Inside this issue

The Ambassador’s Luncheon .... 1

Government & Advocacy ........... 2
UNA-USA United Nations Association
UNA Events ................................ 3
Tampa Bay Chapter
Information ................................. 4
www.unatampabay.org

“Working Together for Peace, Freedom and Justice” Volume XXXII, No. 4 April 2008

JOIN US FOR THE ANNUAL MODEL UN GLOBAL CLASSROOMS &

TICKETS FOR THE
THE AMBASSADOR LUNCHEON with
AMBASSADOR
LUNCHEON ARE H.E. AMBASSADOR DON LEIDEL
STILL AVAILABLE: DATE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 16th 2008 TIME: 11:00 AM-1:00PM
AT THE TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER (ROOMS: 20 & 21) 333 S. FRANKLIN ST. TAMPA, FL 33602
$30
TICKET COST: $30 TO RSVP PLEASE at rsvp@unatampabay.org or go to www.unatampa.org

Ambassador Leidel spent 41 years in government service with the Central Intelligence Agency, the
United States Air Force and the Department of State. The countries he served include Austria,
Germany, Argentina, Mexico and Bahrain. He served in Washington as executive director in the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and European Affairs, deputy director of Management
Operations and Dean of the School of Professional Studies at the Foreign Service Institute
----------------------
Dear Members,
Our monthly programs are designed to educate both our membership and the public about the
work of the United Nations. The Tampa Bay Chapter also believes that educating our young children is vital
to the UNA-USA’s mission. The UNA-USA’s Global Classrooms Curriculum, in its 4th year in Hillsborough,
Pinellas and Pasco counties, is an excellent program for teaching our middle and high school students
about the world, through the work of the United Nations. On April 16th, 900 of these students will converge
The 2007 Ambassadors
on the Tampa Convention Center to simulate the United Nations. Our Ambassador’s luncheon on April 16th
luncheon had International
Dignitaries, various coincides with this event. It promises to be a wonderful occasion for our UNA-USA Chapter to have a lovely

Consulates and nearly 1000 lunch at the beautiful Tampa Convention Center, and connect with the students that directly benefit from
students in attendance at the Global Classroom curriculum. We are fortunate to have Ambassador Donald Leidel as our guest
the Tampa Convention speaker. I hope you will all attend. Many of our members visit or plan to visit the United Nations in New York.
Center. If you have recently visited or plan to visit the U.N., we would love for you to tell us about your
experience. The board also welcomes your input on how we can strengthen/improve our Chapter.
As always, I look forward to seeing you at our Chapter events.
- Kelly Miliziano, President
 Tampa Bay Chapter

THE U.S. DUES, UNITED NATIONS SOME MORE THOUGHTS

LONG OVERDUE! DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Jill Isaac, VP of Education
Bill McReynolds,
AND LITERACY
VP of Advocacy &
Government Affairs

The Tampa Bay Chapter

Board encourages you to be
active in advocating for the
United Nations at the level of
the U.S. government.
Accordingly, we encourage
you to respond to the call for
action that comes from UNA-
USA:
“The United States is
accumulating substantial new
arrears to the United Nations,
a situation that threatens the
UN’s valuable work and sends
the wrong message to the rest
of the world about the value
we place on international
cooperation.
No matter what challenge we face —
There is cause for concern for the
HIV/Aids, conflict, poverty, environment, and
Global Classrooms for 2009. As this program
governance— basic education invariably appears
takes place again this year, many students and
as a core element of any solution. Yet, the sad
parents are unaware that this may be the last
truth is that global progress during the 1990s fell far
time this program will run in the United States.
short of the rate required to meet the goal of
UNA headquarters in New York recently
‘Education for All’ by 2015.
announced “the Global Classrooms program
Nearly 60 per cent of the estimated 113
has reached the end of the grant funding
million children who do not attend primary school
cycle in the US after this year”.
worldwide are girls. On average, nearly one in
For thousands of students in Tampa
three children does not complete 5 years of
Bay, words can’t express the disappointment.
primary education, the minimum required for
Some of our Tampa Bay students are from
acquiring basic literacy. They are likely to join the
homes that can’t provide the basic essentials,
nearly one billion adults who cannot read or write,
which in some cases include a bus ticket to
the majority of whom are women.
school. With this being the case, Global
At the United Nations Development
Classrooms is the only program that provides an
Programme, literacy is a fundamental human right;
perhaps the most human of all human rights
imaginary ticket to another country through
because reading and writing are fundamental
simulations with other student from a variety of

As of February 1st, the United characteristics of being human. UNDP fully nations.

States owes $2.8 billion to the recognizes that illiteracy deepens poverty, widens It is Global Classrooms that students

United Nations, the leading
international forum for
devising collaborative
solutions to the world’s shared
challenges.
Congress now has before it a
fiscal year 2008 supplemental
budget request from the
President that provides an
opportunity to begin paying
off our growing UN debt.
Failure to pay our share of UN
expenses sets the wrong
example for others to follow.
Act now to help ensure the US
takes the lead in promoting
international cooperation by
meeting the fundamental
responsibility of paying our UN
inequality, and slows economic growth.
On the ground, UNDP works in 166 countries
to integrate basic education in national
development frameworks, poverty reduction
strategies and pro-poor policy reforms. Our global
network creates unique opportunities to share
knowledge and experience across countries in an
effort to develop capacity. In our capacity as UN
Coordinator, we lend support to specific initiatives,
such as the Secretary-General’s Initiative for Girls'
Education, which is spearheaded by UNICEF.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
give the world a bold agenda for human
development, through a set of time-bound and
measurable targets to combat illiteracy, poverty,
hunger, disease, environmental degradation and
gender discrimination. Literacy for all is critical to
winning the fight against hunger, disease and
ignorance.
Source: undp.org
look to for knowledge about a world that is not
yet part of their own lived experience.
American students across the United States are
made aware of the most important
international issues, through Global Classrooms.
With a support system and curriculum
already put in place, the only challenge at this
point is funding. Politicians and leaders in a
position of influence need to recognize
international education is an important and
positive investment in our future - especially
during these turbulent times globally.
“I cannot teach anybody anything I
can only make them think”.
-Socrates

dues.
 UNA Events & Dates

MARK YOUR CALENDARS………

UNA-USA Council of
Chapters and Divisions
(CCD) Annual Meeting
2008
Washington, DC
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. WILBUR MILHOUS
June 8-10
Associate Dean for Research at the USF College of Public Health For registration &
Registration Fee: Full 2 Day Registration $70 more info. go to:
Saturday Lunch & Keynote Speaker - $25 www.unausa.org
Convention Location: Eckerd College 4200 54th Ave South St. Petersburg, Fl 33711
th
Full Registration: May 9 Wine and Cheese Reception, Saturday morning continental breakfast, break
for refreshments and a Caribbean buffet lunch (Fish, chicken and vegetarian offerings).

For Hotel Info. Make Room Reservations Direct with: Eckerd College Continuing Education Center THE HONORABLE
4200 54th Ave South St. Petersburg, Fl 33711 MAYOR
Attn: Ms. Joan Karins, Operations Manager Phone: 727-865-7000 Fax 727-864-7766
Rate/Night - $65 plus 12% tax (single or double occupancy) PAM IORIO
Deadline - April 25, 2008 WILL BE SPEAKING
MON. JUNE 23rd 2008
WE ARE TAKING RESUMES FOR
AT 6:00PM
THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
VICE-PRESIDENT OF MEMBERSHIP- TAMPA’S FLETCHER
maintains the membership database
HALL
& is the liaison with UN headquarters
of chapter member numbers and ADDRESSING
applicants. INTERNATIONAL
SERVICE DAY
TREASURER –handles all financial
matters for the chapter.

If the above positions are of interest

and you can provide your skills on a
volunteer basis, please contact
Roslyn Linnen at tel. no. 727-942-7915
For more information go to
www.unatampabay.org
Tampa Bay Chapter
DIRECTORS
Kelly Miliziano -President
Dr. William McReynolds-1st VP
VP Gov’t. & Advocacy
Rajeev Ratra –VP Technology
Jill Isaac - VP Education (interm)
Kimberley Williams-VP Programs
VACANT -VP Membership
Suja Chetty-Treasurer
Kelly Reynolds-Secretary
Dr. Mark Amen
Susan James
Dr. Tim Kennedy
Maja Lacevic-University Rep.
Ryan Nevel – YPIC Chair
Paul Yingst-Former President
UNA-USA Tampa Bay Chapter
www.unatampabay.org
THE UNA TAMPA BAY CHAPTER WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS
The following members have recently joined our chapter:
Ms. Mariam Ahmedani, Miss Nayana Boutsomsy, Ms. Diana M. Durango, Mr. Nicholas A. Durango,
Ms. Jennifer Thayer. Renewed: Ms. Susan James & Mr. Jorge Nef, Mrs. Jean S. Johnson
Dr. Harvey Nelson, Joanne Shrewsbury
The Tampa Bay chapter is ranked one of the top three chapters in terms of membership in the U.S. Our
programs such as Global Classrooms, the prestigious Ambassadors Luncheon and our monthly UN
Speakers Series has made our chapter one of the most outstanding chapters in the country.
Membership Application/ Renewal
Name: ___________________________________
Address:________________________________ City:_________________ State:__________ Zip:__________
Telephone: _________________ Email: _______________________
Annual Membership (select one)
Introductory Individual ___ $ 25 Student ___ $ 10 Patron ___ $500
Individual Renewal ___ $ 35 Organization ___ $ 40
Family ___ $ 40 Sponsor ___ $ 100
Yes! I want to make a donation of $________ to help the work of UNA-USA.
All dues and donations are tax deductible. Please make checks payable to: UNA-USA and send to:
UNA-USA, 801 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017-4706.
Non-Profit Organization