In Loving Memory
“As you were, so you will always be—forever cherished in our hearts and memories.”
This page is a heartfelt tribute to those dear members of AFICS/NY who have passed on. Here, we gather to honor their lives, celebrate their contributions, and preserve the precious memories they left behind. Whether through photos, poems, or personal stories, this space is dedicated to keeping their spirits alive in our community.
We invite visitors to share announcements of passing and funeral arrangements or to leave short tributes using the attached form. Please know that all content shared here is carefully reviewed and approved by our administrators to ensure it remains a respectful and loving reflection of our members.
May their memories continue to inspire and bring us together.
Mrs. Neylan Ayse Bali
It is with deep sadness that AFICS/NY announces the passing of its lifetime member, Mrs. Neylan Ayse Bali, who passed away at her home in New York on April 3, 2025.
Mrs. Bali was a distinguished former Director of the United Nations Security Council Affairs Division, having served the Organization with dedication for over 33 years. She was widely respected and admired for her professionalism, integrity, and her unwavering commitment to women's equality and global peace. The late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan once described her as the "institutional memory of the Security Council."
Mrs. Bali is survived by her beloved husband, two daughters, a stepson and four cherished grandchildren. To her colleagues at the United Nations and among the AFICS/NY community, she will be deeply missed.
A memorial service was held in her honour on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., at the United Nations Church Center Chapel, located at 777 United Nations Plaza (corner of 44th Street and First Avenue), across from the United Nations Headquarters.
A fuller obituary, as published in The New York Times, can be read [here].
Colleagues passed recently
2025 Q2
2025 Q1
Savitri Persaud, AFICS/NY life member since 2005, 17 March 2025
Sandra Haji-Ahmed, +26 February 2025 with appreciation from UNHQ NY iSeek
AFICS/NY Governing Board member
www.sandrahajiahmed.com
Jamna Israni, 22 February 2025
Obituary for Mary-Lynn Hanley, AFICS/NY Bulletin's long-time editor and Governing Board member, NY, 5 February 2025
(In picture at the UN Day 2017)
Obituary for Dr. Ajit M. Banerjee
5 April 1935 - 25 January 2025
Obituary for Thord Palmlund
10 May 1931 - 14 December 2024
Ahsen Aziz Chowdhury, Former AFICS/NY Governing Board member, 30 March 2024
Carlos Noriega, UNFCU, December 2022
Loreta A. Krist, Service, 30 October 2023
Honorary Gov. Board member, Jane Weidlund Memorial Service on 19 November 2021; Interment at Arlington cemetery, 17 December 2024
Loris I. Battin, former Editor at UNHQ NY, 14 March 2021