UN Matters Newsletter April / May 2012

Welcome to the April/May issue of UNA-UK’s newsletter, UN Matters. We are delighted to announce that our application to establish a new charitable organisation has been successful.The new charity will effectively merge UNA-UK and the UNA Trust into a single entity. We are now working on the next steps, including elections for English geographic area Trustees – see below for information on how to cast your vote.

We are also delighted to present a short film showcasing our inaugural Model UN schools tournament. Over 200 students from across the UK took part in Security Council simulations to discuss ways in which the ideals of the Olympic Truce could be used to further international peace and security.

The Truce is one of the topics that will be discussed at UNA-UK’s UN Forum on 14 July 2012. Lord Bates, who walked from Olympia to London to raise awareness of the Truce, will join Dame Margaret Anstee, Margaret Beckett MP, Lord Browne, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Lord Hannay, Wilfried Lemke, David Nussbaum, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Honey Thalijeh, Baroness Williams and many other high-level speakers at our biggest event of the year. Don’t miss out by booking your place now!

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On 10 March, over 200 students from schools across the UK gathered at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization in London for UNA-UK’s inaugural Model UN schools tournament: ‘Uniting the Nations’.

The tournament is part of our new Generation United Nations programme, which engages 13-18-year-olds and their schools in the work and values of the UN.

Click here to watch a short film of the event

Following our successful application to the Charity Commission, UNA-UK and the UNA Trust are now preparing for their effective merger into a single, new charitable organisation. It is hoped that the new charity will be operational from July 2012.

In addition to administrative and legal tasks, elections for the new charity’s Trustee Board are now in process. Four Trustees are to be elected by ballot from four English geographic areas by individual paid-up and honorary members of UNA-UK. Further information, including details of candidates and postal ballot forms, can be found here. Completed forms must reach Carol Hodson at UNA-UK by 2pm on Thursday, 12 April 2012.

On 21 March, UNA-UK Executive Director Phil Mulligan wrote to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to express his concern about the government’s decision to exclude aviation fuel and imported goods from its fuel consumption and emissions-reduction targets.

Click here to read the letter

The Annual General Meeting of UNA-UK will take place at 2pm on Saturday, 21 April in The Committee Room of the Farmers Club, 3 Whitehall Court, London, SW1A 2EL. All paid-up and honorary members of the Association have the right to attend and vote. Those who cannot attend may wish to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf.

The AGM will include presentation of Awards for Distinguished Service to UNA-UK members who have made an outstanding contribution to the work of the Association as well as the results for the new charity trustee elections.

Click here to read more and to access the proxy voting form

Ahead of the UN’s ‘Rio+20’ summit this June, the Spring 2012 issue of New World explores the opportunities and challenges we face in our quest for a sustainable future.

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme reflects on the Durban climate conference, while Mark Malloch-Brown, former UN Deputy Secretary-General, considers the impact of the economic downturn on multilateral institutions and UN goals. Other contributions focus on urban planning, healthcare and environmental management. We also consider different ways to measure countries’ development.

Click here to read the magazine and web exclusive articles

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Find out more about UNA-UK’s Young Professionals

Find out more about UNA Youth

On Saturday 14 July 2012 we are offering you the chance to take part in UNA-UK’s biggest event of the year – UN Forum 2012 – and engage with movers and shakers in the international arena on the most pressing issues facing the world today.

Two weeks before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, UNA-UK will play host to one of the largest civil society events on the UN to be held in this country. The purpose of the event is to bring together UN experts and officials and British policy-makers and opinion-shapers with a wide cross-section of the public to discuss peace and security, human rights and sustainable development.

Tickets are selling fast so we want to make sure our loyal supporters book-up early to avoid disapointment.

Book your place now!

Click here to read our young professionals’ guide to careers at the UN

Click here for full event listings, including UNA branch events across the UK