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Dear Members,
March is the month of our Annual General Meeting and the end of the UNWA
fiscal year. It is also a time when we can reflect on our achievements in
the past year and assess our future needs and goals as an organization.
Several significant things have happened since I accepted the office of
President in March 2003. First, we have developed this UNWA Board almost
entirely from newly arrived UN families and affiliate organization
members. Most that are not newly arrived have taken a leadership role for
the first time. They have infused enthusiasm, brought ideas and a fresh
spirit of cooperation to the Board. The cooperation of the Board and the
active support of our Honorary President, Liti Lissner, have enabled us to
more effectively evaluate social welfare projects referred by our
extremely competent Welfare Committee, fundraise through our UNWA Ball,
expand our network of supporters and to increase our visibility among the
international community here in Bangladesh.
Secondly, the manner in which this Board has functioned has engendered a
sense of confidence that we can collectively continue for a second term
with a few new and welcome additions. We have worked well together and
will seek more of our newcomers to fulfil those leadership roles and move
the organization forward in the following year.
Third, on behalf of the entire membership, I wish to thank every single
Board member and every Committee member for their contributions. Each
Board member has made unique contributions that have made every function
from our Ball, to our Banking, to our Membership efforts to our
recruitment on hospitality and Projects, a success.
A special thanks goes to Minoli, who as head of Publications was
absolutely brilliant and who acted as Secretary for a large part of this
year. Her work with the UN Ball brochure, WOMUN, maintaining the Board
minutes and keeping us all on schedule was done with a constancy and
cheerfulness that infected the entire Board. We will miss you dearly,
Minoli, and will remember you for your soft-spoken but firm directing and
for your razor sharp wit that has put us in stitches more times than I can
count.
Looking ahead, I see several important areas where we will turn our
attention in the next year. Welfare will select additional projects for
multi-year funding, where they see this as a better mechanism for ensuring
project success. Activities will take more prominence. We will arrange
tours to historical settings, site visits to UN–related projects, local
industry visits, and other sites suggested by our members. More support
from the Bangladeshi members is sought in hosting meetings and attending
hospitality events as well as enriching our members through their sharing
of their rich culture and heritage.
A special effort will be made to better inform members over the next year
of issues regarding both the rules and rights governing UN spouses and
families as well as the resources made available to them and the larger
expatriate community through UNWA and the UN system. We will explore areas
of cooperation and co-support from British Women’s Association and Dhaka
American Women’s Club to make our programmes and project support more
available, more effective and interesting to all. Finally, we will take
advantage of the two-year term of this Board to do some advanced planning
of our activities, the UN Ball and our general meetings.
Please be sure to join us for the Annual General Meeting on March 24 at
6.00pm at the home of Liti Lissner. I’ll see you there.
Vanessa Brooks |