Supporters stress U.N.’s importance on a little-known holiday.
By: Dennis O’Neill
Halloween is the holiday that many people associate with the United Nations. Most of us are familiar with the little cardboard coin boxes that we carried as children trick-or-treating house to house in search of goodies and spare change for UNICEF. But few of us woke up this morning expecting to be greeted with hearty salutations of "Happy United Nations Day!"
The U. N. charter was conceived in San Francisco in the spring of 1945 and officially given birth on October 24. Two years later the United States sponsored a resolution that was adopted by the General Assembly and the first United Nations Day was observed throughout the world on October 24, 1947.
Since then the observance of U. N. Day has expanded from solely symbolic events of U. N. flag raising and international dinners to include educational programs on the importance of the U.N. and debates on critical issues such as the war in Iraq.
Stanton Johnson is president of the United Nations Association -Princeton/Trenton Area. The UNAUSA was formed in 1964 and coordinates the observance of U.N. Day as well as other supportive programs throughout the year. He underscores the value of educating the community on the work of the U.N.
"We try to educate and raise awareness in the local communities that the ongoing work of the U.N. is vitally important to world security and peace," Mr. Johnson said. "We try to provide resources and information not only about the hot spot issues security issues and these kinds of things but also that the U.N. is involved in work that affects the everyday lives of people."
The U. N. Day theme for 2003 is "Global Communities: Building a Bridge to Literacy." According to U. N. statistics, over 860 million adults are illiterate worldwide and nearly two-thirds are women. The goal is to increase literacy by 50 percent in 10 years. The effect is anticipated to be far-reaching since studies indicate that higher levels of literacy are a factor in reducing mortality rates and improving healthcare for children.
The New Jersey observance of U. N. Day ("Promoting Literacy, Nurturing Tolerance, Building Peace") will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the Senate Chamber of the Statehouse in Trenton. Participants include Gov. James McGreevey and a representative of U. N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Local high school students will be encouraged to participate in the annual National High School Essay Contest on the U. N. Since 1986, the UNA-USA has sponsored the contest, which challenges students to write a researched response to a topic of particular importance to the international community. This year’s topic and question is: "How should the U.S. balance its national interest with its obligations as a U.N. member state?" The winner of the essay contest will receive $3,000 and a trip to the U.N.
"Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" is still a mainstay of U.N. awareness-building for elementary school children. Originally conceived in 1946 as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF was designed as a short-term relief operation for children of post-war Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In 1953 UNICEF was established as a permanent relief organization of the U.N. and continues to provide food, medicine, education, and emergency supplies for children throughout the world.
Two years ago Princeton University students founded P-UNICEF, a campus group that helps to raise funds and promotes international awareness, particularly of the needs of children. Meridel Bulle, a Princeton student and member of P-UNICEF, said that the group is expanding its coordination of "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" programs at local elementary schools and adding the Cotsen Children’s Library as an additional UNICEF site.
"We thought it would be great to connect with the Cotsen Children’s Library because it gave us access to a wider range of kids, and a way to connect with kids in schools that don’t have the program," Ms. Bulle said.
In the last two years, P-UNICEF has become the most successful of some 40 UNICEF campus groups in the nation, and the most successful charitable campus group at Princeton University.
The Rev. Charles Rawlings, president of the United Nations Association in New Jersey, believes that raising awareness regarding the importance of the U.N. and its work empowers people to become responsible world citizens.
"We are giving people the tools to understand what is happening in the world," Rev. Rawlings said, "so that they can participate in shaping the world around them, instead of having someone shape it for them."
Children can pick up "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" collection boxes weekdays between 9 and 5 or on the weekend between noon and 5 in the Cotsen Children’s Library, located on the main floor of Firestone Library, at the corner of Nassau Street and Washington Road. Children can return their boxes containing contributions to the library from Nov. 1 through 10. P-UNICEF will send the contributions to UNICEF. For more information, e-mail Meridel Bulle at [email protected].
For more information about the UNA-USA, visit www.unausa.org. Inquiries concerning the Princeton-Trenton Chapter can be mailed to [email protected].