New UN-Rotary collaboration set to share global information

Rotary International News – 11 March 2008

To strengthen Rotary’s longstanding relationship with the United Nations, the two organizations have developed a new, specialized speakers bureau. The United Nations-Rotary Outreach Programme enables Rotary members to receive the latest information on key humanitarian and global issues through UN briefings to Rotary groups on a wide range of topics, including:

Overview of the United Nations
UN Millennium Development Goals
Peacekeeping issues
Security Council and sanctions issues
Economic development
Sustainable development and environmental issues
The UN and civil society/nongovernmental organizations
Disarmament issues
Humanitarian affairs
Women’s issues
Human trafficking
Refugee issues
Human rights

Available as a pilot project for Rotary clubs and districts in the United States, the outreach program makes available UN specialists in various fields to speak at Rotary club, district, and zone events. The UN’s Department of Public Information (UNDPI) will send up to two UN speakers with different areas of expertise to Rotary events. An audience of more than 100 attendees is required; sessions, moderated by a Rotary leader, should be open to non-Rotary members, including business leaders, government officials, academics, media representatives, and professionals.

While UNDPI handles logistical arrangements related to the UN official’s participation, the host club or district is responsible for the speaker’s travel and overnight accommodations. To optimize the speaker’s visit to the area, Rotary clubs and districts could arrange interviews with local media and lectures at high schools or colleges in addition to the main speaking event. UN officials cannot accept any gratuity.

Interested clubs and districts should contact UNDPI with the following information:

Name and address of group requesting the UN speaker
Name, phone number, and e-mail address of contact person
UN-related topics of interest, in order of preference
Date and time of event and alternate date, if available
Date(s) of the night(s) the speaker would spend in the area

Forward this information to:

Group Programmes Unit
UN Department of Public Information
Attn: Vivian Bernstein and Lilli Schindler
Room GA-62
United Nations Secretariat
New York, NY 10017

Fax: 212-963-0071
Tel: 212-963-7710
E-mail: unitg@un.org and bernsteinv@un.org and schindler@un.org

17 Comments:

At 2:12PM on 25 March 2008, Rtn Don Short (UK) wrote: This UN-Rotary outreach programme is long overdue and very welcome, I support those asking for it to be extended beyond the USA - for both RI and the UN are truly international bodies and this programme should be available to Rotarians worldwide. our members are not generally aware of Rotary's considerable involvement in the establishment of the UN & UNESCO, an association of which we should be proud, and any arrangement to facilitate further co-operation is to be welcomed worldwide.

At 10:06AM on 25 March 2008, Prakash Pisipati (Farmingdale, New York) wrote: I am excited to hear about the UN-Rotary outreach program. There are many common humanitarian assistance related activities performed by both the entities. The outreach program will help find synergies in improving the quality of life, international understanidg and peace.

At 11:01AM on 25 March 2008, PP Rtn Dr Anjana Maitra wrote: Its a great thing. Kindly extend to India as well. I could help out as a speaker on Womens Issues, Traficking and Human Rights.

At 8:37AM on 19 March 2008, Ayo Banjo - Lagos wrote: It is apparent that 'CHANGE' is required now more than ever in relation to the reaction of Rotarians to 'poverty' and 'good governance' such as it pervades in the third world and elsewhere where values for equity and justice has eroded. Let us seize these opportunity of major patrnership with the UN to correct it.

At 8:38AM on 19 March 2008, Rtn.Advani Gul wrote: Really,this is great news. If speakers fr UN r avilable with the latest news & action plans. This will definately bridge the gaps within countries.

At 8:52AM on 17 March 2008, Lennart Strandberg wrote: This is a great proposal, I agree. [For reviewers: URL and HTML tags deleted in this update] However, I strongly disagree to spend Rotary reputation and resources on climate POLITICS in its most common current form. Humans may ADAPT to climate changes, but we should not expect ourselves to PREVENT them. Preparing society for and supporting poor people in uncontrollable climate changes is OK for me. But it seems unwise to set priorities as if human activities were more decisive of climate on Earth than space and geological phenomena. I do not deny the greenhouse effect and its enhancement from fossile CO2. However, bringing down the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere does NOT mean that the temperature will decrease. Though IPCC-funded researchers, politicians and media claim that (there is scientific concensus on that anthropogenic) CO2-emissions are the main cause of 'global warming', numerous other scientists disagree. In fact, it seems to be the other way around. Temperature curves lead the CO2-curves according to analyses of polar ice cores. Cause and effect seem to be confused in current climate politics - as they were by the medieval establishment, believing that Sun was in orbit around Earth. The mandate for the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change is available on the IPCC web-site in the ch-domain. There, it is made clear that IPCC should study "human-induced climate change". Hence IPCC-research may disregard natural phenomena in space, in oceans and under the surface of Earth. Controlling climate on Earth may soon appear to be a late form of Hybris. When so much resources are spent on reducing biologically harmless CO2, really toxic emissions are ignored with serious side-effects on the environment. We should also ask ourselves if we have the moral right to conserve Earth climate to that of the 21st century. If we were able to do it - is that the ideal for forthcoming forms of life? So, let us Rotarians stick to humanitarian aid with immediate life-saving effects!

At 9:13AM on 17 March 2008, Ajit Irom wrote: UN and Rotary outreach program is definety a good begining in the right direction. We Rotarians have been working to make this world a better place to live in . The UN has come to its existance for the world to community to come together and live in peace. The goal is the same. The only difference being Rotary is made up of Voluntiers and UN is the Governments run.Both need to walk together to cover a longer distance. Ajit Irom DGN 3240 (India)

At 9:05AM on 17 March 2008, Dr.Essam Eldin Abdel-Azim, EGYPT wrote: As Rotarians, to help sick peole against diseases is one of our priorities. I myself ready and proud to help sick people (especially with eye diseases, because I'm eye surgeon) wherever they are through the Rotary and with the UN all its organizations like WHO. Dr.Essam Eldin A.Azim www.essameldin.medem.com

At 9:10AM on 17 March 2008, Mike Barrington wrote: RI continues to break new ground. This is a wonderful arrangement and wil enable us to obtain essential 'international' information first hand. Well done.

At 9:19AM on 17 March 2008, Marc Brackett wrote: Develop a global partnership for development...perhaps the least obvious but most important MDG. I welcome the cooperation!

At 9:21AM on 17 March 2008, Joan J. Fyfe wrote: A wonderful educational resource.

At 9:22AM on 17 March 2008, Juan Carlos Young wrote: Excellent initiative.. Hopefully this will strengthen even more our relationship with the UN and open new opportunites to impact our communities!! I hope this Pilot Program opens worldwide soon....

At 2:02PM on 13 March 2008, veenai s sivakumar wrote: Really very Great Proposal.It should extend and maintain

At 8:57AM on 13 March 2008, Rtn. JAGDISH KHATRI wrote: Great proposal. Kindly extend it to other countries too, especially to India.

At 8:23AM on 12 March 2008, Richard Enright wrote: CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE THAT WE WILL ALL (GLOBALLY) HAVE TO ADDRESS.

At 8:23AM on 12 March 2008, wadia wrote: i whith go to america

At 8:31AM on 12 March 2008, Chico Schlabitz wrote: It´s a great opportunity to turn Rotary much and much strong to help humanity.

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