UN Program Director News and Updates 2022
2022 is clearly going to be another highly challenging year at the UN. (Not that all years aren’t challenging.) Like all institutions of responsibility and integrity, the UN is grappling with the pandemic, the climate crisis, and the threats to democracy and human rights around the world. They also need to re-assess their power to have significant impact in the political arena. Many of the once vibrant and stable programs are pared down or suspended in order to consolidate and work on the most crucial issues. And the NGO leadership is shifting, with the civil society programs being increased and revised significantly. As a result of all of this re-focusing, the activities available to NGO’s are mostly curtailed at present. The Commission on the Status of Women will again this year be virtual. After participating in the online conference last year, it was evident that the power of the CSW lies in the coming together of thousands of wildly enthusiastic women activists from around the world who share their experiences with each other. The virtual was flat and dull. I do not anticipate a large turnout from WCA. Looking forward to in-person events in the future. Also, because of all the uncertainty this year, I have decided that the WCA/Youth Representative activities will be suspended again in 2022. There will be fewer offerings for the young students and putting their health at risk is not worth it. So I see this year as a quiet time for the UN Program. It is very likely that in 2023 there will be a thunderous return of NGO’s, ready to take on the tasks ahead. All of us involved in the UN are so grateful for the strong, dynamic, unwavering and visionary leadership of Antonio Guterres.
I encourage WCA artists to share with us their ongoing exhibitions and projects which support UN platforms. Work will be posted here.
Maureen Burns-Bowie
Update #1
The activities of the UN Program are firmly rooted in two significant platforms -- the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's.) Anyone who is an activist can find their areas of concern clearly articulated in these documents. It is educating and highly inspiring to periodically review them.
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
Update #2
Photo: Albert Dros
Countries worldwide are exploring the possibility of enacting new legislation affirming the rights of Nature. Ecuador was the first. In 2008 they ruled that Pachamama (Mother Earth) had the right to "maintain and regenerate its cycles, structure, functions and evolutionary processes."
New Zealand, Columbia, India, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Peru, and Pakistan have passed laws affirming legal personhood to nature. It will take time for this sort of defense to gain traction, but it is encouraging.
Update #3
WOMEN'S EARTH AND CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK
"Kayapo women have always been fighting...from us resistance is born. From us come men, children life. The woman completes herself with nature, and we have always been part of the resistance along with the men."
In Brazil, Indigenous women are leading frontline efforts to protect the Amazon and Indigenous rights and sovereignty. Despite mounting threats and risk, across the Amazon Indigenous women leaders are banding together for the communities and our global climate -- stand with Indigenous Women Environmental and Rights Defenders!
"Kayapo women have always been fighting...from us resistance is born. From us come men, children life. The woman completes herself with nature, and we have always been part of the resistance along with the men."
In Brazil, Indigenous women are leading frontline efforts to protect the Amazon and Indigenous rights and sovereignty. Despite mounting threats and risk, across the Amazon Indigenous women leaders are banding together for the communities and our global climate -- stand with Indigenous Women Environmental and Rights Defenders!
Update #4
Update #5
Two WCA artists, Ann Rosenthal and Aviva Rahmani publish a new eco-book.
Update #6
THE UNRELENTING AGONY OF UKRAINE
"Uniting for Peace" resolution at the General Assembly supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. The resolution won with an overwhelming majority of votes. After the vote was counted, standing applause went on and on. This of course is non-binding since there is no way to enforce such a position. But that is not the job of the UN. The job of the UN is humanitarian -- to reach out to those in need, to resolve issues leading to social progress, and to face off confrontations with diplomacy. The job of the UN is to be a moral force in the world. This vote sends a message to Russia that the world stands with Ukraine. (It has always been important to Russia to be a solid citizen of the UN and to have its approval). Following this action, Russia was also kicked off the Human Rights Commission.
SOFT POWER has an important place in the world. An important concept for activist artists!
"Uniting for Peace" resolution at the General Assembly supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. The resolution won with an overwhelming majority of votes. After the vote was counted, standing applause went on and on. This of course is non-binding since there is no way to enforce such a position. But that is not the job of the UN. The job of the UN is humanitarian -- to reach out to those in need, to resolve issues leading to social progress, and to face off confrontations with diplomacy. The job of the UN is to be a moral force in the world. This vote sends a message to Russia that the world stands with Ukraine. (It has always been important to Russia to be a solid citizen of the UN and to have its approval). Following this action, Russia was also kicked off the Human Rights Commission.
SOFT POWER has an important place in the world. An important concept for activist artists!
The UN International Court is investigating Putin for war crimes. Isn't anyone who starts war a criminal???
New York Times:
"Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are reportedly being taken to what are being referred to as filtration camps in Russia, where their passports and phones are being taken away, and family members are being separated, the US Ambassador to the UN said.
International Council of Museums is working day and night with UNESCO to protect irreplaceable artwork in Ukraine. "Museums have no borders -- they have a network"
Update #7
Peace and Peaceful Coexistence Festival Africa
Update #8
Marcia Annenberg
Fineberg Family Community Room
As a painter, installation artist, curator and climate activist, M. Annenberg investigates the black holes of American journalism. Has the two minute sound bite failed the American people?
As we bear witness to the slippage of journalism in our time, the problem of the omission of news, especially the sparse reporting of climate studies, is less well understood as a strategy, that prevents civic engagement. In this talk, I will trace the decline of news coverage in the American mainstream press from the 1990’s to the present. Are our oceans acidifying? Are the glaciers melting? Will we breach 1.5 degrees of warming this decade? Is there a climate emergency? If so, why don’t we all know it, beyond a reasonable doubt.
M. Annenberg is a Conceptual artist. Her paintings, sculptures, installations and videos focus on under- reported stories in American media, concentrating on scientific studies and global warming.
Maine Jewish Museum
267 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
Sunday through Friday 11am-4pm Closed: Saturdays
Nancy Davidson, Curator in Residence – nancyd.mjm@gmail.com Nanci Kahn, Photography Curator – photography@mainejewishmuseum.org
Update #9
Update #10
Vika Krokhina
Update #11
UN Secretery General Antonio Guterres visited Ukraine and Moscow. While he was in Kyiv meeting with President Zelensky, the city was bombed by Russian forces. His trip to Moscow followed, and he won some concessions from Vladimir Putin, who agreed to allow a safe corridor for fleeing Ukrainian refugees, permitted access to humanitarian aid, and agreed to diplomatic talks.
Update #12
The film which highlights Gloria Orenstein's relationship with Leonara Carrington, "Gloria's Call" will be shown at the VENICE BIENNALE! The film was produced and created by WCA members, Cheri Gaulke, Cheryl Bookout, Anne Gauldin. PROUD!!!
Gloria is a WCA Lifetime Achievement Award winner and a leading eco-feminist scholar.
(Featured in "Beijing Journal")
https://gloriascall.com/about-gloria/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygxku1yR_jM
https://cherigaulke.com/
http://jcherylbookout.com/....
https://snaccooperative.org/view/1543114
https://www.beijingjournal.online/gloriaorenstein
Gloria is a WCA Lifetime Achievement Award winner and a leading eco-feminist scholar.
(Featured in "Beijing Journal")
https://gloriascall.com/about-gloria/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygxku1yR_jM
https://cherigaulke.com/
http://jcherylbookout.com/....
https://snaccooperative.org/view/1543114
https://www.beijingjournal.online/gloriaorenstein
Update #13
