I’d like to take the start of 2017 to wish all a Happy New Year and hope that the coming year is prosperous for you. My name is Clint Elbow and I am the incoming president of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association for 2017. This year brings much potential as well as new political dynamics that will challenge the mission of the United Nations Association. With much scrutiny on the United States’ role in the United Nations, it is a time for us in the Tampa Bay Chapter of the UNA to make visible the benefits of U.S. participation and leadership in the UN framework.
In Tampa Bay we are positioned as a chapter to make significant progress on the following programs and issues that we focus on. We will continue to facilitate the Tampa Bay Model United Nations conferences. Our Treasurer, Dr. Kelly Miliziano, has run this program for a number of years and hundreds of students have benefited from this experience. We plan to take steps in 2017 to expand this program so that more students will be able to benefit from it.
UNA Tampa is a national leader in the Cities for CEDAW movement. Led by our Advocacy Director, Noelle Clark, we have obtained the support of the Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Tarpon Springs City Councils in the form of resolutions and proclamations that support the signing of CEDAW by the United States. Through Ms. Clark’s leadership we will continue to work with regional municipalities and Florida political leaders to expand support for CEDAW and its principles.
Since Hillsborough County is a designated Welcoming County for refugees, it was natural that UNA Tampa become a participant in supporting the settlement of refugees in the Tampa Bay area. Under the efforts of our NGO Director, Magdalena Fruba-Acar, we partnered with the Tampa Bay Refugee Task Force to support the Refugee Welcome Week in October 2016. We will continue our participation with the Refugee Task Force in 2017.
Dr. Marcus Arvan, our Education Director, and Dr. Mark Amen, our outgoing President, have put together a speaking series on Human Rights. Each speaking event features a presentation by a community leader on different demographic groups whose human rights are threatened. This series culminates in a Human Rights Conference at the University of Tampa in April of 2017.
Our Programs Director, Paromita Chaterjee, has been busy in 2016 putting together a program on sustainability. This subject is very relevant to the Tampa Bay area considering we live in such a rich natural setting. Ms. Chaterjee has been working with the Hillsborough and Pinellas County school district and has achieved certification of UNA Tampa with each district as an organization certified to provide internships to Florida Bright Future Scholars. We are looking forward to working with these students in order to help them with their education.
I’d like to thank the contributions of our Publications Director, Carolyn Morales, and our Internship Coordinator, Catherine Hidalgo Jara. Ms. Morales has provided us with a steady stream of well composed newsletters as well as visuals for use in our event announcements and social media venues. Ms. Hidalgo Jara has done an excellent job of connecting our Chapter with a steady stream of interns from the University of South Florida and The University of Tampa. Our internship program provides college students with valuable experience during their college education and it also provides UNA-TB with valuable resources to carry out our mission.
I’d also like to thank our Secretary Stephen Strenges. Mr. Strenges provides much of our unsung administrative and technology support. This type of work is vital to organizations and ours is no exception. His steady efforts make us a stronger more stable organization.
We welcome Mr. Robert Kruitoff to our Board as Fundraising and Event Director. Fundraising has been a continual challenge for our chapter and we welcome Mr. Kruitoff’s presence. He has already put together a viable proposal for 2017 that has the potential to help us carry out our mission.
I’d like to thank our outgoing president, Dr. Mark Amen, for his leadership and guidance over the previous two years during his tenure as president. During this time he has built a vibrant board of directors and helped us build a foundation of the programs listed above. Please join me in thanking Dr. Amen for his contributions to the United Nations Association, the Tampa Bay Chapter, and the Tampa Bay community. We wish him the best in his next endeavors.
Whether you are a member or an acquaintance of of the Tampa Bay Chapter, I hope that we can count on your support in 2017. If you are not a member, please join us as we can use the support of each and every one of you. You can join our Chapter by following this link: Join UNA-USA and selecting Tampa Bay as the chapter to join.
In addition to joining the Chapter, you can also show your support by attending our events throughout the year and following us on our social media venues listed below.
Members’ Day at the UN is one of the most important gatherings for UNA-USA during the year, and is a great opportunity for members to network with fellow UN supporters from around the country and hear from top UN voices, read more...
Community
Interested in getting involved and helping our local refugee community? Read below!
Updates
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
Secretary-General New Year
Appeal for Peace
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Appeal for Peace, in New York on Jan. 1st, 2017:
"On my first day as Secretary-General of the United Nations, one question weighs heavily on my heart: How can we help the millions of people caught up in conflict, suffering massively in wars with no end in sight?
Civilians are pounded with deadly force. Women, children and men are killed and injured, forced from their homes, dispossessed and destitute. Even hospitals and aid convoys are targeted.
No one wins these wars; everyone loses. Trillions of dollars are spent destroying societies and economies, fuelling cycles of mistrust and fear that can last for generations. Whole regions are destabilized and the new threat of global terrorism affects us all..." Read more.
Popular New Year’s Resolutions that Support the United Nations
1) Save Money
You can start by encouraging Congress to keep funding the UN. UN Peacekeeping missions are eight times cheaper than U.S. forces acting alone. When the U.S. fails to pay its peacekeeping and regular budget dues, it jeopardizes UN programs that are manifestly in our nation’s interests. In order to keep reaping the benefits of the UN, and continue influencing the organization’s direction, it is critical that the U.S. pays its dues on-time and in-full.
The United Nations is good for the American economy. Research from the Better World Campaign has found that U.S. businesses generated more than $1 billion in contracts with the UN in 30 different states throughout 2014 and 2015. A new report conducted by the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs found that the UN boosts the NYC economy by $3.69 billion each year—which is equal to hosting seven Super Bowls!
2) Get (and Stay) Healthy Sustainable Development Goal #3 is Good Health and Well-Being. Get a flu shot or any other vaccine at Walgreens and help provide children in need access to lifesaving vaccines through the United Nations Foundation’s Shot at Life Campaign.Continue reading here!
[Originally posted: Jan.3,2017 Anna Mahalak - UN Foundation]
UN International Day for January
Jan. 27th - International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
The theme for the Holocaust remembrance and education activities in 2017, including the Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, is “Holocaust Remembrance: Educating for a Better Future”. The theme emphasises the fact that Holocaust education has a universal dimension and can serve as an appropriate platform for building respect for human rights, increasing tolerance and defending our common humanity. The Holocaust was a defining point in history and its lessons have much to teach about the danger of extremism and the prevention of genocide today. For more information on fascinating events surrounding this day of remembrance, click here!
