UNA-Wake Today
The Wake County Chapter of UNA has a growing membership of 150 members who are active in writing letters to congressmen and the U.S. administration in support of international treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the International Criminal Court and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The chapter's main goal is to educate the public and students about the United Nations. Its educational program includes monthly meetings, featuring experts on international issues. Recent meetings have been devoted to Cuba, Colombia, North Korea, U.S. foreign policy, the AIDS pandemic in Africa, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and issues relating to the Iraq crisis.
In addition, the chapter provides information and materials about the United Nations to social studies teachers in public and private schools and provides a speakers bureau, making speakers about the UN available to civic clubs, senior groups and school classes. The chapter also provides financial support to Model UN clubs in local colleges and universities and high schools, permitting them to attend Model UN out-of-city or out-of- state competitions. Monthly program meetings usually are held at Meredith College in the downstairs dining rooms.
The big event of the year is the UN Dinner, featuring international cuisine and a provocative speaker, held each year on or around United Nations Day (October 24).
New members are welcome not only to give support to the UN but also to learn more about international issues in today's global society.
Origins
UNA-USA traces its roots back to 1943. Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt founded it that year, with the establishment of the American Association for the United Nations (AAUN), a citizen-based organization she herself led. AAUN merged with the U.S. Committee for the United Nations in 1964, creating the modern UNA-USA.
In the 1940s in Raleigh, N.C., there was an ongoing series of seminars called "The Institute of Religion" organized largely by the United Church of Raleigh (now Community United Church of Christ). In 1945 the United Church pastor Allyn P. Robinson arranged for Eleanor Roosevelt to speak at the Institute. Following Eleanor Roosevelt's lead, Beatrice (Bea) Anderson met with a few people in 1946 and organized a Raleigh group to support the United Nations. This group affiliated with the American Association for the United Nations, which in 1964 changed its name to United Nations Association of the U.S.A. Bea Anderson was the prime mover of the chapter until her death in 1981. Since its beginning, the chapter has always had a large celebration dinner during United Nations week with outstanding speakers.
The 1990s saw a large expansion in both the programs and membership of the Wake County Chapter of UNA. In addition to the annual dinners, meetings were held several times a year. By 2000 these meetings became monthly, mostly at lunch but some in the afternoon and evening. From the 1980s membership rose from 30 to its present count of 150.
The success of UNA-Wake is entirely due to the dedicated leaders following Bea Anderson. To name but a few whose efforts were most responsible for keeping the organization on track through difficult times, there were Everett Noland, Dr. Julie McVay, Hanna Ridgeway, Kay Cope, Isabelle Buckley and Edmund Klemmer. Kay Cope and Isabelle Buckley were given the Dag Hammarskjold award for outstanding service and leadership of the Wake County Chapter.
UNA-USA Today
Today UNA-USA is bigger and more diverse than even Eleanor Roosevelt could have predicted. We have more than 20,000 members spread among 175 local chapters in 43 states. What's more, we now are comprised of a number of affiliated organizations, including the Business Council of the United Nations, which promotes greater cooperation between the United Nations and the business community; the Council of Organizations, a program of affiliation for national organizations supporting the work of the UNA; and Adopt-A-Minefield, which helps the United Nations' effort to resolve the global landmine crisis by raising funds for mine clearance and survivor assistance.
These groups are just the beginning. Today's UNA-USA also boasts a National Council advisory body of prominent Americans, chaired by former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. We celebrate excellence in foreign policy with our Global Leadership Award, presented annually at a gala dinner in New York City. UNA-USA coordinates the national observance of United Nations Day on October 24 in hundreds of communities around the country. We also sponsor educational outreach efforts such as the popular Model United Nations program, which teaches young people what it's like to be a delegate to the U.N.
UNA-USA is part of a larger network of United Nations Associations around the world, as a member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA).
