United Nations Yak

A Special 2012 New Year Message message in English and in French.

Many of the countries under his responsibility are confronting different and varying degrees of challenges; viz., the earthquake in Haiti and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Ambassador Cheick Sidi Diarra of Mali is Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs and Small Island Developing States (SIDs).

For the more than 800 million people in these groups of countries, it is a Read the rest of this entry �

Muriel is rebroadcasting Dr Swaminathan’s New Year’s message to farmers of the world and his best wishes to farmers still suffering the consequences of the earthquake 2years after.

Dr. Swaminathan is sending this Special Message of Hope and Encouragement for the New Year and the new decade to farmers everywhere. Given the challenges they are facing with climate change, the fuel and energy crisis, shaky economies, globalization and its effects on trade and agriculture, as well as their entry into the digital age, the impact of the internet and technology on productivity, all the while grappling with other social entanglements regarding their children and families. Given this sea of challenges, Dr. Swaminathan brings words of hope and encouragement to this group on whom our food security rests and whose role in assuring this food security is threatened. To read the full text of Dr. Swaminathan’s message to the farmers CLICK HERE. Read the rest of this entry �

David P. Haxton, retired UNICEF Regional Director of South Asia.

“The reasons why someone might be compelled to write an autobiography are complex and mostly personal. There are perhaps Read the rest of this entry �

Welcome to The Lounge, a panel discussion, on the Yakkers’ Corner. This is part 3 of three parts featuring retired staff/colleagues James Mayrides, David P. Haxton, Rolf Carriere – all former UNICEF Representatives.

Panel Discussion 3 -
Topic of Interest – Unarmed Civilian Protection – Rolf Carriere introduced the topic

Peacekeeping conjures up the image of armed Blue Helmet in violent conflict situations. But there are other ways to protect civilians and keep the peace. Our discussion will introduce the concept, practice, philosophy, modality, organization and condition of effectiveness of unarmed civilian peacekeeping/protection from the perspective of Nonviolent Peaceforce. And visit www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org for more information.

Please visit www.unitednationsyak.groupsite.com to keep the discussion flowing and ongoing.
by becoming a member and posting comments, articles, blogs pertaining to the different topics of interest

Read the rest of this entry �

Welcome to The Lounge, a panel discussion, on the Yakkers’ Corner. This is part 2 of three parts featuring retired staff/colleagues James Mayrides, David P. Haxton, Rolf Carriere – all former UNICEF Representatives.

Panel Discussion 2 -
Topic of Interest – Iodine Deficiency – Rolf Carriere introduced the topic

Iodine is a nutrient essential to normal brain functioning and our nervous system, and its absence can lead to irreversible mental retardation (cretinism) or more subtle mental subnormality. Only a teaspoon of iodine is needed over a lifetime. The following discussion will focus on iodine fortification of salt, an easy remedy that for less than a few pennies per person per year can ‘buy’ you up to 13 IQ points!

For more information, please visit: www.iccidd.org

Please visit www.unitednationsyak.groupsite.com to keep the discussion flowing and ongoing.
by becoming a member and posting comments, articles, blogs pertaining to the different topics of interest

Read the rest of this entry �

The Lounge launched today, November 10, 2011, on the Yakkers’ Corner is a panel discussion in three parts featuring retired staff/colleagues James Mayrides, David P. Haxton, Rolf Carriere – all former UNICEF Representatives.

This first programme, today, Memorializing Ahmed Mostefaoui – David Haxton led this discussion

Part 2 – November 14, 2011 Iodine Deficiency – Rolf Carriere introduced the topic

Part 3 – November 17, 2011 Unarmed Civilian Protection – Rolf Carriere introduced the topic

Tribute to a fallen colleague – Mr Ahmed Mostefaoui, who joined UNICEF in 1971. He was a native of Algeria and started with UNICEF in the Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa and Brazzaville) from 1971 to 1976 when moved as Regional Director for West and Central Africa. He served as Regional Director for East Asia and Pakistan from 1983 until his retirement in 1988. Mr Grant, then Executive Director said, upon announcing his retirement, “his voice of experience and his keen, consistent insight are among the qualities already sorely missed, but his influence remains strong”.

Please visit www.unitednationsyak.groupsite.com to keep the discussion flowing and ongoing.
by becoming a member and posting comments, articles, blogs pertaining to the different topics of interest
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Erik Rasmussen is the founder and CEO of Monday Morning – Scandinavia’s leading independent think tank. He has been elected one of the world’s 100 most influential journalists by World Economic Forum.

For several years, climate change has been one of Erik Rasmussen’s primary focus points – both Read the rest of this entry �

Dr. Godbole is the founder Director of AERF and has more than 15 years of experience in the field of conservation and natural resource management. She was recently awarded the Whitley Associate Award for her long term work on sacred groves.

Applied Environmental Research Foundation ( AERF) has been working for achieving conservation of forests and safeguarding biodiversity of Western Ghats of India , a mountain range running parallel to the western coast of India and one of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots. AERF has Read the rest of this entry �

Nalini Saligram, Ph.D. is a global health advocate and founder & CEO of Arogya World. Her broad work experience in leading pharmaceutical companies and nonprofits solidified her personal desire to make a meaningful contribution to global health and led to the formation of Arogya World.

Arogya World is a U.S. based non-profit organization committed to changing the course of chronic disease, one community at a time. The name of the Read the rest of this entry �

Liam O’Doherty is a community organizer who has recently completed his studies in Sociology and Semiotics at the University of Toronto. In 2006 he founded Avoid.net and is currently working for TakingITGlobal as Community Partnerships coordinator.

TakingITGlobal’s mission is to empower youth to understand and act on the world’s greatest challenges.

TakingITGlobal’s use the power of online community to facilitate global education, social entrepreneurship, and civic engagement for Read the rest of this entry �