XUNICEF News and Views

For those new retirees who are considering taking up drawing or painting class for recreation, there is a new world of learning opportunities out there. (While world politics is dominated by America arguing with itself.) One of these opportunities comes in the form of digital art - as a way of learning and improving your technical skill.

 

 

 

  View this email in your browser Dear Colleagues, Many thanks to those 200-or-so among us who have already signed the Call on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter

Agop - "I ask myself where are the people  who participated in the Days of Tranquility Message from Kul Gautam to Agop Kayayan and Richard (Ricardo) Wolf

A Seismic Shift in UNICEF  A Dialogue Among Former Insiders By Lou Mendez As Founder of StratMan Consulting, I often exchange notes with former colleagues—consultants, advisors, and ex-staff who’ve stayed connected to the evolution of the UN and UNICEF. Below is a recent exchange that captures the mood and reflections within our group as we grapple with what may be a defining moment in UNICEF’s institutional life.

  View this email in your browser Facebook X LinkedIn Bluesky YouTube FOGGS Update: May 2025

  Facebook post shared by Niloufar Pourzand Avi Lewis  is at  Scarborough . 17h    ·  Toronto    ·  My father Stephen Lewis is spectacularly uninterested in social media, so I’m posting this myself (though he has read it and is prepared to suffer the indignity of all I'm about to reveal).

Article shared by Baquer Namazi Click here for the article Summary Martin Griffiths, former UN humanitarian chief, has described Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide" during an interview on Sky News' *The World*.

Article shared by Tom McDermott

Article shared by Tom McDermott Click here for the op-ed in the NY Times Click here for the article  in MEM

A typical smart phone         Old age, they say, brings with it much experience. I rather wish it didn’t.A previous article concerning our new age of technology triggered more comments than any of my previous writings, perhaps indicative of our discomfort at the developments in our new technological/telephonic age.

 Article shared by Sharif Alam Click here for the article Summary The United Nations Secretariat is preparing to reduce its $3.7 billion budget by 20% and eliminate nearly 6,900 jobs by 2026, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.

List shared by Horst Cerni You might have seen this some years back, but it certainly is fun to read again. Enjoy, Horst Caribbean Explanations Of Medical Terms ARTERY  The study of paintings BACTERIA Back door to cafeteria BARIUM What happens when patients die BENIGN What you’ll be, after you are eight CAESAREAN SECTION A neighborhood in Rome CAT SCAN Searching for Kitty CAUTERIZE Made eye contact COMA  A punctuation mark DILATE To live long ENEMA Not a friend FESTER Quicker than anyone else FIBULA   A small lie IMPOTENT Distinguished, well known LABOR PAIN Getting hurt at work MORBID A higher offer NITRATES Rates of pay for working at night NODE I knew it OUTPATIENT A patient who has fainted PELVIS Second cousin to Elvis SECRETION Hiding something SEIZURE Roman Emperor TABLET A small table TERMINAL ILLNESS Getting sick at the airport TUMOR One plus one more URINE Opposite of you are out

Article shared by Robert Cohen Click here for the article Summary The Trump administration's abrupt withdrawal of U.S. foreign aid has led to destabilization in some of the world's most fragile regions.

Dear ED Russell, The Representatives in ECAR acknowledge the message from Staff Association dated 22 May 2025. We start by recognizing that these are unprecedented and difficult times for everyone (including leadership) while reiterating our full commitment to UNICEFs critical mission.

AMMAN, 27 May 2025 – “In a 72-hour period this weekend, images from two horrific attacks provide yet more evidence of the unconscionable cost of this ruthless war on children in the Gaza Strip.

Linkedin post shared by Carina Prakke Good afternoon from rainy chilly Ancaster. Our strange relationship with the UN - I'm sharing this link because some of us can relate to having an abusive/survival relationship with some managers in the UN, alongside our experiences and memories of great colleagues and lasting positive friendships made along the way. They're not mutually exclusive. Carina

Article shared by Robert Cohen Click here for the article Summary Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet , condemns the international community's failure to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Information war Information & communication is an integral part of our society irrespective of history, geography or politics. Information binds our society together.

The members of the Gender Push Initiative in UNICEF have written to Catherine Russell listing their concerns about the future of gender equality in UNICEF and the Gender Action Plan. See the full document below the summary.

Linkedin post by Ian Richards

We included in today's NewsLinks an article from The Guardian reporting on the death of 11 year old Yaqeen Hammad in an Israeli airstrike Friday on the Al-Baraka area of Deir al-Bala in central Gaza. As reported by The Guardian, Yaqeen is considered Gaza's youngest influencer, thanks to her effective use of Instagram to keep other young children in-touch and informed of ways to live under bombardment. Her Instagram account, @yaqeen_hmad amassed over 106,000 followers by sharing uplifting content and practical survival tips for children living under siege. Her posts included advice on cooking without gas and finding clean water sources, aiming to bring joy and a sense of normalcy to her peers amidst the ongoing conflict. In addition to her online presence, Yaqeen was actively involved in humanitarian efforts. She collaborated with her older brother, Mohamed Hammad, and the Gaza-based nonprofit organization Ouena to distribute food, toys, and clothing to displaced families in cam...

Sorry to announce the passing of Zenaida T Brown yesterday 25 May 2025 in Santa Ana, California. She was a robust 94-year old with the positive enthusiasm of a Gen Z. Zeny, as she was fondly referred to by her peers, worked with UNICEF from 1 March 1956 to 30 Sept 1989. She served as Personnel Officer with DHR in New York and also oversaw the Appointment and Placement Committees during her professional years. Zeny provided onsite HR support to the Bangladesh Office for a period of six months during the mid-90's. Upon her retirement, she moved to California with her husband as she always expressed her love for the sun and the laid-back lifestyle.

Announcement shared by Misrak Elias I’m forwarding information on the webinar below to share with our members. There may be some who are interested. Best regards Misrak

The Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) announced it will begin distributing food in Gaza on Monday, May 26th, even as the organization was rocked by the sudden resignation on Sunday night of its CEO, Jake Wood. In a brief statement,  Wood said  that he was resigning because he could not continue without abandoning his humanitarian principles. He went on to state that it was “not possible” to implement a new Israeli-backed aid system in the enclave while remaining neutral and independent. The origins of the GHF had remained murky until Saturday, when The New York Times published the results of a major investigation. The report reveals that GHF was part of a plan conceived by Israeli military reservists, strategic planners, and private security firms in the early weeks of the war in late 2023. Though shelved for months, the plan was revived in February 2025, when GHF was announced as a private, independent foundation based in Switzerland. The Times investigation makes clear, howeve...

 Instagram post shared by Niloufar Pourzand View this post on Instagram A post shared by Asadollah Amraee (@asadamraee)