The February meeting of the Utah Chapter of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) took place on Tuesday, February 24 at the Millcreek Community Center in Salt Lake City. The gathering consisted of many dedicated and seasoned members of the UNA-Utah (UNAU) who are passionate about supporting and promoting the values of the United Nations of tolerance, to protect human rights and the natural world through education, and uniting communities.
Our participation at UNAU event was a follow up step to the visit of UIMF delegation to the UNA-USA-headquarters in Washington, D.C. on February 2, 2015 and desire both to expand membership in UNA-USA for UVU faculty and students and to strengthen UVU and UIMF ties with UNAU as official branch of UNA-USA in the state of Utah.
Victoria Baird, co-founder and co-president of the Utah Chapter of the United States National Committee for UNWomen before UNAU members.
UIMF members Hailey Eggleston and myself, along with Dr. Cholpon Akmatalieva and Dr. Baktybek Abdrisaev attended event. The UNA-USA hosted dinner and presentations of speakers Victoria Baird and Elise Reifschneider, co-founders and co-presidents of the Utah Chapter of the United States National Committee for UN Women. Victoria and Elise spoke about their organization created last year; their mission and goals as well as the history of their organization and their accomplishments in promoting gender issues and supporting gender equality and education for women and girls in the state of Utah. The women spoke about some of the most pressing issues for women and girls such as educations, economic independence, gender based violence and sex trafficking of women and children, and the cultural, religious or political systems that injure women and children.
(Left to right): Hailey Eggleston, Deena Ainge, Don Wilkerson, Victoria Baird and Dr. Cholpon Akmatalieva during the UNAU event.
Don Wilkerson, UNAU President invited Hailey, myself and Dr. Abdrisaev to introduce ourselves, goals and mission of the UIMF and to present the upcoming Fourth Annual Women of the Mountains Conference which promotes sustainable mountain development along with the needs and challenges of women in mountain communities. An invitation to attend and to participate in the upcoming Women of the Mountains conference was extended to the UNAU members, which offered support and appreciation for what is being accomplished at UVU for the United Nations and the values of sustainable development and the advancement of gender equality worldwide. Similar invitation was extended to UNWomen chapter in Utah and preliminary agreement with Victoria Baird was achieved about having follow up meeting to develop plan of joint activities.
It was an honor to meet with this group of distinguished and accomplished members of the UNA-USA Utah, to meet with the co-founders of the USNC-UN Women in Utah and to promote the Women of the Mountains Conference, and the UIMF and to encourage mutual participation and support for each of these organizations.
Deena Ainge, President, Sustainable Mountain Development Club at UVU
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