The UN Dispatch blog reports that a number of Nobel Prize Laureates have expressed their support for the proposed UN Human Rights Council. Among the endorsing peace prize laureates are President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Ms. Jody Williams of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Category: United Nations
UN Human Rights Council close to agreement?
Last Thursday Jan Elliason, president of the General Assembly, issued a new draft resolution on the proposed UN Human Rights Council that he and the UN Secretary General hope will be adopted by the General Assembly this coming week. Several NGOs, including the group I work for CONGO as well as the International Federation of…
More discouraging advice on job hunting at the UN
I realize that my previous blog entry pre-supposed that you are interested in working for an NGO. You might really just be committed to human rights or peace or women’s rights and want to work for an organization that defends those principles. So the obvious route is to seek work at the United Nations. The…
How to find a job at an NGO at the UN
I’ve been working in the United Nations NGO (non-governmental organization) universe for more than ten years. Over that time I have run into many, many eager young people wanting to find a way to break into the NGO business. Many of them have come to me after fruitless searches for any available openings in their…
More on the UN Secretary General Non-race
I posted a couple of weeks ago about the UN swapping out Secretary General’s by the end of the year. Just found out about another website devoted to the mostly hidden race for the UN Secretary General seat at http://www.UNSGselection.org. It’s run by my old crew at the World Federalist Movement, an organization convinced that…
Atari’s for all the world children! My WSIS briefing at the UN
The following is the talk that I gave for the Department of Public Information NGO Briefing yesterday at the United Nations. DPI/NGO Briefing on WSIS \2 February 2006 Remarks by Rik Panganiban Atari Story When I was eight years old, what I wanted more than anything in the world was an Atari video game system….
Advertising for the greater good?
The UN News Centre reports that the United Nations recently awarded several advertising agencies for developing campaigns that raised awareness of various humanitarian and development issues, such as the plight of slum dwellers and child abuse. This year’s winners were: Leo Burnett Publicidade Ltda (Brazil) for “Favela”, a print advertisement to raise awareness about poverty;…
UN backs $100 laptop project
I have previously blogged about MIT’s $100 Laptop project for the developing world. Yesterday, the United Nations announced that it has joined in support of the “One Laptop Per Child” initiative. This will hopefully give the project much more of the attention and support it deserves. Kemal Dervis, head administrator of the UN Development Program,…
Blog tracks UN Secretary General Race
My pal Tony Fleming sent me a link to a new blog he is running called “Who will be the next Secretary General?” Although the name sounds like a really bad reality TV show, in fact its a very informative and up-to-the-minute website tracking the selection process of the next UN Secretary General. Kofi Annan’s…
The International Language of Dance
There aren’t often events that combine my interests in the United Nations and dance. But on January 26 there will be a discussion with choreographer Bill T. Jones on “The Role of Modern Dance in International Dialogue.” It will take place at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium at the UN at 12:30 pm. Sponsored by…