Volume 31 #1 | January 2022
Celebrating 60 YEARS Since Our inception in 1962
as an ad hoc "committee" summoned by "UN DPI" to assist in planning a conference, to 1998 when we were Incorporated in the US as a 501c3 NGO, to today when NGO partnerships associated with UN DGC goals ARE GNECs work and mission.
Perspectives from the Global NGO Community
1992-2022 • Celebrating 30 years of
The NGO Reporter
Connecting NGOs, the Media, and Civil Society Networks to issues and commentary
from and for the1500+ UN DGC Affiliates throughout the world
A Message from the President

Welcome to the new year: our 60th Anniversary Celebration! We are so happy that you are part of our past, present, and hopefully, our future.

We are proud to announce new services in 2022 and beyond for our constituents:
• Free use of our Zoom account,
• The burgeoning Innovation Academy Platform (see below),
• Featured placement on our Home page, and
• Highlighted articles in the NGO Reporter.

The GNEC is pleased to announce new relations with:
HUDSON FERRIS - a boutique development firm, and
BROOKLYN STORY LAB - a media firm dedicated to a variety of content solutions, including documentaries on NGOs working to fulfill the SDGs.

Both firms will help GNEC tell OUR COLLECTIVE STORIES, assist in raising more opportunities for in-kind support (including office space in mid-town for when you come visit and need a place to meet!), and perhaps even fundraising to directly support some associated NGOs in the future. Watch this space!
THE GNEC: FIRST BRIEFING 2022

Education During Emergencies and Emerging Digital Responses
Jan 24, 12:00PM - 2:00PM EST
This webinar will highlight the challenges of global education during crises and the critical digital solutions needed to support students, teachers, and caregivers.
Join us as we celebrate International Education Day and learn how digital responses can support equity in education during emergencies. This webinar is free of charge but registration is required.
BTW: IF YOU RECEIVE THE E-SURVEY, BELOW, PLEASE REPLY ASAP!

Look for this e-survey (below) in your mailbox. This is going to be sent ONLY to those emails we have not heard from in quite some time. If we do not receive a reply, we will delete that email from our list. So, IF the announcement below arrives in your IN box, please reply, or, if you prefer, update or replace the existing account, but know it will be deleted if there is no reply (or you request that we delete the contact). We are just trying to keep our list updated and current – thank you in advance! :-))
"• Recovery from the pandemic — with a bold plan to vaccinate every person, everywhere.
• Recovery for our economies — with wealthier countries supporting the developing world with financing, investment, and debt relief.
• Recovery from mistrust and division — with a new emphasis on science, facts, and reason.
• Recovery from conflicts — with a renewed spirit of dialogue, compromise, and reconciliation.
• And recovery for our planet — with climate commitments that match the scale and urgency of the crisis."
United Nations Secretary-General
António Guterres
Our Ocean Conference in Palau – Call for Youth Delegates and Side Event proposals

Submitted by Peace Boat

Peace Boat joins an International working group of organizations supporting the seventh Our Ocean Conference on 16 and 17 February 2022, to be held in the Republic of Palau. This marks the first time that the Our Ocean Conference will be hosted by a Small Island Developing State.

The theme of the conference is "Our Ocean, Our People, Our Prosperity," which will draw on Palau's rich tradition as an ocean society and focus on islander perspectives and approaches to ensuring the health of our ocean. The conference will be a key moment for countries, civil society, industry, and youth to commit to concrete and significant actions to protect the ocean.

The 7th Our Ocean Conference invites proposals for side events to be held on February 16 and 17 of 2022 in Koror, Palau. Side events will highlight concrete actions that help address the main threats facing our ocean, and that foster and strengthen partnerships for ambitious ocean action.
Application Deadline is January 7. https://ourocean2022.pw/side-events 

Recognizing that the connection to our ocean must be nurtured with each generation, Our Ocean 2022 will highlight the contributions of young leaders who are innovating and advocating to protect our oceans.
As the world picks up speed in its race against climate change and moves forward from the 2021 Glasgow Climate Change Conference, let’s look at 10 key global events in 2022 that will shape critical conversations and influence public policy decisions around one of the most defining issues of our time.
LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOU
Associated NGOs: Articles about upcoming or recent UN SDG-related events or position papers; media releases; descriptive videos
are ALL WELCOME FOR OUR REVIEW: TO POST HERE, ONLINE,
OR ON OUR NEW PODCAST INTERVIEW SERIES!

• OUR LATEST SURVEY TO ALL CONSTITUENTS: Includes a place for YOUR NGO to request an interview by our new PODCAST TEAM!

Beginning in the Spring, GNEC will conduct podcast interviews for dissemination on social media and wherever podcasts are able to be downloaded – AND YOUR NGO IS INVITED TO APPLY FOR CONSIDERATION. Check out the survey we will send this week and reply soon for early consideration!

• ALSO SEND ARTICLES: A Regular Series
The NGO Reporter is pleased to highlight the work of our friends and constituents. Are you associated with UN DGC? If so, please send us articles no more than 600 words or videos no more than two minutes in length about your UN-related work and especially highlighting upcoming, online events worldwide. We'd love to hear from you.

• ONLINE: Our Second Highlighted Associated NGO is currently featured on our homepage.
Visit us at GNEC.NGO to learn more!


As indicated in the previous message, beginning in February 2022, the Department of Global Communications will resume its process of issuing grounds passes for UNHQ in New York.
To ensure a safe and healthy environment, completed COVID-19 vaccination will be required for all civil society representatives accessing the UN Headquarters complex in New York. Accordingly, to apply for grounds passes for UNHQ in New York, the head of each organization will have to confirm in writing that the designated representatives have complied with the mandatory vaccination requirements, based on the head of the organization’s verification of the representatives’ proof of vaccination, and will adhere to the COVID-19 related mandatory risk mitigation measures put in place by the United Nations for its headquarters in New York. Please note that mandatory vaccination requirements entail the completion of the full course of a COVID-19 vaccine recognized by the WHO or by a national health authority (i.e. the expected number of doses of the vaccine have been administered), with an appropriate official record from the administering body.
 
A sample letter to be signed by the head of the organization requesting grounds passes will be shared with each organization together with further instructions. Please note that requests for grounds passes will not be approved if the letter does not include the confirmation of full vaccination against COVID-19 for each designated representative.

In this first step of the return of civil society to the UNHQ complex, and to maintain a safe level of occupancy, three (3) grounds passes only will be issued per organization. We will continue to monitor the situation and review this measure as necessary.

While at the UNHQ complex, civil society representatives are also expected to comply with all mandatory risk-mitigation measures implemented by the United Nations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes practicing physical distancing and wearing a mask at all times indoors when in public areas, including lobbies, elevators, and restrooms, as well as during participation at meetings and events. Eating and drinking should be limited to when seated in a café. In addition, to align with the mandatory requirements/guidance of the host state, all representatives should be prepared to show proof of vaccination if requested to do so by UN personnel, including in order to access seated indoor dining at UNHQ.

These measures will be continuously reviewed and adjusted, depending on how the health situation evolves and on the regulations of the host state and the United Nations. Please note that there could be a resumption of restrictions should the COVID-19 situation in New York deteriorate. The competent UN offices and bodies will continue to monitor the situation and our office will keep you updated of any new developments.

Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring a smooth and safe return of civil society representatives to the United Nations Headquarters in New York. We look forward to welcoming you back and reiterate our commitment to fully support you in engaging in the work of the United Nations.
FOR OUR COVID TIMES:

Stay up to date with the UN's full calendar of meetings and events streaming LIVE and ON DEMAND from the United Nations on the newly redesigned UN Web TV website. 
THE GLOBAL NGO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Publishers of the NGO Reporter, the recently renamed Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC), was founded to create a link between the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC; formerly Department of Public Information) and the Non-Governmental Organizations associated with it. It is composed of 18 elected members and encourages and assists NGOs, as members of civil society, to communicate their interests to UN DGC and to support United Nations' goals and objectives. In partnership with the United Nations Department of Global Communication, the Global NGO Executive Committee co-produces the UN Civil Society Conference and affiliated activities for the 1500+ DGC-associated NGOs around the world. 

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USEFUL WEBSITE REFERENCES
 

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NGO REPORTER 
ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

WE REQUEST THAT YOU SUBMIT YOUR UN/NGO RELATED ARTICLES FOR CONSIDERATION.

Please refer to the article submission guidelines for the NGO Reporter. SEE DETAILS

Exhaustive investigations demonstrate that a Volume of the NGO Reporter, under Founder and former Editor Dorrie Weiss, was in its fifth year in 1997. Begun in 1992, then, that would make 2022 its 31st consecutive year of publication. Its free subscriber list includes NGO leaders associated with UNDGC (see above), as well as UN and other media, and all those interested in UN-related, NGO activities at UNHQ and worldwide that are created or promoted by the Global NGO Executive Committee, editor, staff, and of course, the UN DGC-associated NGOs across the globe.
 
Prior to her passing, Ms. Weiss mentored Patrick, as Editor, and later invited Dr. Lester Wilson onboard. They became its co-editors for nearly two decades, assisted in large measure by the dearly departed Joan Levy, and former site manager Isaac Humphries. Ms. Annie Deng became a Contributing Editor in 2020 and board member Ms. Dakota Silver, along with the GNEC Webmaster, L2 Web Media Group, has assisted with online placement and social media relations. To all our volunteers, especially those on the NGO Reporter Sub-Committee, we remain eternally grateful.

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The Global NGO Executive Committee works closely with the United Nations Department of Global Communications

Visit the Global NGO Executive Committee website here
 
MAILING ADDRESS: 
Global NGO Executive Committee
c/o P. Sciarratta
P.O. Box 91
Mamaroneck, NY 10543

Fannie Munlin
National Council of Negro Women
Ex-Officio, Past President

Liberato Bautista & 
Soon-Young Yoon
Ex-Officio, CoNGO 

Aaron Etra
UNA-USA
Pro Bono Attorney
EDITORIAL BOARD 

NGO Reporter 

Members 

President, Global NGO Executive Committee
Patrick Sciarratta
 
Contributing Editor
Lance Gould
Brooklyn Story Lab

NGO Reporter Site Technician
Darrick Hatwood
L2 Web Media Group
 
Design Associate
Cristina Fan
World Development Foundation


 
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS 
Patrick L. Sciarratta ([email protected]



GLOBAL NGO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2021-23

OFFICERS

President: Patrick Sciarratta
NGO: World Development Foundation, Inc.

1st VP: Dr. Padmini Murthy
NGO: American Medical Women’s Association

2nd VP: Nadine Clopton
NGO: Caring and Living As Neighbours

Secretary: Debra T. Boudreaux
NGO: Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Treasurer: Kevin Merges
NGO: Rutgers Preparatory School
 
Directors
Alexandra Abrams
NGO: World Council of Peoples for the United Nations
Amb. Olasubomi Iginla Aina MBE. 
NGO: Light Up Foundation
Desiree Akhavan
NGO: Mona Foundation
Noël Bonam 
NGO: Association For World Education
Wayne Charles II  
NGO: Rotary International
Dasse Diarra
NGO: Olof Palme Peace Foundation International
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia  
NGO: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Ediola Pashollari 
NGO: World Assembly of Youth
Aimée Quinlan
NGO: The City College of New York NGO
Dr. Constance (Connie) Sobon Sensor
NGO: The League of Women Voters of the United States
Dakota Silver
NGO: International Public Relations Association (IPRA)
Sandra Timmerman
NGO: International Federation on Ageing
(Ms) Bircan Ünver, M.A. 
NGO: The Light Millennium

New Logo Design
Richard Yep
American Counseling Association
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DEPARTMENT OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS *
LEADERSHIP STAFF, RELATING DIRECTLY TO ASSOCIATED NGOS

Andi Gitow
UN DGC Outreach Division
Chief, Civil Society, Advocacy, and Special Events

Hawa Diallo
UN DGC NGO Relations
Public Information Officer
 
Felipe Quiepo
UN DGC NGO Relations 
Public Information Officer

* UN Department of Global Communications (UNDGC; previously UN Department of Public Information, UNDPI).