Each year on March 8, 2012, we celebrate International Women’s Day, where women around the world are commemorated for all that they are and all that they do.

This year, UNA USA Chicago President Claudia Jaccarino, manned the informational UNA USA Chicago exhibit table prior to the luncheon held at the Union League Club in Chicago.   

The Global Wake Up Film Festival was a huge success last year! We are working hard to ensure 2012 will surpass last year's accomplishments. The Global Wake-Up Film Festival was a huge success! We are now looking for volunteers for 2012! For more information, please refer to the Global Wake-Up website.

July 9th, 2011 marked the formation of the Republic of South Sudan. The City of Chicago declared a South Sudanese Independence Day Proclamation on July 9th, 2011. Vice President of Public Affairs, Mrs. Amrita Davis coordinated with Mayor Emanuel's Office for the creation of to an official Proclamation by the City of Chicago. The Office of the Mayor worked many hours on the creation of a Proclamation for The South Sudanese Independence Day in the City of Chicago! The Sudanese Community was thrilled to receive the support from UNA USA Greater Chicago's Chapter and the Office of the Mayor for this special event.

On December 1st, 2011, UNA-USA in collaboration with the Center for Global Peace through Commerce hosted an event titled 'Journey to Democracy- The Crisis of Sudan'. In the aftermath of the newly independent Republic of South Sudan, the event sought to highlight the challenges which many Southern Sudanese were forced to undergo, whilst comparing this to the lavish lifestyles of the Northern Sudanese. As such, the event was home to two guests.

Our chapter's World Health Services will be hosting the International Humanitarian Aid Symposium on September 24, 2011 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Robert Morris University 401 S. State St., 8^th Floor. If you have any questions, please contact Erica Green, Vice President of International Health #312-725-9906 - egreen@unachicago.org

By pre-registering for this landmark event you can learn more about relief efforts and share information. Read this post to learn more about the event and visit the Events page.

The warm summer day carried a current of things to come, however it did not detract from the celebratory feeling permeating a gathering on the North Side of Chicago.  Multicolored flags waved in a new nation, Southern Sudan.  Many Chicagoan and Sudanese wore it with immense pride.  We bore witness to a historic event, the dawn of a country.  A future unwritten, hopes of what can be, and a since of unwavering humility.

Our President (Anne Porowski) and our VP of Public Relations (Amrita Davis) attended a UN Foundation - Nothing But Nets event on Friday, June 10th.  This event raised awareness about the malaria plight facing many nations.  It was a joint venture with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and the U.N. Foundation's Nothing But Nets.  "Hundreds of thousands of Champions are helping to save lives by preventing malaria through a larger-than-life, interactive exhibit, featuring photos by Platon. The Champions to End Malaria Exhibit will be on display at the United Nations, launching on World Malaria Day (April 25th) and ran through May 22nd." (Nothing but Nets website)  Read more to see some of the images.

Vice-President of the Health Task Force Erica Green has led groups of volunteers on two annual trips to Haiti to provide relief and offer humanitiarian aid.  Their most recent trip to Haiti was covered in a Peace Corps publication--VRS Connections May 2011.  Their World Health Services (formerly Health Task Force) assistant Director, Nicole Redmond, wrote the story about some of their efforts in the cholera plagued regions of Saint Marc, Desdunes, and Bocozelle several months ago.

We have attempted to embed this article for you.  If it does not appear, you may click the link to view or download it separately.

Click here to view/download the Helping Haiti article separately.

Most of us cannot picture mass death, unless you have been deployed to a combat zone.  Even then, one cannot image the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians, unless you’ve been there; around the dead and dying. But, if you like I had not lived through such, but heard a story of sorrow, then gasped for air as you searched for clarity, as the story of mass horrors were told, it would still be difficult to picture such carnage. Yet, on this very special evening, two Rwandan survivors gave a vivid testimony of life in their country as the world around them descended into an inferno. “Left to Tell the Tale” was the name of a very up-close view of how a few endured, while 800,000 to a million people were killed in 90 days. As Dr. Elliot Elkovitz, who teaches at the Loyola and the main speaker stated, “what took place in Rwanda has no historical precedence.”

April 7th - World Health Day:

World Health Day is celebrated on April 7th to mark the founding of WHO. Each year, the Organization selects a key health issue, and encourages people from all ages and all backgrounds to hold events that highlight the significance of this issue for good health and well-being.