United Nations Yak

“When I see that list (of goals), at all times I am thinking of ways that the methods, tools and sheer power of the scientific enterprise can resolve those problems”, Tyson, July 2010.

Listen to Dr. Tyson as he speaks on HIV/Aids and Cultural Attitudes; the Possibility of Asteroids colliding with earth in the Indian Ocean – where does the responsibility for action lay;  children as natural creators, investigators, scientists; the importance of science literacy……

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is the first occupant of the Frederick P. Rose Directorship of the Hayden Planetarium.

Tyson was born and raised in New York City where he was educated in the public schools clear through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. Tyson went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia. (more…)

After a sterling 20 years of service to UNICEF, working in India, Ethiopia, and New York, Dr. Padmini retired from UNICEF in 1994.

The positions she filled ranged from Program/Planning Officer and Representative, to Chief, Middle East and North African section and Senior Adviser and Chief , Urban and Children in Difficult Circumstances section. This varied experience reverberates in the interview and gives the listener an idea of the flexibility of Dr. Padmini as she undertook different tasks, always keeping a focus on the rights of the child. She was one of the technical contributors to the discussions involved in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). (more…)

After a sterling 20 years of service to UNICEF, working in India, Ethiopia, and New York, Dr. Padmini retired from UNICEF in 1994.

The positions she filled ranged from Program/Planning Officer and Representative, to Chief, Middle East and North African section and Senior Adviser and Chief , Urban and Children in Difficult Circumstances section. This varied experience reverberates in the interview and gives the listener an idea of the flexibility of Dr. Padmini as she undertook different tasks, always keeping a focus on the rights of the child. She was one of the technical contributors to the discussions involved in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). (more…)

After a sterling 20 years of service to UNICEF, working in India, Ethiopia, and New York, Dr. Padmini retired from UNICEF in 1994.

The positions she filled ranged from Program/Planning Officer and Representative, to Chief, Middle East and North African section and Senior Adviser and Chief , Urban and Children in Difficult Circumstances section. This varied experience reverberates in the interview and gives the listener an idea of the flexibility of Dr. Padmini as she undertook different tasks, always keeping a focus on the rights of the child. She was one of the technical contributors to the discussions involved in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). (more…)

After a sterling 20 years of service to UNICEF, working in India, Ethiopia, and New York, Dr. Padmini retired from UNICEF in 1994.

The positions she filled ranged from Program/Planning Officer and Representative, to Chief, Middle East and North African section and Senior Adviser and Chief , Urban and Children in Difficult Circumstances section. This varied experience reverberates in the interview and gives the listener an idea of the flexibility of Dr. Padmini as she undertook different tasks, always keeping a focus on the rights of the child. She was one of the technical contributors to the discussions involved in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). (more…)

Professor Diran Makinde is the Director, NEPAD Agency (A Program of African Union) African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He is the immediate past Director of the NEPAD West African Biosciences Network in Dakar, Senegal. He earned the degrees of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1976, and a PhD in Veterinary Physiology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 1986. Prior to his current appointment, he was in academia from 1978-2007 with teaching experience from the universities of Ibadan (Nigeria) and Zimbabwe. (more…)

Fouad Kronfol took early retirement from UNICEF in 1995, having served in the Organization from March 1959. His career started in Beirut, Lebanon where, as one of the earliest National Officers he learned programming skills dealing with activities supported by UNICEF in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. (more…)

Fouad Kronfol took early retirement from UNICEF in 1995, having served in the Organization from March 1959. His career started in Beirut, Lebanon where, as one of the earliest National Officers he learned programming skills dealing with activities supported by UNICEF in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. (more…)

Fouad Kronfol took early retirement from UNICEF in 1995, having served in the Organization from March 1959. His career started in Beirut, Lebanon where, as one of the earliest National Officers he learned programming skills dealing with activities supported by UNICEF in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. (more…)

Ms. Sham Poo retired from UNICEF in December 2004 as Deputy Executive Director having been appointed to this position in 1987 after joining the organization in 1985 as Comptroller. Ms. Sham Poo served as UNICEF Special Envoy to the Caribbean on a part-time basis residing in Trinidad and Tobago from 2004-2009. In the fall of 2005 she served as Interim Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the Under Secretary General level. After retiring she has also been keynote speaker at a number of international conferences on child rights issues and on children affected by armed conflicts. (more…)