Doreen Lobo commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
1 hour ago
Message from Mehr Khan: As always the Editorial Team has done a superb job. It is so rich and has contributions from so many people. I will read it carefully and if there is additional feedback I will certainly provide it. Mehr
Doreen Lobo commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
1 hour ago
Message from David Parker: What an extraordinary achievement - a document of this most incredible generation. I'm speechless. Hats off to you all. David
3 hours ago
We are do busy managing organizational risks that it would be useful to stop twice a year and ask ourselves the question the shirt-retailing company asked its staff. "Why are we here again?"
Marco Vianello Chiodo commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
9 hours ago
As I said, the celebration of the second 25 years is beautiful, interesting, funny and even at times moving. Good idea to put summaries, which allow you to choose what you want or can read. I've skipped pieces of former colleagues I don't know, but I've read almost everything. A big job! Thank you again! And a big hug. Marco
Marina Kmentt commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Yesterday
Just read the fascinating account of your Africa Section years and all the other contributions from colleagues. Really enjoyed it and feel very privileged having been part of an „era“ that still resonates in so many of us so many years on ... I am sure you received lots and lots of enthusiastic reactions to this wonderful edition of the XUNICEF Quarterly Newsletter. It truly is a masterpiece of collective testimonies from colleagues all over the world. Putting it all together must have been quite something ... Warmest regards and best wishes, Marina ��
Yesterday
A ditty from Fouad Kronfol. Our premium Title fixer is definitely Sree, What else could one expect her to be ? If in doubt, make sure it is she Who can make a bush into a tree And all this without a fee. Word limits ? As wide as a river into the sea, Did you say 500 ? but gee There goes another one of 2300, whee ! OK, lets settle for 800 to feel free, Oh ! Oh! but here comes one in quantity Yes, certainly one of quality. So the heck with these limits, let it be We still need to edit everything from A to Z !
Yesterday
Very thoughtful insights as usual, Detlef. Always enjoy reading your crystal clear contributions. - Deepa Grover
Yesterday
Very thoughtful insights as usual, Detlef. Always enjoy reading your crystal clear contributions. - Deepa Grover
Doreen Lobo commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
2 days ago
This message is from Martha Menezes: A mammoth production indeed! I imagine it was a daunting task with the editing, assembling, layout and the introduction piece to each one's contribution. Kudos to the editorial team. I have browsed through the stubs and look forward to reading and digesting each presentation in the days/weeks to come. As you said, I am sure many of them (faces and events) will evoke memories and recollections. It is gratifying to see my story (and the gracious introductory stub) have a niche in this quarterly, alongside the interesting contributions of so many others. Many thanks Martha Menezes
Cyril Ritchie commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 24, 2021
My dear Franziska — How thoughtful of you [to share the Quarterly with me]. I much appreciated your article on what you did (and who you were photographed with …) “after graduating from ICVA” [International Council of Voluntary Agencies, based Geneva]. And as I scrolled through, innumerable names brought a flood of memories to the surface: Jim Grant, Lida Lhotska, Kathleen Cravero, Richard Jolly, Janet Nelson, Mary Racelis… How very important it is to remember where we have been and with whom. Signed Cyril Ritchie, former Executive Director ICVA
Sally Fegan-Wyles commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 24, 2021
This special edition is great, thank you. So good to hear from so many lovely people I worked with. It is amazing how much freedom we all had, and how we felt empowered to ‘do the right thing’! I wonder if it is still so? Thank you again for all your efforts. Best regards Sally
Editors @ News & Views commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
This comment has been removed by the author.
Editors @ News & Views commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Many thanks, Sarah. So glad that you are enjoying the edition. We editors were overwhelmed with the response we received. I hope this does contribute to thinking about the 75th. It will soon also be time for several natcoms to begin celebrating their own anniversaries - the US comes up next year and I think several others soon after. Warm regards and best wishes for your work.
In Response to a comment by Sarah Winfield
Editors @ News & Views commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Dear ML - glad that you are enjoying the edition. Yes, very easy to get lost among so many stories of the period. Indeed, we editors were often 'lost', and I am not sure we will ever be 'found'. Somehow though we are making our way to the current period. September will cover the most recent 25 years (1997 to today). And - if we survive until then - December will address the coming 25. By the way, I hope you also are seeing our column - A Little Bit of History in our weeklies - https://xunicefnewsandviews.blogspot.com/search/label/History Warm regards to all. Stay well.
In Response to a comment by Mary Lynn Lalonde
Mary Lynn Lalonde commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
I third that! I got lost (in a good way) in the pages last night. This is everything – and such a rich era for UNICEF storytelling. I think you’ve outdone yourselves with this issue. ML ML (Mary Lynn) Lalonde
Sarah Winfield commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
I was just about to hit send on an email to you and the XUNICEF editoial team, but you got there first! I have been pouring over the second edition of the UNICEF at 75 series – a treasure trove of stories, tributes and words of wisdom. I am inspired! We shared this latest edition with our colleagues leading internal communication, who are also combing through. They’re currently fleshing out a content plan around the anniversary and will likely reach out to you in due course. Thank you for all your pioneering work in gathering so many rich resources to capture UNICEF’s legacy of impact over the past 75 years. My best wishes, Sarah
Editors @ News & Views commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Dear Shahida, Thanks for passing this along to Omar and Hannan who are not yet on our mailing list. I hope that they may join and that your message may spark some interest in the UNICEF History Project which has so far been sadly neglected. Even this important 75th year, seems to have gotten very little attention so far. We do have quite a few other members on our mailing list who are still serving staff at Hqs, including Henrietta Fore, Kirsi Madi, Paloma Escudero (head of DOC), Noma Owens-Ibie (GSA Chair), and several from the UNICEF@75 history project. There are also several serving staff in various country offices. So if staff in any UNICEF offices would like to be on our mailing list, please encourage them to sign up as members. You do not need to retire to be a member of XUNICEF. Membership is open to any member of the UNICEF family - staff, former staff, short-term, volunteer, retiree, consultant, contractor, spouse, and natcom staff and retirees - in short, the whole family. All we ask is that they have "a continuing commitment to UNICEF and its mission". Just pass on the link to the membership form - https://bit.ly/3df5ouq As you say, the edition "includes a wealth of information on UNICEF’s past from different perspectives and is a treasure trove of memorable photos." Thanks so much for your own contributions to this important cornucopia. Tom
In Response to a comment by Shahida Azfar
Horst Cerni commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
As I had mentioned before, it is amazing what you and your editors are able to put together so frequently. All the stories sound interesting, and I have started reading some. Your account of Jim Grant's early years is fascinating. I am trying to learn more about Asia and so this history is very relative. I am presently reading Milton Osborne's book on SouthEast Asia which has close to 400 pages, so I doubt I'll get to read all of the Quarterly stories. I trust the Quarterly and the Weekly Updates are also read in UNICEF House. They sure should become part of the the records. All the best and I wished I could nominate you all for the Pulitzer Prize... Horst.
Shamsul Farooq commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Congratulations to you and the Team of Editors for bringing out an excellent Quarterly Report of June 2021. Of course credit also go out to each and every contributors to the Quarterly which read not only interesting, but also reach in content, relevant and very useful information- great to be enlightened on so many aspects of unicef work . Well done , Tom and Group. I am sure next Quarterly as well as subsequent ones will turn out even more interesting and useful. A big kudos to you and the Team. Best wishes. S. Farooq
Ellen Tolmie commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
... have just skimmed this and will return to it but had to send a big congratulations to both of you and whomever is a big part of your team, for pulling it together. Bravo and thank you!
Shahida Azfar commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Dear Omer and Hannan Salam from Islamabad. Hope this finds you well and safe . I am taking the liberty of forwarding the June quarterly edition of XUNICEF’s News and Views in case it has missed your attention. It includes a wealth of information on UNICEF’s past from different perspectives and is a treasure trove of memorable photos. I was asked earlier by Islamabad UNICEF senior staff that it would be excellent if the weekly XUnicef News and Views could be shared with the current staff as well for their learning (and hopefully inspiration.) Ofcourse this would be the decision of the Executive Director and your selves. I too believe this is excellent source of instant knowledge of the past on many issues that are still relevant today. I am copying this to the distinguished editors who are the movers and shakers of the vast network on XUNICEFers who have UNICEF firmly embedded in our DNA. I too have two articles in this quarterly which I hope you will find interesting especially the series on Africa led by Fouad’s overview I take this opportunity to wish you both continued health, happiness and peace as you take UNICEF from strength to strength With warmest regards Shahida
Niloufar Pourzand commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Wonderful! Thank you all! Niloufar
Robert Cohen commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Editors -- you have turned our amateur, ad hoc information dissemination efforts into a serious platform for knowledge and change, tapping the wisdom of our retiree savants, movers and shakers. Hats off to you! Gratitude and respect!
Sree Gururaja commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Dear Mary Thank you for your compliments which on behalf of the team, we accept. I have marked this to all editors as you requested in your message. Yes, it was huge task but accomplished with Gianni Murzi as our Issue coordinator, leading us to keep going, Fouad as our chieftain ( a la Africa), Tom and Detlef are the techie wiz editors coming up with solutions to make it attractive and reader friendly , Doreen our formatting expert and wordsmith - we did have a hectic time but made it enjoyable with ditties / jokes and our vying for catchy titles - assembly was a challenge which we successfully sorted out in our weekly mtgs . Also as Ms Participation, let me tell you it was 200% participatory!!�� Fond regards and happy reading Sree
In Response to a comment by Mary Racelis
Mary Racelis commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Dear volunteer editors of News and Views! You've together produced an amazing cornucopia of delights! Absolutely astonishing and wonderful to read!. I started simply by scrolling down to view the pictures and scrutinize authors' faces now 25 years older than I last remember them. Although we all look slightly different, we remain recognizable and bring heartwarming memories. I'm eager to start reading, selectively as you recommend, but eventually all the articles. UNICEF revisited - never to be forgotten, always treasured and loved!. Thank you all -- certainly to the contributors of which I'm proud to be one. As an author I thank you eternally for pushing me to submit my two articles, even allowing some slippage in the deadlines. I would never have forgiven myself had I not been represented among this amazing group of people who helped make the Jim Grant years UNICEF's golden years. Congratulations! Mary
Editors @ News & Views commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Thanks for noting the error, Peter. We have corrected the web and document versions to add the full title of the Code.
In Response to a comment by Peter Greaves
Peter Greaves commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Congratulations – you and colleagues have done a wonderful job. I have only looked at a few contributions yet, of course. (But I note that many greatly exceed your guideline!) I was fascinated by Kathleen Cravero’s piece, as it dealt with a subject close to my heart, but I knew nothing about her story! (Though I knew her later in NY in the mid-80s, and appreciated her a lot). Perhaps it is not too late to correct a title error in your brief summary of her article, and also at the end of the first paragraph of the article itself. The correct title of the Code is: “International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.” I think George McBean’s cover is brilliant!
Marco Vianello Chiodo commented on "The Quarterly - June 2021"
Jun 23, 2021
Caro Gianni, nel riassuntino del mio pezzo sui cento milioni di Francesco Forte mi mettete come gia' promosso DED, ma allora ero direttore del Programme Funding Office PFO. Sono stato promosso solo nel 1998. Se puoi correggere correggi... se no pazienza! Molto bella l' idea dei riassuntini...Per ora ho letto tutti i riassuntini. Ora dovro' cominciare il lavoro grosso! Da subito posso dire che e' un gran bel lavoro!
fetch skipper commented on "What's in a name? : Sree Guraraja"
Jun 23, 2021
From Gianni -- Thank you Sree for this delightful contribution!
Sree Gururaja commented on "What Now, António ? : PassBlue / Ellen Tolmie"
Jun 20, 2021
Greetings all, maybe its a daily habit hard to break.. so writing to recommend reading of Barbara Crosette's "What now? Antonnio” sure, that Detlef will find that she has borrowed some of his thoughts! cheers Sree
Jun 14, 2021
So glad that Neena actually looked at the column and am grateful for her comments. Isn't it something that her son is now 35 years old....let us get the Indian government to issue another stamp of the two of them for UNICEF@75 !!!
Jun 14, 2021
Thank you for your kind comments. Very much appreciated. Everett
Unknown commented on "Our Sculptor of the Week - Reflections on Late Night Sculpting: Everett Ressler"
Jun 13, 2021
Your work is wonderful. Great talent - beautifully represented in your creations. You may or may not remember me, way back from Sri Lanka. I dabble in painting both oils and water colour so I feel an affinity with you both in terms of UNICEF and Art. Mine is an amateur exercise, which I have done since my young days, but I have to say that your work is exceptional and professional and should adorn our galleries. Anoja Wijeyesekera [currently living in Sri Lanka]
Jun 13, 2021
Thanks Gabriele for your message on Burma. I read the Voluntary National Report on Myanmar. It took me a while to realise that it was actually a VNR! It is a surprise that the UNDESA accepted this report, which lacks any facts and figures to supplement the few statements made in this brief monologue. It is difficult to say when this report was prepared and how it was prepared. According to the VNR, the report was prepared by Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry. All I know is that in the current governance structure there is no Ministry of Planning. The Ministry of Finance is now a separate entity. The UN in Myanmar has remained dysfunctional for a long time. The UNRC has been away for a long time (medical leave for almost a year, I think). The current R.C a.i. was someone with an iNGO in Burma for more than decade and suddenly joined the UN. He was one of the critiques of the UN. Surprise surprise, now he is an acting R.C a.i. I am also puzzled that UNICEF reassigned UNICEF Representative (June Kunugi) during this time of crisis. She left Yangon on 9 April and has not been replaced yet. I understand the new Rep will join in October. At the moment someone from the Regional Office is in Yangon as OIC. What can we expect from the UN for Myanmar? I am not sure. Given the polarisation within the UN system and given US’s priority in dealing with China and Russia we should not bet anything that would help Myanmar people anytime soon. US will continue to mobilise all resources including the UN to deal with China and Russia. Myanmar will be on the backburner. The market prices have doubled on all essential supplies and supplies are shrinking in the markets. The in-country transportation network is also being affected which affects movement of goods and supplies. The long-term solution can come only from a flexible and inclusive NLD (being the largest and most popular political party). At the moment the majority support for NLD has blinded the NLD leadership as if there is no tomorrow. NLD must not ignore the plight of 30% of the Myanmar ethnic minority population. There are 94 ethnic based political parties in Myanmar (indeed, there are just too many fragmented political parties in the country which is also a problem). Many of these parties did not participate in the last general election (some excluded for security reasons). NLD sent written messages to 48 ethnic political parties citing the need for ethnic unity for Myanmar as a nation, etc. Anyways, I hope the Burmese diaspora which includes well educated professionals belonging to all ethnic groups living in western countries and Asia Pacific countries could come together to form an alliance to challenge the regime. Have a good evening Ramesh
Jun 13, 2021
Wonderful story. Makes me want to try sculpting. And your sculptures are beautiful and some are very expressive. We had the pleasure at our xUNICEF reunion in Edinburgh to visit an isolated hillside - far away from any civilization - where the owner had set up a sculpture garden with some very impressive works. It was inspiring..
Jun 13, 2021
Thanks Fouad for this wonderful piece. I was indeed honoured to be on a UNICEF commemorative stamp with my son who’s now 35 years old!! Thank you for reliving my memories Neena
Baquer Namazi commented on "UN Reform - Myanmar and UN DESA : Gabriele Koehler"
Jun 13, 2021
Dear Gabriel I join Kul in expressing admiration for your searching eyes. As time goes on one expects the tide of democratic change to overtake dictatorships. But it seems that the corona pandemic has emboldened human rights violators to continue to oppress their own people with obscene impunity. That is why many of us are seeking UN reform to prevent this entity from being constrained by unethical political considerations. Hence the need also to have a powerful independent people based forum giving voice to citizen victims of oppression. Power to you and all friends sharing information transparently on human rights violations. Hopefully, such efforts will generate the political will to practice what many powerful westerns countries are preaching Warm regards Baquer
Kul Gautam commented on "UN Reform - Myanmar and UN DESA : Gabriele Koehler"
Jun 13, 2021
Dear Gabriel, Grateful for your eagle eyes in detecting this Mynamar VNR being presented to the HLPF. Not many people outside the UN staff, delegates, some NGOs and academics pay any attention to the VNR or HLPF. But surely the UN agencies based in Yangon, particularly UNRC, must have seen this report in draft or final form. The fact that UN DESA processed and published the report as it is, probably means that either some junior staff member without much political acumen processed it in a routine, unquestioning manner, or some mid to senior-level staff wanted to play it safe and be deferential to process whatever is received officially from the government. But I wonder if the decision to publish such a flawed report may have something to do with the fact that the current Under Secretary-General of UN DESA is a Chinese diplomat named Mr. Liu Zhenmin. And we all know China's position on Myanmar. Most of us who join the UN take an oath to be loyal only to the UN and not to take instructions from any governments (including our own), but as we know, in reality, high-level officials from many countries continue to be loyal to their own governments, especially if they were nominated to the UN post by their government. In any case, it is a pathetic situation. I hope that the Myanmar VNR will actually be questioned by delegates or civil society participants although that rarely happens in the sanitized atmosphere of the UN conference rooms. ====================== Kul Chandra Gautam
Jun 13, 2021
What a lovely essay, Everett, and an equally lovely set of wonderful sculptures. This is inspirational! I recently was asked by a local organization to help a 90-year-old woman transplant a few plants. When I arrived, she turned out to be a sculptress and painter, and her home and gardens were filled with sculptures. What a bonus, and I'll bet your home is equally amazing!
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