United Nations Association London and South-East Region
Supporting the United Nations – Promoting UN Values
The Billion Seeds Challenge: Planting Seeds of Hope Before COP26, and following the many activities of last month’s Big Green Week, do join other members of the Climate Coalition in planting seeds of hope. Last month you were part of the greatest, biggest, greenest week the UK has ever seen. With your help, we showed […]
Continue ReadingUNA LASER is among the signatories of the following letter to go to the Heads of States, Environment Ministers, President of COP26, Alok Sharma and the Heads of Delegations at COP26 At just over 1 degree Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels, climate change is already causing havoc in countries around the world. UN Secretary-General […]
Continue ReadingUNA LASER is among the signatories of the following letter from the Arms, Militarisation and Climate Justice Working Group to Nigel Topping, UK High Level Champion for Climate Action at COP26. Dear Mr Topping Military greenhouse gas emissions must be on the agenda for COP27 Militaries are major greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters and typically the […]
Continue ReadingKey features to note about the current Afghan situation are: Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country with Baluch, Hazara, Pashtun, Tajiks and Turkmen (Pashtun and Tajiks constituting nearly 70% of the population). The current Islamic Emirate, declared on 15th August, is practising what appears to be a non-inclusive approach to governance of the nation. The government appears […]
Continue ReadingWe have been horrified: by the incompetence of the international community’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in response to the Taliban’s successful takeover of power; and by the resultant suffering – and prospective loss of human rights – of the people of Afghanistan. Here are some useful ideas from Humanists International of what we can ask our […]
Continue ReadingHelp the UNA LASER Working Group on Aid and Development The UNA LASER Working Group on Aid and Development, chaired by Catherine Pluygers, is building a network of volunteers who are concerned about the devastating impact of UK aid cuts and want to help get UK aid restored to 0.7% Gross National Income. The group […]
Continue ReadingThe UNA LASER 2021 Summer Council was held on 17th July. It was organised by the Twickenham and Richmond UNA Branch (TRUNA). The theme was: The UN: Past – Present – and Future? The speakers were: Past (from its roots in the League of Nations Union) – David Wardrop Present (especially on Women, Peace and […]
Continue ReadingUNA LASER is a member of the Crack the Crises coalition. There is an important opportunity to influence the G7 world leaders due to meet in Cornwall on 11th June. Please add your voice by joining the Wave of Hope and messaging your MP through this link: crackthecrises.org. You can also retweet here. Here is […]
Continue ReadingLASER – as a member of the Climate Coalition – has signed the following letter, coordinated by the Global Gas and Oil Network and being sent to the Prime Minsiter on Thursday 27th May. Do use it as a basis for lobbying your MP! Dear Prime Minister, The International Energy Agency (IEA), the world’s most […]
Continue ReadingPlease write to your MPs to ask them to urge her Majesty’s Government to help bring an urgent settlement in the Holy Land to achieve both peace and justice. Below is a letter you could adapt., with thanks to Dr Brian Beeley for help in drafting it. We have sent a similar letter on behalf […]
Continue Reading210508 Glasgow Action Plan
Continue ReadingWe have written on behalf of LASER to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, urging them to give more support to the Yemen. These letters mnay be dealt with by officials, so it is important we all also write to our MPs, as they have better access to Ministers. Here is a template letter […]
Continue ReadingThe UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is effective from 22nd January 2021. LASER’s Chair has writtento the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary to encourage them to take the UK into this Treaty. Do write in similar terms to your MPs (giving your full address so they know you are a constituent). Dear […]
Continue ReadingHundreds of people from all over the world joined us from 18th-24th October to agree actions for building a more secure world. Peace Child International joined us in creating nightly workshops on: Peace Security; Food Security; Environmental Security; Economic Security; Peace and Security; Digital Security. Details of these can be found on the festival website. […]
Continue ReadingThe International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear (ICAN) weapons is encouraging us to forward the following letter to our MPs this week (Hiroshima was 6th August; Nagasaki 9th August). We are urging the UK government to support the new UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Place de Cornavin […]
Continue ReadingYemen: Two million under Fives are malnourished[1] UNICEF says “360,00 children will Die”[2] UN Agencies are facing a major funding crisis after donors, including the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have cut their pledges by 50%. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, said unless more money was raised Yemen “will face a horrific outcome […]
Continue Readingprivate.office@fco.gov.uk Dear Foreign Secretary I am writing to you on behalf of the United Nations Association London and South East Region out of extreme concern for the humanitarian situation in Yemen. In 2017, 16m were in need humanitarian assistance, now there are 24m – 80% of the population. 10 million children do not have access […]
Continue ReadingThe BBC news report on the “worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World war” alerted us to the urgency of the need for the World Food Programme (WFP) to be able to address the impending famine “of biblical proportions”, caused by the pandemic as well as by unprecedented locust infestations, in at least 10 countries. […]
Continue ReadingLASER was appalled at President Trump’s decision to cut funding for WHO at this crucial time of international cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with Sir Richard Jolly (former Deputy Director of UNICEF), UNA LASER Chair Trisha Rogers sent the following letter to Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Secretary of State for International Development. Members of […]
Continue ReadingOn 23rd March 2020, UN Secretary General António Guterres said, “The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war. That is why, today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our […]
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