Digital Communications and its Impact on Peace, Security & Human Rights

Organized in collaboration with the Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC) in observance of UN Day

Date: 26 October 2023
Time: 11 am - 12:30 pm

VIRTUAL / ZOOM
Registration: https://bit.ly/CSOComms23

This workshop will examine and provide tools to help NGOs digitally communicate accurate and reliable information on peace, security, and human rights focusing on combatting hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation.

Watch the recording here.

Welcoming Remarks
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Stephanie Cardi has a distinguished career at the United Nations, spanning over six years. As a Public Information Assistant within the Civil Society Unit, she dedicates her time to website management, association, and digital communication. Her United Nations journey includes managing the English and Kiswahili United Nations social media accounts demonstrating prowess in corporate social media and strategic planning. Before that, Stephanie was a tour guide at the United Nations Headquarters, offering guided tours in multiple languages, including English, French, German, and Italian. Her expertise in public speaking and exceptional customer service contributed to a memorable visitor experience.

Stephanie's career isn't limited to the United Nations; she has also leveraged her skills in the art world, coordinating social media for institutions like PR Firm, Fitz & Co., and managing marketing campaigns for Italian glass-making company Bormioli Rocco and other well-known art institutions in Rome & New York City.

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Uwem Robert Otu is the Interim President of the Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC), formerly known as the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, having served as the 1st Vice President of GNEC. He was appointed to the Collaboration Committee of Civil Society Organisations for the United Nations Development System Review process convened by the United Nations Secretary-General in October 2017. Before joining GNEC, he was engaged as the Pioneer Country Chair of the Global Network for Disaster Risk Reduction - an implementing center of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. He was the founding President of the African Youth Movement.

He holds an International Diploma in Environmental Pollution Control from the Institute of Science, Research and Technology in Tunisia and a Diploma in Water Information Management from UNESCO-IHE University in Delft, Netherlands. He has a Master's degree in Industrial Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri,  Imo State, Nigeria.  He is active on United Nations issues, having addressed the United Nations twice at the 58th Annual UNDPINGO Conference in New York and at the 65th Annual UNDPINGO Conference in New York in 2014. He has also spoken at the Civil Society Townhall with the President of the General Assembly in 2021 and 2023.

He was the elected representative of the United Nations Global Youth Forum (GYF) in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2002 and presented the Youth outcome document to the Heads of Government at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is the pioneer Speaker of the Students’ Union Government, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Moderators
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Brian Keenan Muzás graduated summa cum laude with a B.S.E. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University in 1996. Although courses in space, energy, and environmental policy foreshadowed his 2013 Ph.D. from the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, he first used a National Science Foundation Fellowship to obtain an M.S. in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology in 1998. He then entered Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University (SHU). After receiving an M.Div. in pastoral ministry, an M.A. in systematic theology, and two John Paul II Medals for academic accomplishment, Father Muzás was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003.

Assigned to a parish, he used his days off to teach computer science or international relations at SHU and to work in the NGO community at the United Nations, eventually serving two terms as Secretary of what was then the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, as well as co-chairing numerous NGO annual conference subcommittees. Ultimately, a Harrington Doctoral Fellowship allowed Father Muzás to unify all aspects of his background at LBJ, where he researched American presidents, religions, and nuclear weapons.

Now an assistant professor at SHU’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Father Muzás directs SHU’s Center for United Nations and Global Governance Studies and serves as Treasurer of the Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC). His research interests include international security, human security, and ethics. 

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Ediola Pashollari is of Albanian nationality, and she currently resides in New York, USA. She holds a Master in Entreprenology (USA), a Master in Business Administration (UK), a Master of Arts in Political Science (UK), and also a Bachelor's Degree in LLB (UK). She is the  Secretary General of the World Assembly of Youth (WAY), which is headquartered in Melaka, Malaysia.

She currently holds the position of Interim Co-President of the Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC). She has received several awards and medals throughout her career. She is an experienced public speaker. For the past 15 years, she has delivered various keynote speeches, papers, and presentations and conducted several workshops, trainings, and consultations on empowerment and leadership of young people and related youth issues, such as education, employment, environment, human rights, democracy, population, health, drugs, peace, gender equality, community development, leadership training, and SDGs. 

Spotlight on UN News Products
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Mita Hosali is responsible for the News and Content Branch, the main content-producing arm of the UN's Department of Global Communications.
Under her leadership, the UN’s flagship multimedia news service in 10 languages called UN News (incorporating legacy brands of UN News Centre and UN Radio), responsible for multimedia news and story-telling content about the UN's activities around the world in the six UN official languages, as well as Kiswahili, Portuguese, Hindi, and Urdu. She has also been responsible for the team introducing several notable audio podcast series available on iTunes, Spotify, and SoundCloud, such as The Lid is On and a Climate Action podcast called No Denying It.  In addition, she is responsible for the UN team, producing video programming for broadcast and digital media outlets, as well as news videos and social media video content. UN News and Video programmes have a digital interface, and content can be followed on the @UNNews social media platforms, by free subscription to stories and via the UN News app for mobile devices. Ms. Hosali has undertaken a vigorous process of change management to recast the UN's content production output to meet evolving consumer habits while continuing to meet the needs of audiences that use traditional media. Prior to that, she worked on strategic communications in a team under Secretaries-General Ban Ki-moon and Kofi Annan.

A national of India, she has a Master's degree in International Relations from Yale University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the London School of Economics. She is proficient in English, French, Spanish, and two Indian languages, Hindi and Bengali. She serves as DGC’s Multilingual Coordinator and is extremely proud of her diverse, multilingual team.

Anton Uspenskiy, UN News and Media Division 

Panel Discussion: Digital Communications and its Impact on Peace, Security, and Human Rights 
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Honourable Peace Regis Mutuuzo, Minister of State for Gender and Culture Affairs in the Government of Uganda 

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Adriane Berg is an Emmy-winning broadcaster and founder of Generation Bold Consulting, helping companies reach the boomer and mature markets. Adriane hosts the podcast Ageless Traveler, www.agelesstraveler.com on iTunes and Spotify, a community of lifelong travelers and an adjunct to her Ageless Ambassador Program to train volunteers in better advocacy. 

Adriane hosts On the Ground, the podcast of the Global NGO Executive Committee of the United Nations, is a United Nations Representative for the International Federation on Aging, and a member of the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, with a recurring column Word That Are Trending for the NGOCOA-NY Newsletter. 

Her online course, “Speak Out! Communication- 5-Minute Recipe to Move, Touch, and Inspire Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime,” has been delivered to multiple non-profit and advocacy organizations and is available on www.speakoutcommunication.com.  

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Jason Xu is a distinguished 17-year-old leader, speaker, and programmer who is passionate about change. 
Although he is young, he has gained international recognition for his projects, some of which have amassed the attention of world leaders. He has also exhibited and spoken at multiple international conferences for a total audience of over 100,000 people. In the past two years, he has worked extensively with the United Nations and the Global NGO Executive Committee to implement impactful solutions to humanitarian crises. He has also helped build three startups and raised over $1.2 million USD. Some of his projects have been used by tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft. He is interested in computer science, technology, entrepreneurship, and biotechnology.

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Ruoyu Xu is a decorated developer and passionate speaker.
He is only 15, being one of the youngest to advance to the highest, Platinum (3%), division in the United States of America Coding Olympiad (USACO) at 14. He hopes to one day be a gold medalist in the International Olympiad of Informatics (IOI). Outside of his love for data structures and algorithms, Ruoyu likes to voice change and use his knowledge of programming to empower it. Early this year, Ruoyu presented one of his projects at the Education Can't Wait's High-Level Financing Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, marking his inaugural appearance overseas. He also enjoys game development and co-runs channels with Jason, which has over 250k views. He is interested in computer science, algorithms, technology, and sustainability.

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Her Worship, Sheran “Sharon” Constance Palacio, born February 17, 1965, holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Santa Clara, Cuba. 
Palacio is a farm owner of Palacio’s Mountain Retreat and plants soursop and limes. She created, owns, and manages one NGO, Youth for World Peace.  Her NGO was established in 2004 and is dedicated to carrying out Service Learning Opportunities /Cultural Immersion/Homestay/Land and Sea Adventure for professionals, professors, faculty, and students.  Palacio is a well-known spokesperson and diabetes ambassador as she is interested in the prevention, reversal, or elimination of Type 2 Diabetes and is the owner/manager of a nine-year-old Diabetes Marathon.