Dear UNA Westchester members and friends,

It has been a tumultuous year, and it looks like the upheaval will continue for the foreseeable future, as we contend with international crises of both manmade and natural causes. As I reflected on the year, informed by my four decades of experience with the United Nations, this quote about the UN came to mind, which I wanted to share with you:

“Our organisation reflects the imperfections of our time, but it is also an expression of

the most constructive forces of our world and a symbol of hope for the future. ... I am no

Utopian. I see in the UN a practical approach to peace and progress, not by any quick

and easy formulas, but by wise, loyal and persistent use of its institutions by Member

States over many years.”

While this quote could easily have originated from the meetings in New York last month, you might be surprised to know that it, in fact, is 71 years old and is credited to the very first Secretary General of the UN, Norwegian diplomat, Trygve Lie. In my opinion, the quote is as relevant and resonant today as it was in 1953. The United Nations is at the center of the global turmoil we share as a collective humanity and

is at a breaking point, with insufficient resources and support to respond in a meaningful way.

As the quote suggests, the UN is indeed trying to “advance a practical approach to peace and progress,” in large part by supporting the people and refugees displaced by conflict and natural disasters through provision of basic needs like shelter, safe water and nutritious food. Sadly, this laudable mission is getting more difficult to manifest with each passing year. In addition, the quote refers to “a symbol of hope for the future,” and this was evident when Heads of State met at the UN General Assembly in New York (UNGA) in September. There, they pieced together an update to the climate agreement, and 193 countries approved the landmark Pact for the Future just ahead of the opening of the UNGA. The Pact lays out a vision for multilateral cooperation across the spectrum of international issues, including peace and security, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), development finance, governance reform, climate change, gender equality, artificial intelligence, and digital cooperation. It is an aspirational document, and through one lens can be viewed as cause for hope and cautious optimism. Yet, through another lens it can be seen as disconnected from the realistic capacity of the UN and

the capability of Member States to deliver, given the current state of the world.

My friends, let’s not mince words. The United Nations needs help:

• help from Member States to make good on their financial commitments;
• help from those same Member States to support commitments around climate, nature and biodiversity, the global goals, human rights, and so much more;
• help from the general public to learn about the UN and serve as advocates and champions to help advance the ideals of the organization; and,
• help by continuing and increasing the crucial engagement of young, diverse voices, and their representation in ways that genuinely matter.

One of the best ways to show your support for the ideals of the UN is to join your local chapter of the UNA-USA (https://unausa.org/join/), and indicate NY-Westchester as your chapter) and—importantly—to use your voice to get others to join. Spread the word!

Within our own UNA -Westchester chapter, Vice-President Paul Presendieu attended several sessions held parallel to the UNGA, and was invited to present to the High-Level Political Forum. We were very pleased to learn that he was honored by the Clinton Global Initiative during the 2024 meeting as one of 50 Climate & Justice Leaders to Watch in the United States of America. Paul is past Co-chair of our Chapter’s Young Professional’s Committee, which remains very active across Westchester.

The quote above refers to an organization that “…reflects the imperfections of our time, but it is also an expression of the most constructive forces of our world.” This was true 71 years ago, and remains true today. It is in our interest to support the United Nations, which hosts the only forum in which all countries are able to meet, talk and negotiate...even with our imperfections. It is tragic that some nations choose to violate the principles and ideals of peace and security in the UN Charter, but we all must aspire to a more peaceful planet in the future, achievable only if we all work together.

Show your support in a tangible way by joining us (and bring a guest or two) for an exciting program for our chapter’s celebration of UN Day on October 27 to discuss “Why the World Needs the UN and the UN needs US.” We will feature as principal speakers UNDP Assistant-Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja and U.S. State Department Liaison to the UN Laurel Rapp. We will also be honoring four local organizations that are implementing the SDGs at the local level: the Afya Foundation; the GEMS Program of the YWCA, White Plains and Central Westchester; Feeding Westchester; and Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE). UN Day is the most important day of the year for our members, and we urge you to participate in the program.

I close with the sad news of e the passing of one of our most prominent UNA-USA members and a former President of the Southern NY State Division of UNA-USA, Jeanne (Ginger) Betsock Stillman. A tribute to her is contained in this newsletter. Finally, we were also very sorry to learn of the passing of another amazing member and leader of our chapter, Marcia Wallace. Both of these outstanding women will be very much missed on a personal level, and their invaluable contributions to the Association will leave a difficult void to fill.

With thanks for your time and continued support,

Marcia Brewster

2024 UNA Westchester Media Contest Winner Announced

Congratulations to student and artist Kal-El Drew, the winner of this year's UNA Westchester Media Contest! Kal-El is a senior in the IB program at Mt Vernon High School. With him is his teacher, Ms Laina Jones of the Foreign Language Department.

A UNA Westchester Leader to Watch

UNA Westchester Vice President Paul Presendieu was recently honored by the Clinton Global Initiative during their 2024 meeting as one of 50 Climate & Justice Leaders to Watch in the United States of America.

Please join us in congratulating Paul!

Report from the Field: Namibia & Botswana

from Marcia Brewster

Three former United Nations colleagues and I had an extraordinary visit to the Southern Africa countries of Namibia and Botswana in July 2024. I had become interested in Namibia, because of a remarkable young Fulbright Scholar who was an intern in my office around 2005-6. She was from Northern Namibia, called Owamboland and had grown up carrying water to the household. We were fortunate to be able to meet her in Windhoek before the adventure started.

Namibia and Botswana have the most amazing wildlife in the world, and both have very low population densities (around 10-12 persons per sq. mi). Each has between 2.5 and 3 million people in vast territories. Although much of their landscape is desert, Namibia has majestic rivers on its north and north-eastern borders and Botswana boasts the inland Okavango Delta. Victoria Falls lies just to the northeast, where the two countries come together with Zimbabwe and Zambia.

READ MORE ON UNAWESTCHESTER.ORG

In Loving Memory

Jeanne (Ginger) Betsock Stillman, tireless advocate for global public health, justice,

and women’s rights, passed away on August 28, 2024 at the age of 81. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, David Stillman, three children and three cherished grandchildren.

Ginger’s life was one of global impact and commitment. She lived in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Togo, Ghana, Pakistan, and Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, and frequently traveled for work to Tunisia and Nigeria. Her career as a director, international consultant, and project manager spanned over 20 countries. She designed and led training programs in women’s health, HIV/AIDS, and curriculum development. She created prize-winning videos and a series on United Nations concerns, was an associate editor and contributor to the International Encyclopedia of Population, and established her own consulting firm, Strategies for Development.

Ginger was an active leader in the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), serving 6 years as President of the Southern New York State Division and as its Vice President for local chapter development. She played a key role in revitalizing UNA Members Day at the UN and co-chaired the UNA-USA Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for several years. She won a Leadership Award from the UNA Southern NYS Division and a Lifetime Achievement Award from UNA-USA.

Ginger’s advocacy and leadership also extended to work on the board of the Public Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF), a nonprofit she co-founded with her husband in 2007. She organized and helped lead seminars at the UN and projects on renewable energy, women & girls’ empowerment and other subjects in Haiti, the Dominican

Republic, and Madagascar.

Ginger was involved with activities at Grace Episcopal Church in Hastings-on-Hudson. She was an avid reader and traveler, passionate about political news, and loved amateur theater. She encouraged her children and grandchildren to participate in plays, musicals, and recitals. Ginger will be remembered as a generous and dynamic woman with a heart for service. Known for her excellent communication skills, she was loved and respected in every community she touched. Her advocacy, care, and dedication to others left an indelible mark on everyone who knew her.

Ginger graduated from The American University’s School of International Service in Washington, DC, where she met her husband, David. She then earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and undertook doctoral coursework at Columbia University.

2024 Calendar of Upcoming Public Events for UNA Westchester

October 27, 2024 | UN Day

March 9, 2025 | International Women's Day

May 4, 2025 | Annual Meeting & Earth Day

Now …

would be the perfect time for ALL our friends to join as Members.  

Remember, Students Join Free!  Thank you!

You can become a member easily by going to https://unausa.org/join/. Make sure to click on Westchester in the drop-down box. If you are a student aged 12-25, it’s free. Youth membership is $25.00. For all others, first year membership is only $50.00.

If you prefer to send a check, include your full name, address, phone number, email, and chapter location (Westchester, of course!) and mail to:

Memberships

UNA-USA 

PO Box 96397 

Washington, DC 20090-6397

MASTHEAD & SUBMISSIONS

Editor

Raina Kadavil

Line Editor

Marcia Brewster

Online Placement

Nicole Butterfield

Social Media Editor

Raina Kadavil

UNA WESTCHESTER LEADERSHIP

Officers

Marcia Brewster, President

Demetrios Mihailidis and Paul Presendieu, Vice Presidents

Karen Rockwell El-Badry, Secretary

Professor Victor Petenkemani, Treasurer

Daniel Bena, Nominating Chair

Directors

Nicole Butterfield, Membership Chair

J Yuhanna Edwards, Advocacy Chair

Colleen Gardephe

Nikolina Gelmanovski, Program Chair

Raina Kadavil, Communications Chair

Tricia Baldes

Robina Singh

Craig Donnelly

Photos: Reprinted from un.org, www.unawestchester.org, and other related sources.



Have your work published in the UNA Westchester Global Connections! Send submissions to the Editor at rainakadavil@gmail.com for consideration.