Importance of academia highlighted in the 40th session of the UN Committee on Information
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) reports each year to the Committee on Information (COI) through the report of the Secretary-General about the outreach services of the Department of Public Information. Here are some highlights of the 40th session:
07 May 2018 - During the general debate of the 40th session of the Committee on Information (COI) that was held last week at United Nations Headquarters in New York, a number of Member States of this intergovernmental body highlighted the critical importance of academia as a partner of the United Nations.
#SDGsinAcademia: Goal 2
As part of the ongoing campaign on the Sustainable Development Goals carried out by the United Nations, United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) is presenting a weekly series of articles on #SDGSinAcademia that highlights the importance of higher education in achieving the Goals. Featuring additional sources for use by faculty and students alike, this series is intended to inspire action on the SDGs and showcase activities and initiatives of UNAI member institutions.
07 May 2018 - This week we are featuring in our #SDGsinAcademia series Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Targets:
A gender and sexuality sensitization campaign in Indian universities: the 2015 UN-Making of Hate Diversity Contest winner GSSP team
I appeal to all governments and societies [...] to build a world where no one has to be afraid because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
What matters in the job market is what's in the head, not on it: the 2015 UN-Making of Hate Diversity Contest winner With or Without
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) presents a series of articles on some of the projects implemented by the recipients of the UN-Making of Hate Diversity Contest held in 2015. The contest was born out of a partnership between the UNHATE Foundation of United Colors of Benetton and UNAI oriented on young people's grassroots efforts in ending hate and intolerance. Ten projects from around the world were selected for their innovative solutions in tackling issues ranging from homophobia to racism, gender-based discrimination, homelessness, interethnic conflict, xenophobia and exclusion of persons with disabilities. In this article, Lara-Zuzan Golesorkhi, currently a part-time faculty at UNAI member institution City University of New York (CUNY) Queens College and a Ph.D.
#SDGsinAcademia: Goal 1
As part of the ongoing campaign on the Sustainable Development Goals carried out by the United Nations, United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) is presenting a weekly series of articles on #SDGSinAcademia that highlights the importance of higher education in achieving the Goals. Featuring additional sources for use by faculty and students alike, this series is intended to inspire action on the SDGs and showcase activities and initiatives of UNAI member institutions.
30 April 2018 - This week we are featuring in our #SDGsinAcademia series Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Targets:
Building Bridges in India
Our project, Building Bridges is a coalition between Enactus St. Mary's and GMR Varalkshmi Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to empower underprivileged youth throughout India. We specifically work with their trade school in Bengaluru, India. Every spring break for the past three years, Enactus students traveled to Bengaluru to work with the women of the trade school. Our work focuses on promoting economic growth and gender equality through coaching these women on how to develop a business plan, helping them develop entrepreneurial skills. Ultimately, our goal is to help these women increase their self-esteem and strengthen their business and innovation skills.
The Spotlight Initiative: Ending Violence against ALL Women and Girls
30 March 2018 – Earlier this month, the European Union (EU) and United Nations advanced on a global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls: the Spotlight Initiative: Ending Violence against ALL Women and Girls held in the Economic and Social Council Chamber (ECOSOC) at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The Initiative focuses attention on this issue by placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UN chief honours those who suffered shameful Transatlantic slave trade, urges respect for dignity of every human being
25 March 2018 - Honouring those who suffered the brutalities of the Transatlantic slave trade, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the International Day set aside to remember this epically shameful chapter of human history is an opportunity raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.
More than 15 million men, women and children from Africa were enslaved, Mr. Guterres pointed out in a video message for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, explaining its raison d'être to acknowledge a brutal chapter in human history, and to raise awareness of the dangers of racism and prejudice today.
Young Adult Voices at the Commission on the Status of Women
On the invitation of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) initiative, Phoebe Warren, Political Science and History major at UNAI member institution McGill University, Canada, has shared the experience of The International Relations Students' Association of McGill University (IRSAM) delegation to the sixty-second Commission on the Status of Women at United Nations Headquarters.
20 March 2018 - University students of international relations commonly learn about the principles and history of the United Nations and its functional commissions. While this background provides a strong basis for developing academic interests and exploring future careers, the opportunity to put theory into practice was recently given to eleven students from United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) member institution McGill University at the sixty-second Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
UN spotlights rainwater recycling, artificial wetlands among 'green' solutions to global water crisis
We need new solutions in managing water resources so as to meet emerging challenges to water security caused by population growth and climate change, said Audrey Azoulay, head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in the foreword of the UN World Water Development Report 2018.
If we do nothing, some five billion people will be living in areas with poor access to water by 2050, she added.
Brief ceasefire in Douma only piece of good news for civilians in war-torn Syria, UN envoy says
Let us hope that this ceasefire holds, because it is at least one [piece of] good news among very bad news, said Staffan de Mistura, Special Envoy for Syria, briefing the Security Council via videoconference from Brussels.
The UN envoy said that Russia and Jaish al-Islam held more meetings in the last few days, on the outskirts of Douma – the northernmost of the three opposition-controlled enclaves in Eastern Ghouta.
As a result of this engagement, a tenuous, fragile ceasefire between the Government, the Russian military and Jaish al Islam forces has continued to largely hold, for six days now, he said, noting however that this is only one part of Eastern Ghouta, and it is not being replicated in the rest of that area.
UN food relief agency and partners deliver much-needed aid to Syria's east Ghouta
The convoy carried wheat flour for 27,500 people in the city of Duma, as well as specialized nutritional supplies for malnourished children, and marked the first time in four months that WFP and its partners have reached the area. Aid workers also conducted food security, nutrition and medical assessments.
Eastern Ghouta, located near the capital, Damascus, has been under heavy bombardment, with more than 400,000 people experiencing shortages of food, fuel, medicines and drinking water.
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Eastern Ghouta where raging violence has paralyzed our response and our ability to reach families who desperately need help, said Jakob Kern, WFP Representative and Country Director in Syria.
On World Wildlife Day, UN joins call for protection of planet's big cats
2 March 2018 - This year, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message on World Wildlife Day, the spotlight falls on the world's big cats, which include species such as cheetahs, pumas and snow leopards, found from Africa to Asia and the Americas. These charismatic creatures are universally revered for their grace and power, yet they are increasingly in danger of extinction, he continued, noting the massive decline in their numbers.
United Nations Academic Impact members in action
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) aligns institutions of higher education with the United Nations in supporting and contributing to the realization of United Nations goals and mandates. The information contained in this article was extracted from a selection of the latest activity reports submitted by UNAI member institutions.
2 March 2018 - Conferences, lectures, field trips, Model UN, scientific research, interaction with the diplomatic world and a close approach to the local communities and more: the broad range of activities and events in many parts of the world organized by the member institutions of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) shows the commitment of these educational and research centers to the activities and concerns of the United Nations.
'Hell on earth' in Syria's eastern Ghouta must end – UN chief Guterres
26 February 2018 - Syria's war-battered east Ghouta, the troubled Kasais region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Northern Rakhine state in Myanmar, where violence has sparked a major exodus of Muslim Rohingyas, were all in the spotlight as the Geneva-based Human Rights Council opened its session today, with UN officials warning that these situations spiraled into crisis because not enough was done, early and collectively, to prevent the rising horrors.