News and Events

United States joins UN Human Rights Council

The United States was elected to and joined the United Nations Human Rights Council located in Geneva, Switzerland. Mark C. Storella, Charge d’Affaires with the US Mission at the UN delivered the Opening Statement. Go to “From the UN” to read the address. Go to From the UN to read the address

Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture awards Peace Site Award

Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture awarded its annual Peace Site Award to Women for Afghani Women (WAW) on Sunday, June 21st. The award was accepted by Manizha Naderi, Executive Director. Women for Afghan Women is a Queens-based organization committed to ensuring the human rights of Afghan women. Most of its staff is in Afghanistan, where they support the development of vocational training and education for women and girls, counseling and safe spaces for women threatened with violence, "advocate for the full inclusion of women in all aspects of Afghan life" and "keep alive and vibrant the discourse of human rights for women in an Islamic context."

UN Hosts Conference on World Financial Crisis

By VOA News 24 June 2009 United Nations Headquarters in New York

Officials from 126 countries gather at the United Nations headquarters in New York Wednesday as a three-day conference on reforming the global financial system begins. The developing nations participating in the conference are calling for the U.N. to play a greater role in the global financial system. Martin Knor, the head of a Geneva-based research organization, South Center, says developing nations have borne the brunt of the current economic crisis, but feel shut out from "exclusive clubs" of developed economic nations, such such as the Group of Eight and Group of 20. The conference has been organized by U.N. Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto Brockman of Nicaragua. The participants have been negotiating a final document that will spell out what role the world body could play in reforming the global financial system, as well mechanisms to assist developing countries.

62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference

The Mexican Committee would like to extend to you a warm invitation to participate in the 62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, which will take place in Mexico City, 9-11 September 2009.

The theme of the Conference is For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!, and it is intended to emphasize the appropriate mechanisms by which civil society, in collaboration with other actors, can contribute to the advancement of disarmament and peace, achieving the goal of promoting sustainable development.

Organized by the United Nations Department of Public Information, the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, the Government of Mexico.

CSVGC-NY

The United Nations has declared 2009 to be the Year of Reconciliation (go to A/RES/61/17 Link to Documents) and both The CONGO Committee Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns in New York and the United Religious Initiative are planning events to speak to the many processes of reconciliation needed to promote peace. The URI’s (www.uri.org) programming is called The Journey to Reconciliation and the CSVGC’s special project called “The Spirit of the United Nations: Global Peace through Reconciliation.” The week will take place this year October 25-30th during which events will be take place throughout the world. For more information, go to: www.csvgc-ny.org.

Parliament of World Religions

Dr. Anne Klaeysen and her son Andrew will represent NSC of the American Ethical Union at the upcoming Parliament of World Religions to take place in Melbourne, Australia, December, 2009. Several from AEU attended the pre-program event on You Tube, dated January 8, 2009. Go to Parliament of World Religions for more information. For more information, visit: www.parliamentofreligions.org

United Nations Climate Change Conference to Take Place December 7-December 18th, 2009

The UN climate conference in Copenhagen in December this year may not yield a new global climate treaty with every minor detail in place. But hopefully it will close with agreements on four political essentials, thereby creating a clarity the world – not least the financially struck business world – needs. The four essentials calling for an international agreement in Copenhagen are: how much are the industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases? How much are major developing countries such as China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions? How is the help needed by developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed? How is that money going to be managed? Go to: COP 15.   Go to IISDnet for update on Bonn Conference, June 1-12, 2009.

Film: Rooted in Peace

Blue Water productions is completing a film produced, written and directed by Greg Reitman called Rooted in Peace. As of now, Kurt Johnson, Surya Das, Bill Maher, Michael Pergola, Matthew Fox and others we know appear in the trailer for the forthcoming movie "Rooted in Peace". You can view the trailer at www.rootedinpeace.com or at You Tube. See "view trailer" on front of home page. They reflect the perspective of InterSpiritual Dialogue in Action.

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