Supporting the United Nations – Promoting UN Values
We 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 ReadingThe economic crash caused by coronavirus has pushed indebted countries even deeper into debt crisis. The call to cancel debts for the most vulnerable countries is gathering speed and LASER has signed the petition for this to happen. We can also sign it as individuals here: jubileedebt.org.uk/actions/stop-coronavirus-debt-disaster. The impacts of the pandemic could spell enormous […]
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 […]
Continue ReadingThe following is a report from the LASER Spring Council meeting at which our speaker event focussed on the issue of migration. The Region was very fortunate to have two distinguished speakers for this event, Myrian Cherti and Marley Morris. Myrian Cherti is a National Officer at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Marley […]
Continue ReadingThe news is awash with stories about US President Trump’s visit to the UK, with most outlets focussing this morning on his comments on Brexit, supposed broadsides against the Prime Minister and the “Trump baby” blimp that has been floating across London in protest at his visit. But we at UNA-UK believe the spotlight should […]
Continue ReadingBy Maya Evans I have just arrived in Hiroshima with a group of Japanese “Okinawa to Hiroshima peace walkers” who had spent nearly two months walking Japanese roads protesting U.S. militarism. While we were walking, an Afghan peace march that had set off in May was enduring 700km of Afghan roadsides, poorly shod, from Helmand […]
Continue ReadingThis is the statement issued by UNA LASER about the recent bombing in Syria carried out the the UK, US and France in response to allegations of chemical weapons use by Assad’s Forces.
Continue ReadingThe following letter was sent by Bruce Kent to the Tablet Journal on the recent bombing carried out by the UK, France and the US of Syrian chemical weapons installations
Continue ReadingBy David Wardrop On Tuesday 1st May 2018 United Nations APPG held a high-level parliamentary meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen which is truly dire and shameful to us all.
Continue ReadingCOMMONWEALTH SUMMIT DECISIONS, LONDON, APRIL 2018: DR CARL WRIGHT (UNA)
Continue ReadingUNA London and South-East Region held a meeting in the House of Lords to examine this crucial question.
Continue ReadingThe following is an essay written by Maya Evans from Kabul which focussed on what Afghan women think about voting. This essay first appeared in the Voices for Creative Non-Violence Newsletter.
Continue ReadingA poll has been conducted to examine what the British public think about the Arab world. The poll was conducted by Arab News, YouGov and the Council for Arab and British Understanding (CAABU). The results of this poll have highlighted the extent to which the British public misunderstand the Arab world and the crisis in […]
Continue ReadingIn 2014 I travelled to Rwanda to conduct research in the field. My topic of interest was the lives of those born from rape during the Rwandan genocide of ‘94. Many people ask how it is I came to focus on this particular group of people and to be honest I don’t think I ever […]
Continue ReadingLast Thursday, the International Day of Peace, I attended a talk hosted by LSE Centre for Women Peace and Security. The topic of discussion for the evening was UN Peace Operations: Politics, Human Rights and Leadership.
Continue ReadingThe opening of the United Nations General Assembly has historically been a chance for world leaders to trade platitudes about peace. But this year’s edition of the U.N. jamboree may have actually increased the risks of the North Korean crisis erupting into a major conflict.
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