Report on United Nations Forum, Washington, June 26-28, 2003
Bill Batt, Delegate from RPCV-NENY, July 10, 2003

Our chapter authorized my attendance as its formal representative at the recent United Nations Forum, a three day conference in Washington DC which was cosponsored by three National Peace Corps Association groups and saw several RPCVs in attendance. The conference also had representation from several other groups like the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, the National Association of Social Workers, among some eighty or so organizations in addition to United Nations Association chapters throughout the country. We were in good company.

There were typically about six concurrent panels running at a time at the Hilton Hotel in downtown DC, and there were about twenty five tables representing various groups everything from various universities recruiting students and the Falun Gong to government and UN agencies. But the most important reason for going was networking, as is always true at such conferences. There were all the obligatory conferences on health, education, development and the environment, not to be taken lightly when all the panelists and speakers were notable heavy hitters. But they were overshadowed for the most part by the panels on US foreign policy in the Bush administration and panels on the Middle East and the Iraq war. A list of all the panels subjects and speakers can be found at the United Nations Association website at www.unausa.org.

I was not able to stay for the subsequent UNA-USA Biennial Convention which followed on Saturday and Sunday, but resolutions crafted by various chapters were negotiated, voted on and adopted on several subjects of UN concern. These should not be taken lightly, as the UNA has considerable influence (or has had in the past) on the framing of American foreign policies. And given the clout of the US in the UN, many of the resolutions add legitimacy to UN positions as well. At the moment, there is considerable discussion about UN reform proposals enlarging the Security Council membership and adoption of a UN Police Force, for example. The speakers were various ambassadors, former ambassadors and think tank types, as well as a smattering of academics.

I was particularly focused on various environmental policies, and how fiscal policies can apply those policies effectively. I got particularly excited about one panel addressing problems of water shortages facing many regions of the world. The debates about privatization made these matters especially current. I was also focused very much on the positions the current Bush administration has taken with respect to cooperating and joining various UN bodies like the Criminal Court, the Land Mines Convention, and the Kyoto Treaty. It was particularly reassuring to see so many Americans committed to the UN and its survival and increasing effectiveness at a time when it has taken its lumps from so many sectors of the American public. There were no signs or sentiments of "Get the US out of the UN and Get the UN out of the US." Just the opposite; people at this conference see the UN as absolutely essential to the world's future health and well-being.