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UN Forum 2010 highlights from una-uk on Vimeo. |
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On 12 June 2010 UNA-UK held a major one-day civil society event in London entitled 'UN Forum: for a more secure and just world'.
The purpose of the event was to highlight the pressing challenges facing the UN today, and to stimulate thought and debate on how to make the Organisation stronger, more credible and more effective.
Over 1,400 people participated in the event, at which H.E. Helen Clark; H.E. Mary Robinson; and Dr Hans Blix delivered keynote speeches. A host of panel discussions and workshops also took place.
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See the sections below for a summary of their speeches and to access the presentations.
 Helen Clark, Mary Robinson and Hans Blix deliver major speeches at UNA-UK’s UN Forum 2010 |
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Helen Clark calls for action on the MDGs
The opening speech was delivered by H.E. Helen Clark, head of the UN Development Programme, who spoke about what is needed to accelerate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the UN’s flagship development initiative.
While noting the many successes that have been achieved, she also pointed to the recent concurrent crises – financial, food, fuel and climate – that are all conspiring to thwart progress. Ms Clark delivered a call to action, for governments and civil society, saying “it is critical now to inject momentum and a sense of urgency”, ahead of the UN’s high-level summit in September.
>> biography
>> speech [transcript]
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Mary Robinson: why people should centre the climate debate
H.E. Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, used her speech to reflect on the climate between development, climate change and human rights, saying ‘we will not make lasting progress in any of these areas unless we make progress on all of them’.
She argued that the customary public image of climate change – a polar bear stranded on a shrinking ice floe – was profound but only begins to capture the real picture. Instead, we must focus on people: farmers coping with unpredictable weather and poor harvests, coastal inhabitants threatened by inexorable sea level rise, and those affected by disasters such as the BP oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico.
>> biography
>> speech [transcript]
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Hans Blix stresses military strikes on North Korea and Iran should not be an option
In his wide-ranging address on nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and security, Dr Blix (who headed the International Atomic Energy Agency) noted that ‘the world will change much between 2010 and 2050. Interdependence will continue to accelerate – in climate, finance, diseases… A world without nuclear weapons will not be today’s world minus nuclear weapons!’
He praised US President Obama for placing nuclear disarmament on the global agenda and for taking those steps that were within his power to take, e.g. rapidly setting in motion the US-Russia START negotiations and allowing for direct talks with adversaries such as Iran and North Korea.
Despite calls for military action, Dr Blix maintained that a strike against North Korea is not an option, as Seoul was within artillery of the DPRK. Instead, he recommended that continued economic pressures combined with offers of assistance and diplomatic relations must be pursued.
Regarding Iran, Dr Blix said ‘after the Iraq war it is a bit surprising that no one seems to discuss the legality of an armed action against Iran. In my view, there is no way an attack on Iran could be legal’ as no state can contend that alleged nuclear weapon intentions constitute an ‘armed attack’ giving legitimising armed action in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
He also offered some innovative ideas on how moving the world closer towards nuclear zero. For instance, he argued that if the point of a missile shield is not protection from Russia and China but rather against reckless governments, why don’t the US, Europe, Russia and China develop it together?
>> biography
>> speech [transcript]
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BBC 5 live interview with Dr Hans Blix (approx. 2hrs48 into the show) |
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| Sessions: UN reform, human rights, humanitarian action, gender, education, careers & more |
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Throughout the day, a number of panel debates and workshops also took place, including a high-level discussion on practical ways to make the UN more effective, hosted by the BBC’s Zeinab Badawi.
Click here to view a programme of the days events.
Click here for speaker biographies
PANELS
Panel: Practical ways to make the UN more effective
- Chair: Zeinab Badawi, Presenter, BBC World News Today
- Dame Margaret Anstee DCMG, former UN Under-Secretary-General [presentation]
- Dr Abiodun Williams, Vice-President of the Center for Conflict Analysis
- Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani, Dean and Professor in the Practice of Public Policy at the NUS
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>> watch a video of the panel online [vimeo] |
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Panel: Is there accountability for human rights violations?
- Chair: Lord Hannay of Chiswick
- Elizabeth Wilmshurst CMG, Associate Fellow of International Law, Chatham House [presentation]
- Sir Nigel Rodley, Member, UN Human Rights Committee and Chair, Essex Human Rights Centre
- Susan Hyland, Head of Human Rights and Democracy Group, Foreign Commonwealth Office [presentation]
 Download podcast here, right click & "save target as" (duration 75mins)
Panel: On the ground: humanitarian challenges in the 21st century
- Chair: Sir Nicholas Young, Chief Executive, British Red Cross
- Roland Schilling, UK Representative, UN Refugee Agency [presentation]
- David Bull, Executive Director, UNICEF UK
- Peter Scott-Bowden, Pandemic Preparedness & Response Coordinator, World Food Programme [presentation]
- Yolanda Foster, South Asia team, Amnesty International
Download podcast here, right click & "save target as" (duration 61mins)
WORKSHOPS
Workshop: So you want to be the next Secretary-General? Careers at the UN [presentation]
Chair: Natalie Samarasinghe, Head of Communications, UNA-UK
Janos Tisovszky, Deputy Director, UN Regional Information Centre (Brussels)
Isabella Hayward, President, UNA-UK’s youth wing (UNYSA)
Download podcast here, right click & "save target as" (duration 68mins)
>> Click here for more information about careers in the UN
Workshop: Peace, development and human rights – pressing UN issues for women [presentation]
Chair: Suzanne Long, UNA-UK Women’s Advisory Council
Charlotte Onslow, Senior Gender Policy Advisor, International Alert
Kathryn Colvin CVO, UNIFEM UK
Charlotte Gage, Policy Officer, Women’s Resource Centre [presentation]
Workshop: Learning about the UN Matters – an interactive session for teachers [presentation]
Facilitator: Mary Morrison, UNESCO UK consultant
Download podcast here, right click & "save target as" (duration 65mins)
Workshop: Getting to zero [presentation]
Carol Naughton, Senior Associate, ACRONYM Institute
Plus Global Zero, Youth representatives
Download podcast here, right click & "save target as" (duration 59mins)
Workshop: Working for good: practical tips for young professionals in business [presentation]
Susannah Anastasi, UNA-UK Young Professionals Network
Steve Kenzie, UN Global Compact UK Focal Point
Deb Leary, CEO, Forensic Pathways & Deputy Director, UNGC UK
Andy Mason, Group Sustainability Manager, RBS
Sandra MacLeod, Chief Executive, Echo Research
Hugh Elliott, International Government Relations Manager, Anglo-American plc
Download podcast here, right click & "save target as" (duration 59mins)
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| Britain and the UN |
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Britain and the UN
One of the aims of UN Forum, and of UNA-UK, is to demonstrate that the strong and effective UN is in the UK’s national interest.
Speaking at the event, Henry Bellingham MP, FCO Minister with responsibility for the UN, called for the UN to continue to provide strong leading in maintaining peace and security, saying that it is the only body with the legitimacy and moral authority to respond to global threats.
Noting that the FCO has been a partner of UNA-UK for 65 years, the Minister said that it was not in the UK’s character to isolate itself from global affairs, nor to have a foreign policy with a conscience. He also spoke of how the fco was fully supportive of the issues raised by Lord Hannay in his UNA-UK’s magazine, New World, on Britain’s priorities at the UN.
Click here to read the Minister’s full remarks
Click here to read Lord Hannay’s article in New World, p. 24
Click here to read about the event on the FCO’s website
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| UNA-UK reaches out to new audiences |
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UNA-UK reaches out to new audiences
UNA-UK was delighted to attract such a large audience to UN Forum, a large proportion of whom were new to UNA-UK.
In a message of support for the event, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “change does not come from the top down; it comes from the bottom up…That’s where you are – on the frontlines, in the vanguard, where need, vision and innovation combine to light a spark.
With little fanfare but great dedication, UNA-UK and its kindred groups across the world carry forth the core values of the United Nations: justice, human rights, equal opportunity. You influence decision-makers and engage the young.
I am most grateful for your commitment and I welcome the efforts of this UN Forum to bring our mission to new audiences and constituencies. Your people’s movement is helping us to build a better world.”
Click here to read the full message
Click here to become a member of UNA-UK
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