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The Latest from UNA-NCA
Young Professionals’ Fall Career Connections 2024
By Cesar Fernandez, Programs & Membership CoordinatorOn October 30, 2024, the UNA-NCA Young Professionals (YP) Program hosted its first Fall 2024 Career Connections event at UNA-NCA’s new headquarters. This in-person series focused on careers in various international organizations, such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Labour Organization. The main component of this YP Career Connections event included a fireside chat featuring professional individuals who work in these international fields. The speakers at this event offered inspirational guidance to students and young professionals, sharing critical perspectives and personal stories about their career paths. The speakers also shared advice on building your resume and cover letter, application processes, and how to utilize your professional networks.
Human Rights Defenders and the Sustainable Development Goals
By Shriya Khadilkar, UNA-NCA Program Assistant
On Friday, October 11th, UNA-NCA in partnership with the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University, the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University Law School, and Front-Line Defenders hosted an event featuring a conversation with Mary Lawlor, who currently serves as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs). Ms. Lawlor was joined by Professor Justin Hansford, who currently serves as the Director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center.
For the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79)
By the Advisory Council of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA)
The Advisory Council of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area shares the following reflections in advance of President Biden’s address to the UN General Assembly. We fully support the U.S. government’s priorities focused on resolving large-scale conflicts, addressing the humanitarian crises, and building effective, inclusive institutions.
Coverage of UNA-NCA's 2024 Annual Membership Meeting
By Cesar Fernandez, Programs & Membership AssistantOn Thursday, June 13th, 2024, UNA-NCA hosted its yearly Annual Membership Meeting at the United Nations Foundation. This in-person event focused on the successes and challenges of UNA-NCA’s programming throughout the year, and presented awards to key contributors within the chapter. This event reiterated the importance of engaging American citizens with the United Nations and maintaining support to strengthen such multilateral systems.
Young Professionals’ Spring Career Dinners 2024
By Cesar Fernandez, Programs & Membership AssistantOn Saturday, May 4th, 2024, the UNA-NCA Young Professionals (YP) Program hosted their semi-annual Career Dinner Series. This in-person series focused on Careers in the Foreign Service, Global Health, Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution, and Climate Change & Disaster Relief. Part of the Young Professionals Career Dinner Series, discussions featured various professionals working in these respective fields. The speakers within this event offered inspirational guidance toward students and young professionals, sharing important perspectives and personal stories with respect to their fields.
Global Classrooms DC hosts the 20th Annual Spring Model United Nations Conference at the U.S Department of State
By Himaja Balusa, Global Education ManagerGlobal Classrooms DC, the flagship education program of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA), hosted its 20th annual Spring Model United Nations on Monday, April 29th, 2024, at the U.S. Department of State. The conference featured simulations of eight different multilateral UN agencies, including the International Labor Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The event engaged over 500 middle and high school students from schools across the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area, as well as groups from North Carolina and New York.
Recommendations to the U.S. Government on its Israel-Gaza War Policy
The Advisory Council of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) offers guidance to the U.S. government regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, with the aim to promote regional diplomatic and sustainable solutions for peaceful coexistence. These recommendations are forward looking while also acknowledging and decrying the historical traumas experienced by all sides of the conflict.A Discussion with Global Criminal Justice Ambassador-at-Large
By Cesar Fernandez, UNA-NCA Program AssistantOn April 15th, 2024, UNA-NCA hosted a discussion with Global Criminal Justice Ambassador-at-Large Beth Van Schaack at the Charles Sumner School in Washington, DC. Dr. Beth Van Schaack was sworn in as the U.S. Department of State’s sixth Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice (GCJ) on March 17, 2022. In this role, she advises the Secretary of State and other Department leadership on issues related to the prevention of and response to atrocity crimes, including: war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Ambassador Van Schaack served as Deputy to the Ambassador-at-Large for GCJ from 2012 to 2013. Prior to returning to public service in 2022, Ambassador Van Schaack was the Leah Kaplan Visiting Professor in Human Rights at Stanford Law School, where she taught: international criminal law, human rights, human trafficking, and a policy lab on Legal & Policy Tools for Preventing Atrocities. Ambassador Van Schaack began her academic career at Santa Clara University School of Law, where she served as the Academic Advisor to the United States interagency delegation to the International Criminal Court Review Conference in Kampala, Uganda. Earlier in her career, she was a practicing lawyer at Morrison & Foerster, LLP; the Center for Justice & Accountability, a human rights law firm; and the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Ambassador Van Schaack has published numerous articles and papers on international human rights and justice issues, including her 2020 thesis, Imagining Justice for Syria (Oxford University Press). She is a graduate of Stanford (BA), Yale (JD) and Leiden (PhD) Universities.
UNA-NCA Membership Spotlights take focus on a specific member to share their journey
1. What brought you to UNA-NCA?UNA-NCA was a good fit for me since I worked in UN agencies – at the UN itself in NYC and at the World Bank (yes, the World Bank is a UN agency!) for almost my entire career. UNA-NCA provided a community of colleagues sharing common values. UNA-NCA gave me ways to continue my UN engagement into my retirement years.
Seizing the Opportunities of Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development
By Renee Dopplick, International Law Committee Co-Chair; UNA-NCA Board of Directors (2017-2023)In a major win for responsible AI development, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution on March 21, 2024, titled “Seizing the Opportunities of Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development.” Led by the United States, the resolution marks a significant step towards harnessing the power of AI for positive global impact, respecting human rights, and bridging the digital divide by enabling developing countries to participate in AI development. The resolution's emphasis on safe, secure, and human-centric AI development elevates the priority of responsible AI global governance and creates a ripple effect to help empower the use of AI for everyone, everywhere.
