Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, spouse of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, giving a welcome speech
URI United Nations Representatives will be active at the 60th Commission on the Status of Women. Although CSW officially runs from March 14-24, events at the UN to observe International Women's Day are always connected to it.
Martha Gallahue and Monica Willard attended the March to End Violence Against Women on Sat. March 6. Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, spouse of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, joined other dignitaries to welcome everyone.
URI has a delegation of three from Pakistan joining our delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women.
URI is sponsoring two side events on Friday, March 18. One is being organized by URI UN Cooperation Circle member Dr. Nancy Scanlon. As a professor of Hospitality at FIU and involved in the tourism industry, Nancy has representatives from the hotel industry coming to share what the industry is doing to address trafficking.
The second side event is an Interfaith Service of Gratitude and Remembrance to prayerfully remember the work and inspiration of those who have recently died and share how they impacted the work of the UN. Sr. Joan Kirby will be honored during this service. Additional people will be honored by members of the audience including the human rights/environmentalist who was recently killed in Honduras, Berta Caceres.
Ibrahim Ramey, a strong voice for nuclear abolition, will be remembered with all those who died in nuclear bombings and from the effects of nuclear testings. I will read Bill Swing's Prayer for Those Whose Hearts Carry the Weight of Nuclear Weapons.
May Peace Prevail on Earth,
Monica Willard
United Religions Initiative
United Nations Representative
Ijaz Noori and Mr. Mansoor of PCSW&HR with Dr. Mmaleha Lodhi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UN, and Federal Minister for Human Rights Mr. Zafar Ullah Khan
Mr. Muhammad Ijaz Noori of PCSW&HR at UN session of csw60
Monica Willard with Ijaz Noori and Mr. Mansoor Ahmed
