1 hour ago
Sad . May you be granted courage and strength and May she be at peace Rohini
1 hour ago
Beautiful Austria. Do you meet the bib hamams say hi to them if you do. Hope u r both well Rohini
9 hours ago
Deepest condolences. He was my colleague and my Dada for the short period I served in UNICEF Kolkata before I left for Baghdad. He was an amazing personality. RIP!
Bilgae commented on "Mrs. Rachel Cohen, RIP - wife of Robert Cohen"
13 hours ago
May she rest in Peace and light. bilge
Sree Gururaja commented on "Our Photographer of the Week : Tad Palac"
19 hours ago
Tad, no wonder you decided to live in Austria! Sree
Doreen Lobo commented on "Our Photographer of the Week : Tad Palac"
Yesterday
Tad, A feast for the eyes! Thanks for sharing so much beauty and other fascinating images with us. Doreen
V.Muthuswami commented on "Weekly Digest - 16 to 23 May 2021"
Yesterday
Seems similar to the principle of fundamental rights of the Indian Government vs WhatsApp 's idea of privacy. The fundamental issue seems to be our believe that right to privacy and right to free expression is inextricably linked. Right now, the Pandamic has taught us that no one is safe until and unless everyone is safe. Apply the same natural logic to the sacredness of privacy and right to free speech insulting/casting unfounded aspersions/hitting or hating other view points etc. with criminal intent.
Yesterday
With regard to 'censorship' and 'filtering' -it is true that we recently declined to republish an article you had earlier published elsewhere in which you criticize the actions of particular staff members. We believe that News and Views is not an appropriate forum for airing old grievances. Our guidelines are stated in the FAQs on this website: "Conditions of use: As a network of former international civil servants, we assume that members who add comments or engage in discussions will use a tone and etiquette similar to that used in professional communications. Inappropriate discussions of character or performance of individuals will be removed.."
In Response to a comment by Kristian Laubjerg
Kristian Laubjerg commented on "Weekly Digest - 16 to 23 May 2021"
Yesterday
Just a comment: The network of former UNICEF staff has turned out to be rather boring and not at all mind-bugling since the censorship and editorial filtering by the editors under the leadership of Tom. Kristian
2 days ago
Thanks again for continued pieces on history linking (UN)ICEF. Unfortunately status of Kashmir remains unresolved till today.
2 days ago
We have a tradition of sidelining what did not work instead of rectifying it. I recall vividly a whole week on ‘appreciative enquiry’ during one of those sr. managers’ training courses – forget what does not work focus and build on what works! This is why we never learn from mistakes because mistakes are swept under the carpet!
May 25, 2021
Fun facts!
May 25, 2021
Fascinating history, Tom. Thanks. You mentioned Tony Meager: John Grun brought him to Delhi in 1974 to manage the Special Child Relief (SCR) programme; I'll try to attach a photo of him touring an SCR area in Bengal. We became close friends, and my family and I stayed with him and his delightful Japanese wife when they retired to Alicante. I was in Delhi when Glan returned: he had endearing foibles, such as confusing proverbs: "The proof of the pudding is yet to be seen."
May 24, 2021
In Brazil, UNICEF adopted and kept on ( under successive reps) an innovative approach to ORT. The plastic spoon with two sides. IN MANY COLORS. We asked Brazilian companies not to give us money for ORT. Instead we asked them to buy large quantities of the famous ORT spoons. They were made famous thanks to the support of major TV, newspaper, and radio companies for free. Companies were surprised that they were not being asked for financial contribution but rather being encouraged to buy and donate the spoons. The Northeast of Brazil is the poorest region. It became flooded with the ORT spoons, of many colors, and became part of the few kitchen equipment of poor and rich families.
Unknown commented on "Our Artist of the Week - Peter Delahaye"
May 24, 2021
Really lovely portraits. Lucky subjects!
May 24, 2021
From milk to water is so apt as a title for the reader is then forced to open to check what these stamps are all about I did and was wonderstruck that almost all of them show women around the wells and handpumps too collecting and carrying water which is the reality then and now will there be change for their daughters?
May 24, 2021
This comment has been removed by the author.
May 24, 2021
this story needs to told and retold especially in India and the sub-continent. Thanks Tom for enlightening us on Glan Davies and his work through the Quakers organization in pre-Independence India. Sree
May 24, 2021
Heartfelt sympathies Augustine. Your tribute to Grace was touching and profound, May God grant her eternal rest, and comfort to the grieving family. Martha Menezes
Neena commented on "Our Artist of the Week - Peter Delahaye"
May 23, 2021
Amazing work Never knew you’re an artist
May 23, 2021
As long as I worked in UNICEF I had this sense of sitting on the shoulders of giants. Thank you Tom for this great piece on Glan.
May 23, 2021
Thank you Ellen. Writing this was some kind of healing for me.
In Response to a comment by Ellen M. Collins
May 23, 2021
Condolences she is truly grace
May 23, 2021
Condolences. I love #7☺️ #10 & #15! I would have loved to walk in her path!🙏🏾
May 23, 2021
yes it is heart breaking. It is even worst if we realise that this little 10 years old girl already existed almost 75 years ago and was already saying "it is not fair". Some day in 1990 I met a young 14 years old palestinian boy in the camp near Tripoli. He told me "I know I am too much on this earth. The world would be happier if I did not exist". How does one reply to such words? This brief encounter remains the worst memory of my thirty years with UNICEF. I felt outraged, angry and above all HELPLESS. This little girl in Gaza today cries for help saying "what do you expect me to do" and we reply "there is nothing we can do for you" and at best we cry with her. Is this all we can do to "give a chance to children"?
May 23, 2021
Great piece, Detlef! Right to the point in so many areas. What happened to the solid situation analysis we had to do in the country program preparation process? It was so important when we entered UNICEF but disappeared due the need of "simplification" ? It took time, energy and investment to get it done, but it provided a good basis for Strategic thinking and decision making. Societies are complicated entities and it is sometimes hard to understand the Basic and underlying causes to the situation of children and women. Hence we go for the immediate once and end up dancing on the surface. We also have to accept that development is about hard politics where we never should be neutral. UNICEF has a strong Human Rights mandate, which is too seldom used in Planning, negotions and actions. Governments get away with too much, even with HR breaches without being held accountable. That happens all the time in my own country, and everywhere else. Where is UNICEF then? Maybe the last 10 years before 2030 could be used to use that mandate to ensure that we are true advocates for children?
V.Muthuswami commented on "Weekly Digest - 16 to 23 May 2021"
May 22, 2021
Here is an extract of what I wrote to the UNJSPF bureaucracy: Thank you for your bureaucratic response of a typical socialist regime. Covid-19 Pandemic, declared by WHO as early as 2020, has been killing millions around the world for the past 18+ months. Consequences of personal and family suffering and economic hardships do not need any explanation or proof or justification. Again the hardships faced by those with pension below USD 1000, with no other social safety net available, cannot be overstated. IF the organization established by UN and in the spirit of UN Charter and values of UHRD, cannot see the reality in front of our eyes, I can only say they have no sensitivity and can only enjoy fiddling while the low pension earners' houses on fire. Does it not behove an UN outfit to assess the real life situation in the countries with UN pensioners with minimum level pension live. You have precedence in the past: based on UN pensioners associations appeals you have compensated pensioners who made self declaration/certification of loss/hardships sustained during natural disasters, e.g. earthquakes, cyclonic storms, flooding, etc. Following such humanitarian gesture, why don't you take the initiative to declare emergency thru your official website and offer of help for minimum/low level pensioners facing Pandemic hardships? Your humanitarian gesture will atleast mitigate the CURRENT not so wholesome image of the UN. Best regards.
Doreen Lobo commented on "Insights from Outside the Bubble: Get Real!"
May 22, 2021
Detlef: Thanks for your observations. We can only hope that those that have the power to change will thoughtfully apply a big dose of wisdom to their decisions and actions!
May 22, 2021
Ramesh: I truly enjoy the variety of topics you present in our weekly digest. Thanks for being a regular columnist and surprising us each week! Here's to a cuppa tea for you! Doreen
May 22, 2021
Fouad, You continue to take us down a fascinating philatelic journey. I've never paid close attention to stamps; Your acute observations are remarkable as you interpret for us the smallest detail. Thank you! Doreen
May 22, 2021
Another enlightening piece of history. Thanks Tom for sharing. Doreen
First, hat's off to Tad for his amazing photos! They are gifts of beauty and ideas. And thank you dear friends for your warm condolences. Rachel in the stardust is surely grateful, as I am!
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