Press Release: Mary David Recognized by Diplomatic Courier

MEDIA ADVISORY

September 10, 2013

Washington, DC

 

Diplomatic Courier and YPFP Recognize Mary David on “99 Under 33”

 

WASHINGTON, DC:  The Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy are pleased to announce that Mary David, Director of Public Relations, Foundation for Post Conflict Development, has been recognized on the 2013 “99 Under 33,” an international list noting the most influential foreign policy leaders under the age of 33. The complete list is available at: www.diplomaticourier.com/99Under33.

 

The 99 Under 33 recognizes the distinctive impact each of the honorees has on his or her community today and their promise of potential as a leader in the future. This list uniquely offers insight into the creativity, determination, and passion of the diverse young people who are already tackling the world's critical global challenges. By design, this list is broad and diverse, which reflects the belief that foreign policy in the 21st century is made by leaders from all sectors.

 
“Mary David is a remarkable champion on all aspects of human trafficking. She is an asset to our Foundation and to our global society” said Claudia Abate-Debat, Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Post Conflict Development.

 “Mary David has made it her mission to aid the poor and disadvantaged in areas recovering from conflict. As a Shaper, Mary has altered the public conversation on collateral damage and encouraged the world to remember the people swept into war,” highlights Ana C. Rold, Editor-in-Chief, Diplomatic Courier.

 The “99 Under 33” recognizes seven leadership archetypes that define the list:

·        A Catalyst is from a field not typically associated with foreign policy who has had an impact on international affairs.

·        A Convener brings people together in creative ways to address a pressing international issue or enhance the foreign policy community.

·        An Influencer mobilizes people in the foreign policy community with bold new ideas.

·        An Innovator designs a new solution to a critical global challenge.

·        A Practitioner changes foreign policy from the inside through extraordinary professionalism and skill.

·        A Risk-taker takes a chance and sees it pay off.

·        A Shaper changes the public discourse on an aspect of foreign policy or raises awareness on a critical issue.

Follow the 99 on twitter: #99Under33. With questions or to interview Mary David or Mrs. Rold, please contact Press Officer Kathryn Floyd at press@diplomaticourier.org.

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About Us: The Foundation for Post Conflict Development is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization that strives to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals in Post Conflict areas.Our landmark project is the Prince Rainier III Maternity Clinic in Timor-Leste. The FPCD website is www.postconflictdev.org

About Us: The Diplomatic Courier is the global affairs magazine that connects the diplomatic and policy establishment to the next generation of leaders in diplomacy and foreign policy. The Diplomatic Courier publishes six print issues per year, as well as weekly online at www.diplomaticourier.com and a daily blog, On Point. The Diplomatic Courier is an independent publication both in its voice and its organization. Publishing opinions from all political spectrums, the Courier adheres to the ideals of freedom of expression, individualism, and fair and balanced journalism.

 

 

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FPCD at MALALA DAY

FPCD Participates in MALALA DAY at the United Nations

 

Amanda Nesheiwat, FPCD Youth Representative, presents her perspective here.

"On July 12^th, I had the opportunity to attend the first ever Malala Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.  Nearly 1000 youth from around the world gathered for a Global Youth Takeover of the General Assembly and called upon world leaders to understand the importance of educating our youth. I was happy to be there in support of Malala Yousafzai and what she represented as well as being in a room filled with youth representatives from 75 nations who made their way to NYC to have their voices heard on an issue we consider very urgent.

 

(Amanda Nesheiwat, far right, with Youth Representatives from around the world)

The event started with words by the UN Special Envoy for Global Education and the President of the General Assembly. Then Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon told us all his incredible story of how he was a child in poverty and education was everything to him and how the United Nations helped him learn to read by providing books to children. As Malala made her way to the podium, all of the youth delegates stood up including Malala’s parent’s and sang Happy Birthday to her since the UN intentionally made Malala Day on her 16^th birthday. 

(Secretary General Ban ki-Moon speaks at the podium)

As we all sat down with anticipation of hearing what she had to say, she told us that Malala Day is not in fact a celebration for her, but for all of the boys and girls in the world who raised their voices for their rights. She spoke of how the Taliban shot her in the head and thought that they would silence her and her friends, but instead created courage and strength among millions of people. She spoke of the tragedy and how common it is for young people to go to school in war ridden areas and talked of the many challenges that young woman in some parts of the world must go through to go to school.

 Unfortunately, there are currently 57 million children in the world who do not have access to education.  Perhaps the most memorable quote from her inspirational speech was when she told us that our books and pens are our most powerful weapons saying that extremists are afraid of women and the power of education. These powerful words brought some of us to tears including the Secretary Ban, his wife and Malala’s parents. No child should ever have to go through such a traumatic experience just to get an education, our human right. The youth presented a “Global Youth Resolution: The Education We Want” to the Secretary General and the US Special Envoy for Global Education that we had all put together previous to the event.  The resolution resonated with the Millennium Development Goals and laid out a plan for fair and affordable universal education. Since Malala Day, world leaders have recommitted to prioritizing education. I feel so honored to have been at Malala Day with so many inspiring and passionate young people who are shaping the outcome of our future.  

(A standing ovation from the world's youth for Malala)

 By: Amanda J Nesheiwat

UN Secretary-General OP-ED

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

--

OP-ED ARTICLE: “The World is Over-Armed

and Peace is Under-Funded”

August 2012

            Last month, competing interests prevented agreement on a much-needed treaty that would have reduced the appalling human cost of the poorly regulated international arms trade.  Meanwhile, nuclear disarmament efforts remain stalled, despite strong and growing global popular sentiment in support of this cause.

The failure of these negotiations and this month’s anniversaries of the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki provide a good opportunity to explore what has gone wrong, why disarmament and arms control have proven so difficult to achieve, and how the world community can get back on track towards these vitally important goals.

Many defence establishments now recognize that security means far more than protecting borders.  Grave security concerns can arise as a result of demographic trends, chronic poverty, economic inequality, environmental degradation, pandemic diseases, organized crime, repressive governance and other developments no state can control alone.  Arms can’t address such concerns.   

Yet there has been a troubling lag between recognizing these new security challenges, and launching new policies to address them.  National budget priorities still tend to reflect the old paradigms.  Massive military spending and new investments in modernizing nuclear weapons have left the world over-armed -- and peace under-funded.

Last year, global military spending reportedly exceeded $1.7 trillion – more than $4.6 billion a day, which alone is almost twice the UN’s budget for an entire year.  This largesse includes billions more for modernizing nuclear arsenals decades into the future.

This level of military spending is hard to explain in a post-Cold War world and amidst a global financial crisis.  Economists would call this an “opportunity cost”.  I call it human opportunities lost.  Nuclear weapons budgets are especially ripe for deep cuts.

Such weapons are useless against today’s threats to international peace and security.  Their very existence is de-stabilizing: the more they are touted as indispensable, the greater is the incentive for their proliferation.  Additional risks arise from accidents and the health and environmental effects of maintaining and developing such weapons.

The time has come to re-affirm commitments to nuclear disarmament, and to ensure that this common end is reflected in national budgets, plans and institutions. 

Four years ago, I outlined a five-point disarmament proposal highlighting the need for a nuclear weapon convention or a framework of instruments to achieve this goal. 

Yet the disarmament stalemate continues.  The solution clearly lies in greater efforts by States to harmonize their actions to achieve common ends. Here are some specific actions that all States and civil society should pursue to break this impasse.

Support efforts by the Russian Federation and the United States to negotiate deep, verified cuts in their nuclear arsenals, both deployed and un-deployed.

Obtain commitments by others possessing such weapons to join the disarmament process.

Establish a moratorium on developing or producing nuclear weapons or new delivery systems.

Negotiate a multilateral treaty outlawing fissile materials that can be used in nuclear weapons.

 

End nuclear explosions and bring into force the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Stop deploying nuclear weapons on foreign soil, and retire such weapons.

 

Ensure that nuclear-weapon states report to a public UN repository on nuclear disarmament, including details on arsenal size, fissile material, delivery systems, and progress in achieving disarmament goals.

Establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

 

Secure universal membership in treaties outlawing chemical and biological weapons.

Pursue parallel efforts on conventional arms control, including an arms trade treaty, strengthened controls over the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, universal membership in the Mine Ban, Cluster Munitions, and Inhumane Weapons Conventions, and expanded participation in the UN Report on Military Expenditures and the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

Undertake diplomatic and military initiatives to maintain international peace and security in a world without nuclear weapons, including new efforts to resolve regional disputes.

And perhaps above all, we must address basic human needs and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  Chronic poverty erodes security.  Let us dramatically cut spending on nuclear weapons, and invest instead in social and economic development, which serves the interests of all by expanding markets, reducing motivations for armed conflicts, and in giving citizens a stake in their common futures. Like nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, such goals are essential for ensuring human security and a peaceful world for future generations.

No development, no peace.  No disarmament, no security.  Yet when both advance, the world advances, with increased security and prosperity for all.  These are common ends that deserve the support of all nations.   

Academic Impact

 FPCD Announces it has become a Member of the UN Academic Impact

Committing to the following 10 Principles:

1. A commitment to the principles inherent in the United Nations Charter as values that education seeks to promote and help fulfil; 

2. A commitment to human rights, among them freedom of inquiry, opinion, and speech;

3. A commitment to educational opportunity for all people regardless of gender, race, religion or ethnicity;

4. A commitment to the opportunity for every interested individual to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the pursuit of higher education;

5. A commitment to building capacity in higher education systems across the world;

6. A commitment to encouraging global citizenship through education;

7. A commitment to advancing peace and conflict resolution through education;

8. A commitment to addressing issues of poverty through education;

9. A commitment to promoting sustainability through education;

10. A commitment to promoting inter-cultural dialogue and understanding, and the unlearning of intolerance, through education.

For more information visit: http://academicimpact.org/index.php


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FPCD International Advisory Board Member, Dr. Hinrich Kaiser's Discoveries Celebrate Timor-Leste and the International Year of Biodiversity.

Learn more and read Dr. Kaiser's message to the Timorese People: here

FPCD and the Monaco Boys Choir

The Monaco Boys Choir will launch a USA Cultural Tour;

Selection of Concerts to Benefit Youth Center in Timor-Leste

(Photo Credit: Palace of Monaco)

Les Petits Chanteurs de Monaco

Under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco

From 5- 27 July 2010, the Monaco Boys Choir will Tour the United States' East Coast from New York to Miami. All concerts are free and open to the public, however a selection will be dedicated to education about the creation of a new youth center in Timor-Leste. For complete list of concerts visit Petit Chanteurs

The Maubara Youth Center in Timor-Leste

"Youth helping Youth"

With the initiative of Maestro Pierre Debat and under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, it was decided that a selection of the 2010 July Concert series in the United States will educate about a project in Timor-Leste. Youth compose nearly 60% of the population of the post conflict country whereby this sector of society is largely under-educated, under-employed and under-motivated. Bridging cultural divides through the creation of the Maubara Youth Center is a natural progression of Monaco’s efforts in Timor.

(photo above depicts Timorese Youth with Monaco and Timor-Leste flags waiting to see Prince Albert II of Monaco in Timor on 18 April 2008. Photo Credit: Palace of Monaco)

The Foundation for Post Conflict Development (FPCD)

The FPCD is the coordinator of Monaco’s humanitarian initiatives in Timor-Leste. In this regard and with an aim to fulfill the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, successful projects include the creation of the Prince Rainier III Maternity Clinic in Timor-Leste, a reforestation and family Income project, 2 Youth Centers and the future Princess Grace Maternity Clinic. Each project is environmentally appropriate and community driven.

For more information please contact the FPCD office at contact@postconflictdev.org or visit the site of the Monaco Boys Choir: http://www.lespetitschanteurs.mc/

Community Spirit in Maubarra, Timor-Leste as Registration of the Eldery and Disabled Take Place in Timor-Leste

Community Spirit in Maubarra, Timor-Leste as Registration of the Elderly and Disabled Take Place in Timor-Leste

In the presence of His Excellency Mr. Agio Pereira, the Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers of Timor-Leste, registration of the elderly and disabled successfully took place. The registration process that is occurring throughout Timor-Leste's 13 districts will enhance the quality of life of often forgotten sectors of society.

Inter-ministerial cooperation between the Ministry of Social Solidarity, Ministry of Health and Electoral Commission is successfully occurring to create a society for all ages, without discrimination.

For the first time, the elderly and the disabled of Timor-Leste will become eligible of pensions. The process is being managed peacefully and with dignity in a manner that is congruent with Timor-Leste's motto: Goodbye Conflict; Welcome Development!

(Registration process)

(Secretary of State Pereira greets elederly woman)

(An elderly woman patiently wait her turn)

(Those that could not walk, were carted to the community meeting center)

(Secretary of State Pereira consults colleagues)


(View of community meeting center)

(An elderly gentleman proudly displays his registration card)


The process is being handled with patience and professionalism so that each elderly citizen and disabled person of Timor-Leste is provided with the social services they need. For more information please contact the FPCD Office: contact@postconflictdev.org

IWFF launches Website

Iraqi Women's Fellowship Foundation (IWFF) launches Website



Visit the new IWFF website to learn about work being done to advance the education of Iraqi women. The FPCD strongly supports the IWFF as education is an important and vital tool in strengthening post conflict situations.

Brief Description and Status

There is an urgent need to build the capacity of the Iraqi people in engineering and applied sciences to meet the enormous reconstruction and development needs of their country. The conflict has severely disrupted education. Many professionals have been killed, and others have fled, leaving the country with a serious undersupply of skilled human capital.


Women have a vital role to play in filling this need and in rebuilding the economy. Fortunately, Iraq has a small cadre of well educated women who can step into this breach, but more need to be prepared to play their role in the country’s recovery. Women have demonstrated their capacity to participate professionally, becoming heads of households and principal income-earners. Women have also become a political force, obtaining the right to hold at least one quarter of all Parliamentary seats, and forming a cross-party coalition to strengthen their voices for peace, stability and equal rights.
The Iraqi Women’s Fellowship Foundation (IWFF) plays a pivotal role in the development of much-needed engineering and applied sciences skills, by providing Iraqi women with access to top-rated US universities. It further reinforces the Iraqi government’s restoration of women’s rights. The program has two elements:


An up to one-year faculty visiting scholarship to top universities in the US, to upgrade their knowledge and teaching skills, or undertake research.
A four-year student program in undergraduate study at American university campuses in the Middle East.


The response from US universities has been magnificent. In academic year 2009-10, the program has successfully placed qualified women faculty from Iraqi universities at Berkeley, Stanford, and UC San Diego, and Smith College has plans to host one additional Iraqi women scholars for the spring semester. In the second year (2010-11), the IWFF has plans to begin its student program. Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon in Qatar have agreed to enroll five qualified Iraqi women students, and universities in the US will host seven Iraqi women faculty.


First year (2009-10) funding to launch the program has been granted by the US Department of State, which expects the IWFF to partner with interested private and public entities to sustain and build the program. Over the five year program period, fellowships will be provided to 40 faculty and 20 four-year undergraduate students, for a total of 120 fellowship years. Second year costs are $ 375,000 and $415,000 for student and faculty programs respectively. Five year program costs are $8 million, of which 87% goes directly to educational costs. Partnerships are being sought to continue building the program.


For more information please contact:

Mary Oakes Smith
President
Iraqi Women’s Fellowship Foundation
Washington, DC


Email: mosmith@iwffoundation.org

Tel: 202 342-6600
Fax: 202 338-8988
Web: www.iwffoundation.org

Seasons Greetings from FPCD

Season's Greetings

FrontPage

UNITED STATES SPORTS ACADEMY, " America's Sport University "

ACADEMY HONORS PRESIDENT OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S NEWEST NATIONS

DAPHNE, Ala. – The United States Sports Academy has announced that East Timor President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, leader of the world’s newest country, will travel to the United States to receive the Academy’s International Honorary Doctorate on 19 January at 10 a.m.

The Academy and East Timor are developing plans to implement national sports programs in that country.

A former political prisoner during Indonesian occupation of his homeland, Gusmão has served as President since 2002. He was a key figure in the former Portuguese colony’s 30-year struggle for independence from Indonesia.

Gusmão was born to school-teacher parents in Manaututo in what was then Portuguese Timor, and attended a Jesuit high school just outside of Dili. After leaving high-school at the age of sixteen, he worked a variety of jobs, although he continued his education at an evening college.

In 1966, Gusmão obtained a position with the public service, which allowed him to continue his education. This was interrupted in 1968 when Gusmão was recruited in the Portuguese army for national service. He served for three years, rising to the rank of corporal.

Gusmão became involved in East Timor’s struggle in 1971, after serving five years in the Portuguese Army. He joined a series of peaceful protests against the colonization of what was then known as Portuguese Timor. Independence was granted three years later, but the formation of a new nation was interrupted by internal struggles and the intervention of nearby Indonesia.

Gusmão publicized the violence and struggles with Indonesia, frequently being interviewed by the worldwide media. The attention he received led to his imprisonment by the Indonesian government, but he directed the independence movement from prison. This led to a successful referendum for independence being passed in August of 1999, which caused more clashes with Indonesia.

Pressure from the United Nations, the United States and Australia, in addition to an Australian-led peacekeeping force prompted Gusmão’s release from prison and prompted the beginning of the stabilization process which laid the grounds for East Timor’s sovereignty. The country has now enjoyed nearly five years of independence after 450 years of foreign occupation.

East Timor’s constitution took effect when the territory officially became independent in May 2002. East Timor features a democratic republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. All citizens 18 and older have the right to vote.

The United NationsOffice of Sport for Development and Peace, East Timor and the Academy recognize the value of sport in the development of a peaceful nation. Sport can contribute to economic and social development and it can improve health and personal growth in people of all ages. Sport can also help build a culture of peace and tolerance by bringing people together on common ground, crossing boundaries to promote understanding and mutual respect.

The Academy is working with the United Nations in the development of sports programs for this young democracy, which is about 200 miles from the northern coast of Australia.

Past recipients of the international honorary doctorate include the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain His Royal Highness Salman bi Hamad Al-Khalifa, the Governor of the Sport Authority of Thailand Santiparb Tejavanija and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

For over 30 years, the Academy has delivered sports programs in more than 60 countries around the world.

The United States Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.

For more information about the United States Sports Academy, “America’s Sports University,” call 251-626-3303 or visit the Academy’s website www.ussa.edu.