Our AGM will take place on Saturday 26 June from 10:30am until 12:00pm


The meeting will take place on Google meets- you can access the meeting here.   


If you have any questions please contact office@unanz.org.nz 

 

 

The United Nations Association of New Zealand (UNA NZ) is excited to launch our Secondary School Speech Award for 2021. 

The United Nations Association of New Zealand has held regional secondary school speech awards for over 35 years. This year the competition will again be held online in light of the ongoing COVID19 situation.

 

Students must speak for a minimum of 6 minutes and no longer than 8 minutes and must make a particular reference to the aims, work and aspirations of the United Nations. The topic that students are asked to address is:

“The role of the United Nations (and its broader system, including for example, the WHO) in addressing global challenges such as COVID-19 reinforces the need for governments, NGOs, the private sector and people everywhere to support and develop the United Nations. What should this support and development look like?”

We suggest that the UN Website www.un.org and UNA NZ website www.unanz.org.nz be explored. Students are encouraged to do their own research, though, and add their own perspective. Certificates are awarded to all who participate. The deadline for entries is 30 June 2021.

We invite you to share this announcement widely and encourage a wide range of students to apply by submitting a recording of them delivering their speech via our online form: http://bit.ly/UNANZSpeechAward2021

For any queries please contact office@unanz.org.nz or joy.dunsheath@unanz.org.nz

 

 First diplomatic seminar series for 2021 a success.

 

On the 13th May H.E. Francis Agwi, Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to New Zealand and H.E. Jesus Domingo, Philipines Ambassador to New Zealand joined Joy Dunsheath as facilitator to discuss progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. 

This event was a collaboration between UNA NZ Wellington branch and Inter-Parliamentary Union. 
Thanks especially to Wendy Hart, Secretary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union New Zealand and Whayu Triwahyudi UNA NZ Wellington Branch committee member. 




 

 

  Aotearoa SDG Summit Series - Working Together for Change (Online Hui 3).
 

Collaborating, connecting, and working together has never been more important than right now.  Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals, is our collective way forward. Join us for the next part in the 2020-2021 Aotearoa/New Zealand Sustainable Development Goals Summit Series and see how by Working Together for Change, we can create the world we want, and the world that we need!

This final online hui in the 2020-2021 Summit Series will build on kōrero from Hui#1 and Hui#2, and will be made up of panel discussions, an interactive workshop stream and a creative moment.

With topics for you to delve into ranging from Intergenerational Conversations and Justice, to the SDGs within the context of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific, this third online hui will create an opportunity for more in-depth discussion and more time in small workshop groups, to explore and unpack our learnings.

WHEN: Thursday 24 June, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

WHERE: Online

Secure your ticket here.

 

New Zealand co-sponsoring United Nations High-level virtual event on the situation of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities in Xinjang. 
 

"The event is an important opportunity to raise further awareness of the human rights situation in Xinjiang and how the international community – the UN system, member states and civil society – can work together and advocate for the human rights of the Uyghur and other ethnic and religious minority communities in Xinjiang," an MFAT spokesperson told Newshub.
 

"Participants will include representatives of UN member states, UN offices and departments, civil society organizations, affected communities, academics, and journalists."

Among those slated to speak are the Permanent Representatives of Germany, the UK and the US to the UN, as well as the executive director of HRW, and Jewher Ilham, a Uighur human rights activist.

There is also a slot scheduled for a "Q and A session and interventions from member States".

You can read the news coverage of the event here and the concept note for the event here.

 

        
Speaker: Mr Justin Sobion
Environmental Lawyer, Artist, Writer

Date: Monday 31 May 2021  Time: 5.30 – 7.00pm

Location: Russell McVeagh Level 24, Dimension Data House 157 Lambton Quay Wellington, 6011

Justin Sobion is admitted to practise law in Trinidad and Tobago and the Commonwealth of Dominica. He served as a diplomat for his country to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland and later as an adviser in the Office of the President of the UN Human Rights Council. Currently, Justin is pursuing a PhD on the Rights of Nature at the University of Auckland.  

In his presentation, Justin will speak about the life and times of his late father Keith Sobion, a legal luminary from the West Indies, and a member of the first graduating class of 1975 to be exclusively trained within the English speaking Caribbean. 

Copies of his book will be available for purchase and signing following the talk.

Networking and refreshments from 5.30pm, with talk beginning at 6.00pm.

Please RSVP here

Norwegian Foreign Policy in a Time of Transition

Speaker: His Excellency Mr Paul Gulleik Larsen, Ambassador of Norway to New Zealand

Date: Monday 14 June
Time: 5.40-7.00pm
Location: Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1 (GBLT1)

In his presentation to the Wellington Branch, Canberra-based Ambassador Larsen will provide an overview of Norway's foreign policy priorities in 2021.

Please note, Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1 has wheelchair access.



 

Ambassador Paul Gulleik Larsen is a career diplomat with 27 years of international experience, including Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) postings in Belgrade (as Chargé d’affaires 1991-1994), in New York (as Counsellor for Norway in the UN Security Council 2001-2002), and in Moscow (as Deputy Head of Mission 2002-2007). 

Outside the MFA, Paul has served as diplomatic advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister of Norway in 1998-1999, and as Chief of Staff and Director at the UN World Food Program (WFP) in Rome 2007-2013. While at WFP, Paul sat in the Strategic Leadership Group and represented WFP in G8, G20 and UN inter-agency bodies. After returning to MFA in Oslo in 2013, Paul served in the UN Department as Project Director for policy and coordination of Agenda 2030/SDG and as Special Envoy for Security Council Affairs, responsible for strategy and policy for preparing Norway’s membership of the UN Security Council in 2021-22. 

Secure your place on Eventbrite now

 

 

 A message from Tūmanako - Children's Art 

We invite children and young people from schools, kura, faith and ethnic communities to participate in the upcoming Wellington event this year. 

“I felt happy being part of Tūmanako because I had always loved art and enjoyed doing it.” [young artist, 11 years]

This year the exhibition opening will take place in early August at a public venue in the Wellington region. The artworks will then be exhibited for two weeks. 

 

Background and information  Originally initiated 6 years ago by the Mayor of Wellington and Soka Gakkai International New Zealand to commemorate Hiroshima Day on 6 August, Tūmanako (meaning Hope) has since run every year and is growing across Aotearoa. Our vision for this exhibition is to create a space where children and young people are empowered to express their own hopes and aspirations for a peaceful world. It provides an opportunity to gather together and to think about and promote peace. Also, Tūmanako enables children and young people to learn not only about the harm of nuclear weapons, but also about New Zealand's own proud nuclear free history and the root causes of violence in general. 

“I am grateful for this experience as it gave me the opportunity as a member of the muslim community to express my feelings and be part of the Tūmanako whanau” [young artist and presenter, 11 years]

What next? We hope that it may be possible for you to build something into your 2nd term art programme for Tūmanako! This year’s theme is based on a Whakataukī/Māori Proverb: 

Kotahi te kākano whakaaro, he nui ngā hua o te rākau houhou rongo.  One seed of thought grows the forest of peace. 

 

We’re more than happy to provide posters and flyers and meet with you and/or your students to talk about Tūmanako. Additional background information and the registration is at www.sginz.org/tumanako. The deadline for submissions for schools and kura is 28th June 2021. Community groups can submit until 20th July. 

Past submissions have included individuals’ artwork, small groups or even whole class collaborations, in any medium you choose - the choice is yours!

“Tūmanako was really fun” [young artist, 8 years]

For any questions, please contact: tumanako.artworks@gmail.com, or 02102229325  

 

 

 

You can still watch to United Nations Association of New Zealand Speech Award 2020 winner and runner up speeches online!

UNA NZ has been running our Secondary School Speech Award for 35 years. Previous finalist and winners include our current Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern and Chris Bishop MP. This year due to COVID19 the competition was run online.


We were pleased to announce last year that the runner up for the 2020 speech awards was Demira Singh from St Cuthbert’s College and the winner of the 2020 speech awards is Desmond McBride from Fraser High School.

Read a full press release with links to online recordings of the winner and runner up speeches here. 

Pictured above: Desmond McBride from Frase High School, Winner of the UNA NZ speech award 2020 delivering his winning speech.

 

Peace Foundation Youth Leadership Retreat - Scholarships available

If you have ever wanted to go on an inspiring retreat with other youth from all across Auckland, now is the time. Just a few spaces left on our Piha Wayfinder Retreat from June 11- June 13. It's fully funded so get in touch ASAP.

Please forward this on to aspiring leaders in your school who are looking for leadership opportunities and personal development. This is a chance for them to learn and co-create projects that impact their school and wider communities. Full scholarships available. Apply by clicking on the link below, or call Lisa at 021464910 for an interview. https://forms.gle/hMbbwBfxDRASnWCa7

 

 Gaza conflict: New Zealand expresses 'grave concern' with escalating violence

 

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has expressed New Zealand's "grave concern" at the escalation of violence in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Gaza.

"The growing death toll and the large numbers of casualties, including children, from Israeli airstrikes and Gazan rockets is unacceptable," she said.

 

 

You can read the full story here.
 

 

MFAT Town Hall on Pacific Regional Four Year Plan

 MFAT are hosting public town hall talanoa  to get your thoughts on New Zealand’s development work and partnerships in the Pacific.


Wellington: Friday 28th May 11-12pm MFAT, Level 12, 195 Lambton Quay. Register here

If you can’t make it to the talanoa, you can also provide feedback through a short anonymous survey, available through this link. The survey has been extended to the 24th May.

 

 

 International Day of UN Peacekeepers 

29 May is the International Day of UN Peacekeepers - a day to pay tribute to our uniformed and civilian personnel. This year, the UN is focusing on Peacekeeping and the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, under the theme: "The road to a lasting peace: Leveraging the power of youth for peace and security"

You can read more about peacekeeping here

 

 Goal of the month: Decent Work and Economic Growth
 

Sustained and inclusive economic growth can drive progress, create decent jobs for all and improve living standards. 

COVID-19 has disrupted billions of lives and endangered the global economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects a global recession as bad as or worse than in 2009. As job losses escalate, the International Labor Organization estimates that nearly half of the global workforce is at risk of losing their livelihoods.

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, one in five countries – home to billions of people living in poverty – were likely to see per capita incomes stagnate or decline in 2020. Now, the economic and financial shocks associated with COVID-19—such as disruptions to industrial production, falling commodity prices, financial market volatility, and rising insecurity—are derailing the already tepid economic growth and compounding heightened risks from other factors.  

Key resources:

•  New report looks at benefits and costs of methane mitigation 
•  UN Secretary-General’s roundtable and policy brief on extractive industries
•  Updated economic forecast calls for vaccine equity for resilient economic recovery
•  Latest report on the impact of the rural economy on socio-economic transformation

Read more about goal 8 here.

 

The UN, Aid, and Gaza 
 

The UN is urging greater aid access for Gaza and 'intensification of mediation efforts' to end Israel-Palestine violence.
Rosemary DiCarlo (Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs) has stated the fighting, which has claimed the lives of more than 200 civilians on both sides, was a "tragic reminder" of the need to find a resolution to end conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, "once and for all."
Read more here.