United Nations Yak

David P. Haxton retired from UNICEF as Regional Director in South Asia where he served for eight years covering Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives in addition to India. He served also in Indonesia and for 15 years in South America (Peru, Colombia, Brazil).

He is now Executive Director of ICCIDD (International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders) and travels extensively to work with national governments and private sector parties on the achievement of Universal Salt Iodization and the virtual elimination of IDD, the major cause of preventable mental retardation. Read the rest of this entry �

Congratulations, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed
by Susan Davis

Thrilling news arrived as the ball was about to drop in Times Square: Abed made the Queen’s list and was to be knighted! Joining the ranks of Sir Elton John and Sir Bob Geldof, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed was touched by the sword on Feb. 16, 2010 in a dramatic ceremony held in Buckingham Palace. This historic tradition of the British Crown meant so much to the founder of BRAC. Not only was he the first Bangladeshi to be knighted since 1947 but also his great uncle had received this honor in 1913.  Now, he has become Sir Fazle. Surrounded by his wife, now Lady Sarwat Abed and two children, Tamara and Shameron, Abed accepted this honor on behalf of the 125,000 staff and millions of clients who comprise BRAC across a dozen countries. Read More about this event.

Fazle Hasan Abed is the Founder and Chairperson of BRAC, the Bangladesh- based international development organization dedicated to poverty alleviation and empowerment of the poor. Abed, an accountant by training, founded BRAC in 1972 after Bangladesh’s war of independence initially to provide relief and rehabilitation to returning war refugees. Under Abed’s leadership, BRAC grew to become the largest development organization in the world in terms of the scale and diversity of its interventions operating in 9 countries across Asia and Africa. Read the rest of this entry �

THERE IS A KEY HIDDEN IN EACH DIFFICULTY.

When arrive personal trials and difficulties, they bring us new opportunities to become stronger, to develop new faculties and capacities. This can be compared to the arrival of a new spring. When there is mud, snow, cold, still the seeds are getting ready to be planted, to germinate and to grow, and to bring fruit. In the same way difficulties and trials give us the possibilities to work on new qualities, enrich us and to be useful to others. Read the rest of this entry �

David Rudder is one of the top calypsonians of all time, who also served as UNDP goodwill ambassador for the caribbean. In 1977, he joined Charlie’s Roots, one of the top bands in Trinidad and Tobago. He spent many years as one of the vocalists with the band. In 1986 he burst into prominence with his album The Hammer which produced two big hits, The Hammer (a tribute to the late pannist Rudolph Charles) and Bahia Girl. This was followed in 1987 with Calypso Music, a brilliant encapsulation of the history of calypso. Read the rest of this entry �

Berny Dohrmann chairman of CEOspace.net inventor of a new classroom technology for public schools SuperTeaching.uah.edu. Licensee partner with the University
Alabama Huntsville in developing the world’s first and leading Entrepreneur Degree program for higher education worldwide.
Bestselling author. Radio show host. Movie writer producer. Berny Dohrmann is entering a third decade of offering education and training systems to private
industry and government. Read the rest of this entry �

Berny Dohrmann chairman of CEOspace.net inventor of a new classroom technology for public
schools SuperTeaching.uah.edu. Licensee partner with the University of
Alabama Huntsville in developing the world’s first and leading Entrepreneur Degree program for higher education worldwide.
Bestselling author. Radio show host. Movie writer producer. Berny Dohrmann is entering a third decade of offering education and training systems to private
industry and government. Presently Mr. Dohrmann is working with leading celebrity trainers including Anthony Robbins, Read the rest of this entry �

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 �

Special New Year Message from United Nations Under Secretary General Cheick Sidi Diarra with words of encouragement for Haiti.

For those who want to know more about contributing to Haiti, please go to this website:
http://www.unfoundation.org/donate/cerf.html
This is the UN-approved public donation site for emergency response. Read the rest of this entry �

Ms. Mary Racelis, of the Philippines, is a social anthropologist and academic-activist whose research and publications at the Ateneo de Manila University’s Institute of Philippine Culture have focused on urbanization, urban poverty, community organization, informal settlers, people’s empowerment, gender, children and youth, and broader development issues. A strong proponent of community organizing, she carries out action-research with urban poor groups and NGOs to strengthen community planning , implementation and monitoring .Her international service began with UNICEF in New York as Senior Policy Specialist, Family/Child Welfare, Women’s Development and Community Participation, followed by 9 years as Regional Director, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa, Nairobi. Read the rest of this entry �