Update #2

Liz DiGiorgio Photo: Lin Chee Hoi

                                  REPORT: COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
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The CSW68 Conversation Circle held remotely on the topic of “Gender Bias in Economic Policy” made it clear that progress toward achieving full gender equality through economic policy can only work if the policies grow out of the experiences, leadership, and collective efforts of women around the world.
 
The Conversation Circle was co-hosted by Rosa Lizarde, Vice Chair, NGO CSW/NY; Shaila Rao Mistry, founder and president of STEM Institute, specializing in the fields of science, technology, academia and management, and founder and president of Jayco MMI, Inc., a tech company specializing in aerospace and medical device technologies; and Aditi Padiyar, NGO CSW Global Youth Fellow on Gender Equality and Program Officer with the Women First International Fund, based in Delhi, India.
 
This remote event was viewed from the painting studio of Queensborough Community College (QCC) by Jeanette Manmohan, the 2024 WCA/UN NGO/QCC student intern; feminist art historian, WCA member, and Chair of QCC’s Department of Art & Design, Dr. Kathleen Wentrack; and me, Associate Professor Liz Di Giorgio.
 
The co-hosts highlighted major areas where attention is needed to address gender inequality, including:

• Engaging women for leadership positions
• Digital literacy and banking
• Access to jobs and opportunity
• AI – Enabling access to jobs and opportunity
• How to create better economic policy

 
Co-host Shaila Rao Mistry clarified that she was participating in the Conversation Circle primarily as Vice President of Graduate Women International, as Advocacy Director of Global Women’s Health, and in her roles at Women Graduates USA and the US Women’s Caucus at the United Nations. Mistry emphasized that the key to accelerating the achievement of gender equality and financial inclusion is to identify and eliminate inhibitive systems and practices. Her comments made clear that It is not enough for businesses, agencies or organizations to simply cite the percentage of female employees if those enterprises do not  provide training, pathways and equal opportunity for women to reach and function effectively at the decision-making levels within those organization. In providing context for the conversation, Mistry pointed out that women comprise 55% of the unbanked population, only 18.7 % of board members of the S&P 500 financial companies, and only 2% of the CEOs of those companies. She emphasized that organizations that do achieve gender balance are generally more productive and profitable, have better and happier work environments, and greater engagement in social responsibility in their communities. Mistry reminded participants that economic policy is shaped by four basic sectors: government, civil society, academia and the private sector.
 
Mistry pointed out that access to mobile banking is crucial to women’s personal safety and business success. Participants were reminded of the fact that 1.7 billion individuals do not have internet access. As Mistry noted,  gender imbalance is hard to comprehend in light of the fact that women make the vast majority purchasing decisions, and that they play an increasing role as heads of household and small business owners. Mistry pointed out that the lack of internet connectivity impacts women’s access to microfinancing, healthcare and digital literacy in general. In addition to these gender imbalances, Mistry explained that single women pay higher interests rates on mortgage loans (by ½ to 1%) and that they also have higher collateral requirements. Mistry also spoke about the embedded risks posed by AI because 90% of the coding in AI is done by men.
 
After a comprehensive overview, participants were divided into three breakout groups to discuss the issues listed above and the additional topic of access to capital and micro businesses. Jeanette Manmohan contributed to the discussion in one of the three breakout groups by sharing her experience with women in the tech field. She described how she and her female co-workers joined together to meet with management to discuss their discovery that all of the women in the company earned less than their male counterparts. This strategy yielded positive results in her workplace and it echoed one of the major themes of the Conversation Circle, that women often need to band together to confront inequality.
 
Reporting out on one of the breakout groups, Dr. Connie Newman of the Medical Woman’s International Association summarized how lack of internet access deprives women of access to banking, to buying goods and to access information essential to good health and to the health of their families. Her group also discussed the need to identify the kind of messaging that could change the mindsets of men. Her group also discussed the need to educate boys and girls early and also discussed some of the benefits of separate schools for boys and girls.
 
Student of International Development, Political Science and Economics, Nimrah Baba reported out about digital literacy and the importance of microfinancing, especially to rural women. She described an experience in Bangladesh where women came together to have a dialog with a perpetrator of domestic violence.
 
Andrea Wilson of the Women’s Equality Party of the UK reported on her group’s wide-ranging discussion that included consideration of how to get women into the decision-making rooms. She spoke about the need to access funding, to change mindsets for the future and to address inequality from the supply side in terms of policy and from the demand side in terms of expectations. She also expressed her group’s concerns about inherent bias in the field of AI and the need for women’s leadership in tech.
 
After all the breakout groups reunited and the floor was opened for discussion, Nimrah Baba expressed her puzzlement over the way men seem to grow silent when gender equality is discussed in the classroom. She emphasized the need to make the discussion educative, and not finger-pointing. She explained that even when men negate women, the discussion should be either one-on-one or with women and men helping each other and talking to men about gender equality issues together.
 
Co-host Rosa Lizarde concluded the conversation, asking women to consider becoming members of NGO CSW. She referred participants to the CSW Zero Draft Recommendations prepared by the NGO CSW/NY  Advocacy and Research Group, which identified 6 critical areas for achieving gender equality:

• Social Justice and Poverty
• Education and Poverty
• Gender Bias in Economic Policy
• Debt Crisis and its Impact on Women
• Women’s Poverty and Climate Change
• Youth Intersectional Recommendation.

 
Details of these recommendations can be found at: https://ngocsw.org/arg-csw68/
 
NGO CSW shared these recommendations with the Chair of the UN CSW, with the five members of the CSW Bureau, with the 54 members of the UN CSW, with other UN agencies such as UN Women, and with the 193 member states. These civil society recommendations were prepared to be considered for inclusion in the UN CSW Zero Draft for CSW68.

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Update #3

Jeanette Manmoham Photo: Jin Hee Choi

    
                                                       INTRODUCTORY ESSAY
                                                                                 Jeanette Manmohan


I am a student at Queensborough Community College. This semester will be my last, and I’m excited to move on to study fine arts at a four-year university or college. My aspirations are to become a professor and an artist. In this goal I would love to share my life experiences with students who are trying to figure out their lives and understand themselves and their potential. I want to support them in their dreams and futures and use myself as an example to show that they can do anything. I would want students to know that they can find  support systems throughout their journey.
 
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I am passionate about women's equality in the workforce and equal education for both girls and boys, especially in the science and technology fields. To me, it is important to encourage young girls to be innovative and explorative and to support them along their education journey.
 
I have worked in the tech industry for many years and experienced gender inequality in the pay gap. In my past working environment, I collaborated with other women coworkers to bring about a safe space for pay transparency conversations alongside my male counterparts to understand the discrepancy in our incomes. I had open dialogs within my organization to raise awareness of the gap in my department, advocating for women’s compensation to meet the same standards that the company had set for men. The conversations resulted in an increase in women’s pay in my department, and it was the catalyst for the organization to take a closer look at the wages of other woman across the company. I believe that as a society we need to be comfortable  talking about transparency with regard to our pay. It's important to know where you stand as a woman worker and where your male counterparts are to truly see equality in the workforce.
 
I am a strong believer that governments should support families in need. I think the world can do better providing access to education and that young girls should feel safe accessing education in any region of the world. I am passionate  about the need to  bridge the education gap worldwide so that all girls can have free and safe access to education.
 
Nations should support or receive assistance for their people facing food insecurity. I believe that administrations should make it a priority to set aside funding to help families in need with regard to education, food, or financial support. I hope that the world can work to make changes in many societies including my own in the United States.
 
I appreciate and encourage any small step toward positive change. No effort put forward for awareness of inequality is futile, and having open conversations can be the catalyst for huge, transformative outcomes. I look forward to attending more UN or UN NGO briefings to learn about the UN  and civil society efforts towards gender equality. I recently attend the CSW Conversation Circle and spoke about my experience and concerns on this topic. I’m glad to be a part of the UN NGO  community and to represent the Women’s Caucus for Art. My passion for art and equality leads me to be ever more engaged and eager to be part of the UN NGO events and conversations. Representing the WCA allows me the platform to be heard as a woman and as an advocate for equality and to understand civil society efforts to bring about the change we need to see in the world today and for the future.
 

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Update #4

CSW banner / UN image

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NGO CSW FORUM 
                                Jeanette Manhoman
I attended the conversation circle hosted by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY), which focused on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The session was highly informative, and I found it to be  an inspiring call to action. It reinforced my commitment to working toward achieving gender equality for women and abolishing discrimination against them in economic, governmental, and financial policies. In this virtual session, attended mostly by women with only a few men, the theme was understanding gender bias in the context of economic policy in four sectors: government, private, academia and civil society. This is my takeaway from this powerful changemaking forum:

The conference highlighted the role of financial institutions which not only shape economic policy but develop and contribute to women’s security. Though the intentions were in the right place, the outcomes were not always fair or as intended. One of the talking points regarding the unfairness of the financial industry worldwide is how it perpetuates poverty and gender bias. The conference was seeking strategies to eliminate factors that result in unbanked women and unbanked vulnerable populations. It was astonishing to learn that women were excluded from full economic participation in all levels of banking – 55% of the unbanked population are women. Among the S&P 500, women comprise only 18.7% of the company boards, and women account for only 2% of CEO’s, meaning women were excluded from the decision-making level. I was aware that women were the minority in these areas, but it did not occur to me that the percentages would be so low.

Women also represent 80% of the decision-making in purchasing, making them the key deciders in everything that is bought. Their numbers as  heads of households are increasing as well. In the United States small business makes up 51% of the business sector, and 46% of those small businesses are owned by women who are considered micro-entrepreneurs. The conversation was intended to accelerate action, and the ideas presented were eye-opening. They pointed out the need for greater gender-responsive policies to extend opportunities and access to capital for women internationally. The promotion of women in leadership was seen as a slow-moving progression, and the call for women to raise their voices and reverse male-dominated boards was an initiative I think should be shared beyond this forum. It was also concerning to me to learn that women seeking bank loans to finance their businesses often pay .5 to 1% higher interest rates than their male counterparts. The industry is holding onto the biased belief that women will not be successful in their ambitions to entrepreneurship, and in turn women pay a higher price on paying back those loans.

The technology industry was also part of the conversation where women, people in poverty, and populations in rural areas have little to no tech access or opportunity to achieve tech literacy, and are left out of participation in economic decision-making. Mobile banking is widespread throughout the world, and helps eliminate the need for women to walk to dangerous areas to access their financial institutions. It is essential for women to have access to the technology that allows for mobile banking. There was also a strong call to support and invest in FemTech  as it is a growing industry expected to reach billions of women by the end of the decade. Women are also investing in innovations, medical research, devices and medical care focused on women’s health needs and access. The challenges faced are the patriarchal norms and mindsets, and the discussion to combat this included aggressively challenging gender bias that impacts women’s financial autonomy, empowering women’s economic independence, and increasing financial literacy and increased access to digital devices. Generally, women are at the bottom rung when it comes to technological education. During the informative tech conversation, the importance of collaborations and partnerships was acknowledged. The importance of working together to support women's economic empowerment through sharing knowledge and resources was discussed. They talked about addressing unbanked women in the economy and what it means to have them excluded from economic and financial institutions and decision-making on any level.  They spoke about making the inclusion of women on boards and decision-making a top priority in the technology sector. The part of the conference that stayed with me the most was  the acknowledgement that when women are on boards, the organization or corporation does much better and is more profitable, that women create a better work environment, generate more productivity, and contribute to a happier workforce. I learned that women are pivotal in creating greater social responsibility through community engagement.

​We were then given a set of questions to consider and to brainstorm on some specific ideas that could bring about change in these industries. In my group after the talks, I did have a moment to share what I had done in my past position working in tech when I saw there was gender bias concerning pay. I shared that involving other women and encouraging them to discuss their salaries openly, not only with each other, but with our male counterparts, allowed for open conversations to explore why the women of our division were being paid significantly less than the men. The conversation involved the company’s decision-makers and led to the equalization of pay for all genders in that department. It may seem like a very small part in this greater conversation, but I believe that change starts with the small parts. It starts with the groundwork and planting the seeds that open to having transparent gender bias conversations, leading to a more collaborative civil society.
Being among such amazing people who were looking to provide actionable change to combat the gender biases that women face every day in every corner of this planet was such an encouraging, inclusive and powerful conversation. I'm thankful that I was in this position to not only listen to the collaboration and ideas on actionable change, but also be a part of that conversation. As a woman I do hope that these discussions fall on the ears of change-makers. It is my hope that the NGO CSW continues to have these conversation circles on gender bias in economic policy and that the dialogs become greater, more actionable, more collaborative, and not only encourage more women to attend, but also include men to listen and to be open to the messages being conveyed in these conferences. I was grateful to be a part of this conversation alongside Dr. Kathleen Wentrack, our Art and Design Department Chair and historian of feminist art, with my mentor and professor, Liz Di Giorgio, and with gratitude to the Women's Caucus for Art for allowing me the opportunity to participate this year
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Update #5

Danielle Eubank is a member of WCA and UN Program Honor Roll recipient.

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Update #6

​UN Program member and Honor Roll recipient Karen Frostig:

It is well worth your time to stop and read this entry.  Karen has labored tirelessly to honor those lost during the Holocaust.  Her work is breathtakingly painful and beautiful.  Please explore.

www.lockerofmemory.com/2024-day-of-remembrance

​Karen Frostig has been working for nearly two decades to build a memorial at Jungfernhof, the Latvian site where the Nazis likely murdered her grandparents 
​(Courtely Mike E. Dunne)



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Update #7

We are proud to share the work of Marcia Annenberg, also a UN Program member and Honor Roll recipient

UN Peace Boat exhibition showcased works from Biophilia: In Excelsis, Yale University. Curated by Marcia Annenberg

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Update #8

UN Program member Katherine Steiching Rossing

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James May Gallery is thrilled to mark its one-year anniversary in Milwaukee (and its tenth anniversary in Wisconsin) with an environmentally focused solo art exhibition, Atmospheric Intricacies, by artist Katherine Steichen Rosing.
As we emerge from an uncharacteristically warm winter, Katherine Rosing’s paintings and installations ask us to look more closely at our changing Wisconsin landscape. Atmospheric Intricacies features new work fueled by Rosing’s fascination with atmospheric rivers and recent paintings that celebrate the persistence of life and interconnections within northern ecosystems. Like the early abstract painter Arthur Dove, Rosing’s vibrant, expressively hued paintings evoke hidden mysteries in quiet ecosystems. Her exquisitely textured surfaces suggest root systems, wind, and notations about insect life, developed by applying many layers of color and enhanced by lines drawn in wet paint.
Also known for her immersive installations, Rosing is creating a new installation for this exhibition that investigates connections between forests and the atmosphere. Rosing explains: “I am obsessed with atmospheric rivers, intensifying weather patterns that bring massive amounts of rain to narrow bands of land, leaving other areas arid and in drought. I’ve begun to think of them as a sort of malicious climate spirit or demon, and they are making their way into my work.”

Update #9

Jeanette Manmohan
Youth Rep
Tour of the United Nations
          
When I was younger, living in Trinidad and Tobago, I remember hearing about the United Nations as a place where all the nations of the world gathered for peace talks. I would see and hear about the humanitarian efforts conducted by the UN on our local news networks and think, I want to be part of such a benevolent organization. I didn’t know where to start but learned more about the organization during my primary school lectures. In what seemed like the biggest coincidence, I chose Queensborough Community College and took a class with a professor who had this amazing internship opportunity. It felt like the universe had aligned my life’s events perfectly, leading me to become part of the Women Caucus for Art’s UN NGO. This opportunity brought my lifelong dream to fruition: visiting the United Nations New York City headquarters. Being within the walls where serious change-making discussions took place and feeling the history in every corner of the building was a dream I never imagined would come true in a million years. This visit has impacted me in wanting to do more in being a part of lifesaving work and discussions of equality, and to one day be a significant voice at the United Nations.
           
This past May I had the opportunity to join an in-person standard guided tour with my professor Liz Di Giorgio. Upon entering the headquarters, I took in the artwork displayed in the front plaza. Covered in bronze patina was the captivating image of a cocked gun with its barrel tied in a knot. I couldn’t keep my eyes off the piece. An image used so often in association with violence, was now in its form also conveying the imagery of non-violence. It was so fitting as one of the first pieces you see as you enter. As a sculpture, it felt appropriate in its placement, letting all who enter know that there is no place for violence, and that all are entering a place of serious conversations to prevent vicious acts against anyone.

See Figure 1. KNOTTED GUN. Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, bronze sculpture, 79 x 44 x 50 in.  Donated by Luxembourg, 1989. UN photo
 
In the entrance plaza stood a piece I was familiar with, despite never having been there before. My mother’s parents had a photo in their album of them sitting in front of a bronze sphere depicting the globe with a crack revealing an intricate interior of structures akin to cogs. I had seen that photo many times and always wondered where it was taken. Seeing it in person on the exterior grounds of the UN, I was surprised to find myself in the exact spot where they were photographed. The work was beautiful, powerful, and moving. I took a moment to study it, feeling as though the artist wanted the viewer to understand that the world is evolving. The crack represented a breakthrough of surface conflicts, or the shedding of the old world, with the interior symbolizing the rebirth of the future. If my grandparents were alive, I would have loved to show them a photo of myself standing in front of that very structure and compare our experiences. The walk through the grounds before entering the tour filled me with many emotions, mostly excitement. It was a great first encounter that set the pace for my amazing experience, not only learning about the history of the United Nations but also observing the magnificent artworks donated by nations from all over the world.
 
See Figure 2. Sphere Within Sphere, Arnaldo Pomodoro, bronze sculpture, 3.3m in diameter. Donated by Italy, November 22, 1996 UN photo
 
Before the tour began Liz and I had some extra time to walk around, and I took this opportunity to absorb the works on the main floor. It was beautiful seeing the pieces that artists and nations donated as part of their efforts to amplify the voices of peace and unity. Everywhere I looked there was meaning and emotion that shaped sculptures, paintings and craftworks. The works in the General Assembly building were awe-inspiring. I felt particularly connected to framed black, red and white woven works, hung against a wood paneled wall. There were many spanning the wall’s width. The information panel next to it read, “Tukutuku Panels of Traditional Māori Designs.” I learned that the pieces are what the tribes of New Zealand used in meeting houses as a form of communication, conveying that the building where they appear is where the tribes gather and discuss important meaningful topics. The works signify that the gatherings must hold a sense of togetherness. I studied the pieces in amazement of the intricate lattice and woven handwork, but my observations were cut short by the start of the tour. I do hope to revisit for the UN’s art tour someday, so that I can further understand the meaning behind the work. I also thought, if this is the work in the lobby then there must be many more pieces for me to discover. With that, we headed on foot to hear of the history of this world organization.
 
See Figure 3. Tukutuku Panels of Traditional Māori Designs, 60 members of the National Collective of Māori weavers or Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa. Native materials such as kieke (a woody climbing plant) and pingao (golden sedge grass) are woven into a lattice-like frame, 43 individual panels, 64 H x 26 ½ W x 2 ¼ D in. Donated by New Zealand, February 12, 2015. UN photo
 
 The tour conducted was filled with history and historical works. Seeing the meeting rooms where world leaders gather for discussions and decisions evoked a feeling of seriousness. When I entered these rooms, the shaped and decorated walls had a tone that vibrated in me. I think seeing some parts of these rooms on TV and being there were such very different experiences. As an artist and art lover I do wish that I had more time to observe all the works lined on the towering walls, sculptures with astounding intricacies and donated historical works from the many nations who set foot on that diplomatic soil. In passing, I had the opportunity to stumble across Steel Pan, created in my country of birth Trinidad and Tobago. Though I know other countries have donated as well, it felt warming to know that my nation has contributed a part of our history to be seen by passersby in that hall, a small reminder that no matter what size the nation, its voice is equal and is heard as equal under the roof of the General Assembly.

See Figure 4. Steel Pans, artist unknown, two steel drum (metal instrument), 45 x 26 x 25 in. (each). Donated by Caribbean Community,
November 17, 1995. UN photo
 
The guide was very quick, and I felt that there could have been more time spent on each floor, but as I reflect on my experience, it only encourages me to visit with as many opportunities as I can. I hope to attend the Summit of the Future in September and be a part of world conversations. My wish is to be a bigger voice at the United Nations, and hoping I can be more involved as my experience for this year continues. This opportunity has been a dream come true, and with the opportunity that the Women’s Caucus for Art’s UN NGO has graciously provided to me I will work towards being a part of as many conversations and conferences as possible. Thank you for allowing me this experience of a lifetime.

See Figure 5. Photo of Jeanette Manmohan in front of Sphere within Sphere at the United Nations, outside of the General Assembly. May 24, 2024.

Figure 1                                                                             Figure 2                                                                      Figure 3

Figure 4                                                                Figure 5

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Works Cited
 
Lo, Ricky. Photographer. Photo of Jeanette Manmohan. May 2024
 
United Nations News, Global perspective Human stories, Gift ID: UNNY004G, “Knotted Gun” sculptor remembered at UN, UN File Photo/Michos Tzovaras https://news.un.org/en/sites/news.un.org.en/files/styles/un_news_teaser/public/thumbnails/image/2016/05/NonViolence-Sculpture-File-05MAY16-625-415.jpg?itok=jWLxLS_i
 
United Nations, United Nations Gifts, Gift ID: UNNY124G.01-.43, “Tukutuku Panels of Traditional Māori Designs” Phot Credit, UN Photo. https://www.un.org/ungifts/tukutuku-panels-traditional-māori-designs
 
 United Nations, United Nations Gifts, Gift ID UNNY204G. “Steel Pans” Photo Credit, UN Photo. https://www.un.org/ungifts/steel-pans
 
 United Nations, United Nations Gifts, Gift ID: UNNY219G, “Sphere Within Sphere” Photo Credit, UN Photo. https://www.un.org/ungifts/sphere-within-sphere

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Update #10
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                  CRITICALLY IMPORTANT UN EVENTS THIS FALL

UN photo

SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE
 The Summit of the Future was held in September in  NYC during the annual General Assembly meeting.  It was a crucial moment for the UN as it negotiates a future with new and unexpected issues to address.  It is recognized that a fundamental change in UN governing structures and procedures is necessary to adapt to this changing world.  The goal is to revitalize the UN by addressing social, political, and economic issues worldwide so inequality, poverty, human rights, health crises, education, indigenous rights, climate change can be more robustly addressed. 
It is clearly understood that more engagement with Civil Society and Youth is crucial.  Implemented in the final document, The Pact for the Future, financial strategies were developed to allow for smoother flow of finances throughout needy countries to help with implementation of the SDG’s.  Peace and Security weaknesses were examined, with suggestions to improve UN protocols and outcomes.  It was recognized that international cooperation with the growth of technology is crucial.
 
CLIMATE
 During the Climate Week conference, also in September, the UN announced  that in spite of commitments last year in Dubai at COP 28 to cut greenhouse gas emissions, member states have made no progress.  It now appears that the world will not be able to meet its goals set during the Paris Accords in 2015 to tackle global warming. Even though a significant number of new initiatives for green energy are being implemented, demand for fuels is growing faster.  It appears that the world will not be able to stay within the confines of 1.5 degrees celsius rise in global temperature.  In spite of this failure, countries are still encouraged to work for improvement.  In this way, lives will be saved,  biodiversity will be preserved, and economies will remain strong and weather stability will be maintained. 
 
Later, in November in Baku Azerbijian, COP 29 addressed the difficult issue of the financial burden of poorer, less developed countries.  It was decided that wealthier nations that utilize more energy and also have more financial resources should be responsible for funding climate initiatives.  Governments, international banks, and  the private sector will need to carry the major load. 

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UN photo

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​ARTS EVENTS
 Running concurrently with these major UN events were hundreds of art events throughout New York City, addressing all of the above mentioned topics. Exhibitions, panels, installations, pop-ups, performances took place in all boroughs.  It was an astounding level of commitment with artists throughout the world participating.  This was of special significance because of the increasing awareness of the UN that artists are great communicators, capable of tackling complex issues and delivering them in a way that can be heard and understood.

Update #11

In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent. 

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. 

Toni Morrison
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