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The National
Service Conference
of The American
Ethical Union
2 West 64th St.
New York, NY 10023

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Contributors

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Temma Ehrenfeld

Temma Ehrenfeld, co-author of the column, “From the United Nations,” with her father, Sylvain, was an editor at Newsweek when she left in March to freelance. Her freelance journalism has appeared in The New York Times and elsewhere. Read more here...

Fundraising

Rose L. Walker Fund

To contribute, please send your donations to:

The Rose L. Walker Fund
The American Ethical Union
2 West 64th Street
New York, NY 10023

Buy our paperback on triumphs at the United Nations.

Cover of Book:  From the United Nations by Phyllis and Sylvain Erhenfeld
International Day of Peace Banner.

International Day of Peace
September 21, 2010

UNITED NATIONS--The International Day of Peace, observed each year on 21 September, is a global call for ceasefire and non-violence. This year, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on young people around the world to take a stand for peace under the theme, Youth for Peace and Development.

The United Nations is looking for stories from young people around the world who are working for peace. The campaign slogan this year is Peace=Future: the Math is Easy. This year, the International Day of Peace (IDP) falls within the same time period as a major summit on the Millennium Development Goals, the world's largest anti-poverty campaign. The Summit brings world leaders together at the United Nations in New York from 20-22 September.

Read the entire article here


News and Events

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National Peace Academy

The National Peace Academy supports, advances and nurtures cultures of peace by conducting research and facilitating learning toward the development of peace systems – local to global – and the development of the full spectrum of the peacebuilder – inner and outer, personal and professional. Go to: National Peace Academy for more information.

Read an article about Peace Academy Participants

The general purpose of peace education is to promote the development of authentic planetary consciousness that will enable us to function as global citizens and to transform the present human condition by changing social structures and the patterns of thought that have created it. This transformational imperative must...be at the center of peace education. Betty Reardon. Read more in our Projects section.


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CSVGC-NY

The 4th Annual Week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, and Spirit of the UN Award Ceremony entitled, "Spirit of the UN” - Universal Harmony through Rapprochement", continues to honor and bring value to those who embody this Spirit, in their work at the United Nations. This year’s Week of Spirituality, will be 24-29 October, and the Spirit of the UN Award Ceremony is tentatively scheduled on the 25th of October 2010. Ms. Kay Dundorf, NES representative at the UN, was elected to the 2010-12 Executive Council.Go to "From the UN" tab in this web-site to read the overview of the Week of Spirituality 2009.


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  • Learn about the impacts of globalization and the causes of immigration directly from the voices of subsistence farmers and their families.
  • See first-hand how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), transnational penetration, and US taxpayer subsidies affect local people.
  • Visit marginalized villages near the town of Cuquio, Jalisco, participating in piñata parties, donations to poor families, and village service projects.
  • Experience the rich biodiversity and emerald beauty of Mexico’s high mountains as farmers show their farming techniques and village children lead hikes.
  • Images of farm workers
  • Stay in a Guadalajara “Green” hotel, meet leaders of Mexico’s new green movement, visit the famous Tonatlin Market, and take part in cultural events.
  • On August 8, a week after the trip, visit California farm worker family members who have immigrated from the villages to a migrant labor camp in Watsonville

Dates: Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 30, 2010. A pre-trip meeting will also be held.

Cost: $1200, includes air travel, hotels based on double occupancy, main meal each day, all daily ground travel in Mexico, cultural events, administrative fees, and incidental expenses. $600 due by June 10th to reserve space. Remainder of $600 due on July 10th. Space limited. Send $600 check (not refundable) payable to “Human Agenda” to Human Agenda Treasury, 3845 Wellington Square, San Jose, CA 95136.

Tour Leaders: Professor Ann Lopez, Ph.D., Author, The Farmworkers’ Journey, UC-Berkeley Press Richard Hobbs, Esq., Immigration Attorney & Executive Director, Human Agenda.


Earth Charter 2010

Earth Charter Initiative:
10 Years At A Glance

You are invited to flip through this overview of events and activities that have taken place since the Earth Charter was launched in 2000. This is a beautiful photo album and short video capturing some of the key moments of the evolving Earth Charter Initiative in the past 10 years. A new book features the Earth Charter The new book "Sustainable Economy: Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility" (2010) edited by Raymond W Y Kao (published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd). features the Earth Charter. This book brings together an impressive list of international experts, who contribute to the discussion on feasible solutions towards a sustainable future. Go to EarthCharter.org for more information.


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The Universal Ethics Working Group founded by Martha Gallahue of the National Ethical Service sponsors Storybowl to fight hunger

I often say "I’m starving!" My stomach is rumbling and maybe I have trouble thinking and know I have to grab a bite. Recently I’ve learned what would happen if I were truly starving. Your skin becomes stiff, pale and cold. Your hair becomes dry and sparse and falls out. It takes two or three months to starve to death.

Every week this year there will be four million new urgently hungry people worldwide. Most of the world’s hungry aren’t about to starve. Every day they eat just enough to live. Every night they go to sleep not knowing whether they will have food tomorrow. Their hunger makes it hard to function--work or move much. Underfed or undernourished children have trouble playing.

If a friend visiting your home said she was hungry, you’d immediately offer food. Feeding each other is human nature. We can build on that impulse to create a world where no one goes hungry. To awaken compassion for the world’s hungry, storytellers around the world have launched Storybowl, a series of events to benefit hunger-relief organizations, led by Bob Reiser, a story-teller and writer who has coauthored two books with Pete Seeger. The project launch took place in the Nigerian Mission, featuring story-teller Laura Simms. The event was sponsored by the Universal Ethics Working Group founded by Martha Gallahue of The National Ethical Service of the American Ethical Union.

Temma Ehrenfeld

See a video from the World Food Programme at the United Nations
Learn about the United Nations efforts to prevent famine
Take a quiz


COMMUNITY

NES Interspiritual Work Creates Community

The interspiritual/ intersubjective discussion initiated in partnership with NES over the last eight years has further formed around a community embracing “Nine Elements” of a universal spirituality or ethic...

Read more in our Projects Pages


From the UN

Millenium Development Goals

Drug-related violence in Reynosa, Mexico leads to deaths of journalists.

In the year 2000 the member states at the UN undertook an ambitious challenge to meet the basic needs of the globe. They set eight goals to be achieved by 2015.These goals, for the world's well being, are designed to free a major portion of humanity from the shackles of extreme poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease.Read the complete article here.

Recent Articles

Announcement

The National Ethical Service elected new officers: President Dr. Jacqueline Pope, NYSEC; Vice-President Dr. Kurt Johnson, ESWOW; Corresponding Secy. Dr. Sylvain Ehrenfeld, Bergen Society, Treasurer Kay Dundorf, Riverdale Society and Leader Martha Gallahue, BSEC. The election was held at the AEU National Assembly, June 17, 2010, in Scranton, Pennsylvania.