XUNICEF News and Views

It is with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Dr. R.K. Rath, who departed peacefully on 3 June 2026 at his home in Bhubaneswar after a prolonged illness, at the age of 84.

We regret to inform you that Mr. Shriram Agarwal, popularly known as Shriramji, worked in UNICEF Lucknow office expired on 30 May 2026 after prolonged illness.  

Dear All : I am deeply saddened to inform you that a very senior member of UPGI, Dr. Sindhu Phadke passed away on 8th May at her residence in Pune. She would have turned 99 this October.

Reem Najjar (1957–2026) Reem Najjar, passed away on May 3, 2026. A cornerstone of UNICEF Jordan and MENARO for over three decades, Reem began her career in the mid-1980s and served until her retirement in 2017. Her career spanned operations, partnerships, and communications, but she was perhaps most respected for her leadership as Chairperson of both the Jordan and Regional Staff Associations. In these roles, she was a vital advocate for workplace dialogue and staff welfare across the Middle East. Beyond her service with UNICEF, Reem was a formidable leader in the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). She served globally as Vice President of the World YWCA and as President of the YWCA of Jordan. Reem championed vocational training, economic empowerment, and the leadership of young women. Recognized as a pioneer of women’s work, she spent her life bridging local community needs with global advocacy. Reem leaves behind a legacy of wisdom, selfless service, and a commitment to emp...

Mr. Hatim George passed away on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Amman, Jordan after a life dedicated to humanitarian work and the service of children through his long career at UNICEF.

Malcolm Kennedy, 1933 - 2026 Malcolm Kennedy died on Saturday at his care home in Faro, Portugal.

Malcolm Kennedy interviewing Sir Edmond Hillary Kathmandu 1986 for the Bob Geldoff's SportAid event. I first met Malcolm Kennedy in Nairobi Kenya in 1976 when I was doing free-lance graphic design jobs for both UNICEF and UNEP. He was a distinguished, unpretentious New Zealander who was the UNICEF Representative in Somalia.

The India unicef retiree association, UPGI shared this: We are deeply saddened to inform you of the demise of Mrs Salma Akhter,

“UNICEF is devastated and outraged that our colleague Karine Buisset was killed in a reported drone strike on a building housing aid workers in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. “Karine was a dedicated humanitarian who worked tirelessly to support children and families affected by conflict and crisis. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and colleagues during this extremely difficult time. “UNICEF is continuing to gather more details about this tragic event. This is a painful reminder that courageous humanitarian workers must always be protected.” French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Buisset's death on social media, urging respect for humanitarian law and for workers "committed to saving lives." The attack, which occurred before dawn on Wednesday in the Himbi neighbourhood, also claimed two other lives. The M23 rebel group, which has occupied Goma since January 2025, blamed the Congolese government for the strike. No party has claimed responsibility. Drone...

Dear Friends, It is with profound sadness I hear from Mr Kul Gautam that Steve Umemoto passed away on 2 March after a long hospitalization. He served in India as Dy Director Programs in 90s during Haxton's period. He was a great admirer of UPGI and regularly attended Retirees retreat since 2012 till Hyderabad reunion in 2019. Last I contacted him for his article for the Compendium of UNICEF@75 years. He is survived by his wife Diane and two daughters.   Anyone wishing to send condolence to the following e mail: dumemoto@yahoo.com The attached photo is from our memorable visit of Hyderabad reunion 2019. Thanks & Regards S. Ramadass Secretary UPGI

Dear friends, Further to my earlier message on the passing of our dear colleague Steve Umemoto, I attach herewith a tribute to him. Also attached is a picture in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa from our memorable visit there in April 2015. Missing Steve deeply and thinking of his dear wife Diane and his lovely daughters Kim and Nicole and their families at this hour of grief. Kul

Steve and Diane at At Kuang si waterfall, Luang Prabang, Laos Dear colleagues, In case you were not aware, I am sharing the news of the passing of our dear friend, Steve Umemoto, with profound sadness. I plan to write a brief obituary on Steve's remarkable life and contributions to share with our XUNICEF network.

Tim Journey William Kenneth Journey, always known as ‘Tim’ Journey, born Jackson Mississippi, USA on 2nd August 1943, died at his home in Richmond, Virginia on 27th December, 2025, aged 82. Tim trained as a biologist but had such a good grounding in science that he could be equally at home in biology as in fluid dynamics, and he was given to dabbling in any matters that interested him. He could speak a couple of languages. When he did his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer, he was sent to Guatemala where – for some time - he lodged with the Madam of the local bordello. He obviously had a soft spot for her – and she for him – but he maintained that the only advantage of this arrangement was easy access to beer. He worked for a period as a stevedore in Bremerhaven, extending his German learned at his university. On completion of his contract, he was found to have contracted TB, and was hospitalised where the sister-in-charge of his ward helped him overcome boredom by sourcing books for hi...

Please find herewith my tribute to Dr. Bill Foege, who left this world this past weekend, but whose legacy continues to inspire many of us.  Kul Gautam Tribute to Dr. William Foege: A Giant of Global Public Health by Kul Chandra Gautam ∙ This weekend, the world lost a true giant of global public health. Tributes are pouring in from public health scholars and leaders around the world, mourning the passing of Dr. William (Bill) Foege, a pioneer of the vaccination strategies that helped eradicate smallpox, a highly contagious, often disfiguring, and deadly disease that killed an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century alone. The global eradication of smallpox stands among humanity’s greatest public health triumphs. In a sad coincidence, his passing came shortly after the United States announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), a decision that deeply distressed Dr. Foege, as it did most of the world’s leading public health experts and institutio...

Shocking news! Oscar Dear friends, It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Howard G. Dale, a British citizen and long-time resident of Briarcliff Manor, NY. Howard enjoyed a long career at UNICEF New York, where he met Eirah Gorre-Dale, to whom he was married for almost 40 years until her passing in 2020. “H” as he was known by his family, was an avid photographer https://www.hgdphotography.org/portfolios and cat lover. Condolences to the family can be made on his personal Facebook account https://www.facebook.com/howard.dale.52 . In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Briarcliff Manor Historical Society, where Howard dedicated so much of his time and energy over the last few years https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/donate . He is survived by two daughters and five grandchildren. There will be a small, informal gathering of family and friends on Saturday, 31 January in Briarcliff Manor - details will be posted on https://www.facebook.com/Jgorreborjavidal

Dear Cathy, I feel deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Dr. William Foege, a true giant of global public health and one of UNICEF's greatest champions. Kul Gautam

Mark Tully, Journalist and Author, Dies at 90 Click here for the article Sir William Mark Tully, one of the most influential voices in Indian journalism and broadcasting, died in a Delhi hospital on January 25, 2026, at age 90. 

William Kenneth (Tim) Journey Born 2nd August, 1943, Jackson, Mississippi Died 27th December, 2025, Richmond VA UNICEF, Dhaka, WatSan staff member from January 1973 until August 1974, only.

From: UNICEF Pensioner's Group India < unicefpensionersgroupindia@gmail.com > Date: Mon, Dec 15, 2025 Dear All It is with deep regret to share the sad news . 1. Mr V.S. Lakshman , retired staff member passed away on 12 December 2025 after brief illness at Mumbai. Mr. V.S. Lakshman worked in Hyderabad, and WES Section Delhi and retired from UNICEF in 1991/1992. Condolences message may be sent to