members representing 62 chapters from 27 states. Members served as Chapter delegates, voting on changes affecting UNA’s structure and policies and signed agreements to finalize new UNA chapter affiliations, policies and procedures. For instance, the Council on Chapters and Divisions was re-named the Council on Chapters and Regions. The CCR is charged with recommending policies to the UNA national office to help guide its programmatic and advocacy efforts. The Young Professionals for International Cooperation was renamed as UNA Young Professionals to clarify its status as a part of UNA.  The chapter affiliation agreement binds chapters to follow new requirements and meet certain criteria, including abiding by membership terms found in the Chapter Handbook.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As a testament to the importance of the UNA, Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent U.S. Representative to the UN, was the featured speaker.  Ambassador Rice vehemently communicated her belief in the centrality of the UN to our national security interests, and that UNA was integral to creating support among the American people for the UN.

Members attended workshops on chapter development and operations, such as using social media to enhance chapter communications, and promoting Model UN programs throughout our local communities. Members also attended expert panels on the most pressing UN/global affairs issues, such as peacekeeping, global health, and energy, which were very helpful for chapter leaders to get up-to-speed on UN current affairs and policy, ask questions, and share their own ideas.

Special presentations were given on UN Foundation-sponsored programs Girl Up and Nothing But Nets. Girl Up is a relatively new initiative that focuses on improving the lives and extending the opportunities of girls living in impoverished and oppressive conditions through the fundraising and communications efforts of American girls. Nothing But Nets, now in its sixth year, raises funds to purchase special medicated bed nets to save people from Malaria, which is contracted through mosquitoes.

UNA’s Day on the Hill followed one day after the annual meetings during which UNA members meet with their elected representatives in Congress to communicate their positions on the UN and global affairs issues. This year members advocated for full funding to the UN, continued leadership in the UN Human Rights Council, maintaining a foreign aid budget that keeps us on track for meeting the Millennium Development Goals, and pushing back against attempts in congress to defund the UN Population Fund (UNPFA).  I met with Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (NY-12), who has a stellar voting record in support of UN activities and US-UN leadership. A blog post will follow to more fully cover the meeting with Congresswoman Velazquez.

Last year’s annual meeting focused on the proposed alliance between UNA and the UN Foundation (UNF) and the negotiations that were unfolding at a rapid clip. This year was the first UNA Annual Meeting held under the auspices of a merged UNA-UNF. As UNF’s CEO, Kathy Bushkin Calvin, stated during her speech, the alliance is a “work in progress” and the two parties bring different strengths, and “baggage”, to the table. Like Ms. Calvin, UNA members are generally optimistic and forward thinking about UNA’s future. For a strong understanding of the nature of the alliance read the Chapter Handbook.

I believe that by combining the strong organizational and financial position of the UN Foundation with the UNA’s grassroots experience and activism, as exercised by its chapters and divisions, our voice with the American people and the U.S. government is greatly amplified. We are strengthened in our ability to further the position that the UN is indispensable in confronting our world’s most difficult problems and in the managing and oversight of many areas of international activity.

My experience is that UNA annual meetings serve to re-energize, motivate and renew our commitments to the UNA and its cause of a strong US-UN relationship as the basis for an effective and strong United Nations.