UNA Coventry News March 2017

January was another extremely busy month for this UNA Branch and our volunteers. We at the branch have been busy promoting our next event "Why Brexit & Trump, and What’s Next?" to be held on 1 March. We hope you will be able to attend.

Meanwhile student volunteers from Coventry University have been getting ready to host an event on International Women's Day at which business women will share their experience of gender issues and how to cope with them. 

Details about these and many other forthcoming events below.

One disappointment in February was that the Director General of the UN Office at Geneva, Michael Moller, was not able to attend Warwick Congress due to important events in Geneva requiring his presence.

United Nations Association Coventry Branch

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UNA Cov Forthcoming Events

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Why Brexit & Trump, and What’s Next?

The results of both the Brexit referendum and the US Presidential elections have surprised and shocked some people and delighted others. Both events are likely to have widespread consequences for years to come, not just for the two countries involved but for many others. What are the causes of these two extraordinary results? What trends can be identified and what …

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Women's Day Inspiration and Q&A

Women's Day Inspiration and Q&A

At this event to be held on International Women’s Day, Coventry women will briefly explain their career paths and then answer questions from the audience about the challenges and opportunities facing women in today’s world. Speakers will include: Angie Saffrey, Image Consultant Jennifer Kennedy, PR & Marketing Manager and organiser of ‘Women in Industry’ project at Apex Recruitment Silvia Diaz-Fernandez, …

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Other Local Events of Interest

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Go Green Week 2017

Go Green Week 2017

Coventry is celebrating Go Green Week on 6 to 12 March, and Coventry Climate Action Network will be taking part. Go Green Week is about promoting everything sustainable/environment/green to all organisations, students and residents of Coventry. It is being organised in partnership between the Council, Coventry University and the University of Warwick with the support of other organisations in the city. More …

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TEDxWarwick 2017: Breaking Boundaries

Why do Boundaries exist? Perhaps it is to limit. To protect. To control. To suffocate. It’s interesting to note that words that are synonymous with Boundaries — such as ‘barriers’, ‘partitions’ and ‘borders’ — allude to negation and disunity. Even more interesting, however, is that ‘verge’, ‘edge’ and ‘horizon’ — all possessing an optimistic connotation — are also equivalent. In …

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China's economic and political rise as a major power on the world stage

China is calmly mapping out global leadership aspirations from trade to climate change, drawing distinctions between President Xi Jinping's steady hand and new U.S. President Donald Trump, whose early few weeks have been marked by media feuds, fake news conspiracy and turnmoil in the White House. Just days ahead of Trump taking office, a self-assured Xi was in Switzerland as …

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Swords into Ploughshares?

Swords into Ploughshares?

Sometimes we can be given the impression that religion and violence go hand-in-hand. On other occasions we might hear that all of the world’s religions preach peace. The truth, however, is probably somewhere in-between. People of faith can encourage violence but faith can also be at the heart of peacebuilding as Chris Shannahan and Laura Payne showed in their 2016 …

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Persistent Resistance: An Interaction of Kashmiri Self-determination Movement with Indian State

The mid of 2016 witnessed massive protests across Kashmir Valley which started against the killing of a young resistance leader by Indian military forces. About hundred people lost their lives and more than four thousand were injured. The use of ‘non-lethal weapon’ - pellet Guns - by Indian armed forces led to loss of eye-sight for the people across age …

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News from UNA-UK

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UNA-UK Announces Partnership with Swedish Embassy

UNA-UK Announces Partnership with Swedish Embassy

First published 14 Feb 2017 Photo credit: Tony Webster/CC The United Nations Association - UK is delighted to announce its new partnership with the Embassy of Sweden. The Association looks forward to working with the Embassy over the coming months to make the case for an effective UN to UK policymakers and the British public. Commenting on the new partnership, UNA-UK’s …

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UK Reaffirms Commitment to UN Security Council Reform

UK Reaffirms Commitment to UN Security Council Reform

First published 13 Feb 2015 on UNA-UK website Photo: The UN Security Council considers the situation in South Sudan. Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe The UK’s stance on UN Security Council (UNSC) reform was made clear this week when the Ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, reiterated comments made last year calling for meaningful change in the UN’s 70th anniversary …

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UK Government Praises UNA-UK's Role in Reforming the Secretary-General Selection Process

UK Government Praises UNA-UK's Role in Reforming the Secretary-General Selection Process

First published on UNA-UK website 7 February 2017 The UK Government has acknowledged the role played by UNA-UK in securing the most transparent recruitment process for the UN Secretary-General in the Organisation's history. In the Government's official response to a report by the House of Lords International Relations Committee on the Priorities for the next Secretary-General, the UK singled out …

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UNA-UK Expresses Concern at US Refugee Admission Ban

UNA-UK Expresses Concern at US Refugee Admission Ban

First published 29 Jan 2017 by UNA-UK As a result of a wide-ranging executive order signed on Friday, the United States has temporarily halted the admission of all refugees. Refugees have, and deserve, legal protection and rights under international agreements. Many have made perilous journeys, fleeing horrific circumstances in their own country. An international approach to refugees is in every …

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UN human rights appeal comes at a critical time

UN human rights appeal comes at a critical time

First published 17 Feb 2017 on UNA-UK Website Photo credit: UN Geneva The United Nations' human rights arm has launched its most ambitious funding appeal yet in a bid to curb the "erosion" of human rights around the world. The $253 million appeal – its largest to date – aims to bolster its 2017 work programme to protect and advance the rights …

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Trump’s ‘Travel Ban’ and what it means for International Law

Trump’s ‘Travel Ban’ and what it means for International Law

First Published as UNA-UK Chair's Blog published 20 Feb 2017 When President Trump issued his Executive Orders suspending the US Refugee Admission Program for 120 days, and banning entry to all citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days, the outcry across the world was deafening. The move was accused of being racist, counterproductive, un-American …

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Theresa May responds to Human Rights Day letter

Theresa May responds to Human Rights Day letter

Prime Minister Theresa May has reaffirmed plans to repeal the 1998 Human Rights Act, while insisting that the UK continues to be a "strong advocate for human rights on the international stage". Her comments came in response to BIHR's annual Human Rights Day letter, co-signed by the United Nations Association - UK. The letter on 9 December, organised by the British Instite for Human Rights and signed …

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UNA-UK

UNA-UK

Founded in 1945, the United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK) is the country’s foremost advocate for UK action at the UN; the UK's leading source of analysis on the UN; and a vibrant grassroots movement of 20,000 people from all walks of life. We are the only charity in the UK devoted to building support for the UN amongst policymakers, …

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News from UNA Cov Website

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Model United Nations

Model United Nations

MUN Resources on this Website Introduction to Model United Nations (MUN) Introduction to Model United Nations A Model United Nations (MUN) is an activity which engages people, typically older secondary schools or university students, with the work and importance of United Nations by taking on the roles of ambassadors and other diplomatic figures from a nominated UN member state, or from the …

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Coventry CAN

Coventry CAN

CoventryCAN is a network of organisations, groups, clubs, teams and people based in and around Coventry. All of us participate in at least one action that helps promote sustainability. From those of us that cycle instead of drive to those of that are vegetarian (or sort of!). From Conservation Groups and Friends of Parks to research groups to sports teams, school kids to FabLabs. You probably …

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Model United Nations 8 March

Model United Nations 8 March

Coventry University Student Union will be holding a model UN summit with Coventry University Humanities Society and Model United Nations Society at Warwick Students Union in the Council Chambers of Coventry City Council. This is a great opportunity to experience what a UN Summit is like. Places are limited so make sure you register your place soon if you’re interested. …

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Please Help OCHA Alleviate Yemen Crisis

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is appealing for contributions towards the Yemen Humanitarian Fund to help humanitarian NGOs and UN agencies in Yemen to assist the most vulnerable communities and people and to provide them with urgently requiring food, water, shelter and other basic support. Through this rapid and flexible response mechanism your funding can …

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UNA Coventry produces Interactive Map of Palais des Nations, Geneva

As a service to the United Nations, and in the hope of raising some funds for UNA Coventry Branch, our sponsor Penny Press have created an online interactive map of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. It is available from unogmap.eu and can be tried out in the window below.

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For their generous support, UNA Coventry expresses its thanks to our partner Penny Press Ltd, publishers of books and websites about the History of the Universe.