Message from the UNWA President

Dear Members,

As you all know this year is coming to a close. A new Board will take over at the AGM in March 2003.The annual reports would be presented at the Annual General Meeting and printed in the April newsletter. All full and associate members are invited to attend the meeting on March 29th at the Topkapi restaurant at 11am. You will get a chance to see and hear the new Board members and it should be the beginning of an interesting new year. Lunch will follow the meeting.

Looking back at the previous year, there are certain observations that I would like to make about UNWA and also would like to thank the people who have been helpful in carrying out the work of this organization.

While the year was marked by a number of interesting activities, I genuinely feel that there is room for improvement. I am sure you would all agree that the active participation of all the members is central in sustaining a vibrant atmosphere in the organization. I hope that next year UNWA would be able to generate a better response, as this makes the effort that goes into organizing programmes worth while.

We did see the potential of UNWA in its Annual Ball. The response was overwhelming and gives us reason to continue the fundraising effort which can benefit a number of worthy causes.

I would like to convey my special thanks to the Board members who acted in complete harmony and co-operation, especially so, since we had a shortage of members to fill the different positions. Early in the year Membership Chairperson Fatima Sesay left. Minoli took over the responsibility apart from her work in the publishing committee. Thank you for all the hard work and volunteering the premises of your spacious house for various purposes. To the Secretary Hitomi Glemarec who is now in New York, thanks for the tremendous work in connection with the UN Ball. Bintou Sanyang, for your support and good luck in your move to Germany this month. Meriaty thanks for issuing the cheques without delay. Many thanks to Elizabeth Bautista for being there to remind us of things we may have forgotten. Your experience with the past board was in valuable. My special thanks to the Welfare Committee for enjoying a comfortable relationship with the board and organizing the Welfare Project Fair. Anowara and her team had a big responsibility and they carried it out very well. Last but not least many thanks to Naoko and Nancy (who is now in Vietnam) for their relentless hard work in publishing the newsletter and to Yuko Nakamura for your enthusiastic effort in taking photographs of all the events. Naoko, thanks for taking down the minutes after Hitomi resigned in November.

I would also like to mention and thank Liti Lissner for updating the website and for being very interested in UNWA…..rightly an Honorary President of the organization. A number of volunteers who contributed to UNWA, like: Torben Larsen (who has also left for Vietnam with his wife Nancy) thanks for attending our meetings and helping with the photography.

Needless to say, there is joy and a sense of fulfilment in being part of a worthwhile cause. I have no hesitation in saying that UNWA is all about commitment and responsibility. Being a part of the UN family, we owe it to the newcomers to make them feel welcome and help them adjust to the new environment. After the initial adjustment UNWA can help in making these people contribute something meaningful and share common interests during their stay in Bangladesh. Herein lies the success of this organization.

After meeting people from different organizations and countries, I feel that I am more enriched and maybe better able to understand people. Perhaps we all share the same aspirations and we all have the same doubts and fears. As mothers or homemakers, we all find the adjustment to a new environment trying. Those of us who have children have an even harder job whether it is in making our children feel at home away from home or in separation when it is time for them to leave. It is in the commonality of human feelings that we find the strength to go through it all.

I will not be continuing as President but would certainly be there in all UNWA activities. I wish you all good luck and thank you again for an enriching experience.

Tazeen Rehman