Florida Division of the United Nations Association
Fall 2009 Newsletter
Stephen Baker, Editor (sbaker@ju.edu)
Florida Division UNA-USA 2009
Convention in Tampa on
November 14th
Grab your suitcases and “come on down!” The
Florida Division of the UNA-USA will meet on
November 14th for the annual convention to share
our common goals and help each other deliver our
messages. We have a great deal to learn from each
other and this program will provide that forum. Our
keynote speaker, Steven Dimoff, is Vice President of
Advocacy and Policy at the UNA-USA. His
reputation as one of the foremost authorities on the
United Nations guarantees this will be a great
convention. A flyer was previously sent out by the
hosting Tampa Bay Chapter listing convention
information and registration procedures; that
flyer is reproduced here on the last page.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The Florida Division welcomes the changes
regarding the UN on the national level. The US has a
new ambassador, Susan Rice, who is supportive of
the UN and the Obama Administration believes in
diplomacy, negotiating with those with whom we
disagree and multilateral solutions to common
problems. Hopefully a new era of international
understanding and co-operation has emerged in
which the UN is increasingly important. UNA-USA
also has a new president, Tom Miller, who is a
distinguished and widely experienced diplomat.
Things are also changing for the Florida Division.
With the cancellation of the 2008 annual meeting the
Division has been inactive for the past year. The new
Division Board met in Orlando March 21st and made
a number of important decisions. We re-affirmed
that our mission is to support the chapters where the
most important work of UNA-USA occurs. To this
end the Division’s annual meeting will focus on such
topics as recruitment of members, fundraising,
lobbying, etc. In keeping with the times and to save
money, our biennial newsletter will be distributed
electronically to the chapters for them to send to their
members. Publishing and distributing hard copies of
the newsletter has been our largest expense.
We decided to support Dr. Franck Simon’s
humanitarian work in Haiti. Please read the article in
this Newsletter about all he does there. Your chapter
may wish to support him as the Tampa Bay Chapter
and Division have done.
I am pleased to report that the Miami Chapter is
reorganizing under the leadership of Muhammed
Malik and has received a significant bequest. Also
Blanca Valez is revitalizing the Broward Chapter.
We look forward to both chapters being vibrant
members of their communities and the Division.
Obviously youth are the future of UNA and other
organizations. Starting a Model UN (MUN) or
Young Professionals for International Cooperation
(YPIC) chapter is an excellent way to educate youth
about the UN and world affairs in general and
involve them in the chapter. Teachers of political
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science and international relations at local high
schools and universities are potential organizers and
resource persons for MUN and YPIC groups. Ask a
board member to see about starting a YPIC or MUN
group if you don’t already have them in your
community.
Members of the Foreign Service Retirees
Association of Florida are also potential
chapter/board members, resources for youth and
speakers to the chapter and community. Invite them
to your UN Day celebration and chapter meetings. If
your chapter doesn’t have a copy of their
membership directory, I’ll be happy to send you a list
of members in your area.
Another good way of building membership,
educating people about the UN and being recognized
in the community is to establish a speaker’s bureau.
College professors, foreign service workers among
others are potential speakers. Such service clubs as
Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, women’s clubs and other
community groups are always looking for speakers.
Finally come to our annual meeting in Tampa’s
Ybor City on November 13 and 14 to get other good
ideas for your chapter and have a good time. I hope
to see you there. The Tampa Bay Chapter has worked
hard to arrange for an informative and fun time.
Please also read about the many exciting programs
and events the chapters are sponsoring, e.g., Mexican
folk dancers, golf tournaments, speakers, etc.
Change has come not only on the national level but
also to the Division. I hope you like the changes we
have made—in any case we welcome your feedback.
--Robert H. “Bob” Hornberger
President
UNA-USA Florida Board Meeting
On March 21, 2009 the UNA-USA Florida
Division Board met in Orlando. President Bob
Hornberger presided over the meeting with first
Vice President Franck Simon, Recording Secretary
Rick Kennedy, Membership Chair Ed Cooke as
well as Kelly Miliziano (Tampa Bay), Taraneh
Darabi (Gainesville), and Steve Baker
(Jacksonville).
The proposed 2009 budget was discussed
including an expected income of $2405 and expenses
of $2005. The carry-over funds were $8317. The
largest expense ($1200) was for the newsletter due to
production and postage costs. The Board voted to try
sending the newsletter electronically as a PDF to
each chapter president who would then be requested
to forward it to the membership by e-mail. Each
chapter would also be asked to print and mail copies
for members without access to e-mail. This will
represent a substantial savings for the Division.
Board meeting participants (from left to right) Rick
Kennedy, Franck Simon, Bob Hornberger, Steve Baker, Taraneh
Darabi, Kelly Miliziano and Ed Cooke
The Board also approved $1000 to assist the
president with the expenses to attend the National
UNA-USA Convention in New York June 13-15.
Another $200 was approved to sponsor an ad in the
directory of the Foreign Service Retirees of Florida, a
useful source of both speakers and participants in our
UNA-USA programs. An additional $500 was
approved to support the work of Dr. Simon with his
health project in Haiti (see article later). The Tampa
Bay Chapter already donated $400 and Ed Cooke
made a personal contribution of $100.
Finally Kelly Miliziano was applauded for
completing her Ph.D. She has done a great deal of
research on the Model UN.
--From the minutes submitted by Rick Kennedy
Broward County
Broward County member activities included
installation of new officers, distributing UN-related
books, sponsoring a Night of a Thousand Dinners to
help eradicate landmines, membership drives, a joint
venture with the Pembroke Pines Bahá’i
organization, a presentation on UNICEF by Dr.
Donna Williams, preparations for the UN Day
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celebration and Thanksgiving baskets for needy
families. Membership chairperson Bob Velez has
been active in promoting renewals.
--Blanca Moore-Valez
Dr. Franck Simon’s Mission to Haiti
I am authorized by the Haiti Department of Health
and the Department of Social Services to practice
medicine in Haiti and have been doing so for over 40
years. In December, responding to the United Nations
Millennium Development Goals Project, I initiated a
health mission in the Republic of Haiti, authorized by
Dr. Daniel Luu, then president of the UNA-USA
Florida Division. This mission received the approval
and logistical assistance of Gen. Gabriel Valdez,
Commander of Peacekeeping Forces of the UN in
Haiti. The Ambassador of the UN Development
Program granted us UN security clearance. Officials
of the Haiti Government conferred diplomatic
privileges at the Diplomatic Salon of Port-au-Prince.
I travel to Haiti on that mission every other month
or so and have established a central office in Port-au-
Prince as well as a clinic-on-wheels using my
personal truck to reach the remote villages. I offer
medical consultations, medication, lectures on UN
issues and food. I’ve also donated a deep-rock well to
the village of Bamboo (in the south) where the only
available water was from the river.
From March 24 to April 9, 2009, I attended 300
Haiti village victims of hunger, TB, malaria,
HIV/AIDS and other conditions and distributed
chemically treated mosquito nets, food and
medications.
The Jolicoeur family of Jacmel (in the south),
volunteered their time and labor for food preparation
and Father Gladimir, a Catholic priest, was kind
enough to drive our truck converted into a mobile
clinic to reach remote villages.
Officials from Haiti Foreign Affairs Ministry
expressed their support. I returned to Haiti on the
same mission from June 9 to June 30 and will
continue every other month thereafter.
--Dr. Franck Simon
Gainesville
The Gainesville Chapter supported active civic
participation in social and economic issues through
several avenues: Public Lectures series, UN Day and
Speaker’s Bureau.
Public Lectures Series:
The Gainesville UNA Chapter provided four wide-
ranging programs to UNA members, Model UN Club
members and other citizens and students in the
community this year. High profile and experienced
speakers addressed a range of topics from trade
policy and health to human rights. The year began
with an address by Otton Solis Fallas, the prominent
Costa Rican scholar-politician, speaking on "The
Politics of the Central American Free Trade
Agreement (CAFTA)." In April a presentation by Dr.
Barbara Oberlander, Santa Fe College Professor,
featured the many contributions by the UN's own
Eleanor Roosevelt in a talk entitled "Eleanor
Roosevelt and Human Rights: First Lady of the
World." In the fall, emphasis on health delivery
concerns in Africa brought forth Dr. Lenny Rhines,
University of Florida Librarian Emeritus, to speak on
"The UN Program for Developing Countries:
Information Technology to Bridge the Health
Information Gap." In closing an exciting, if not
exhausting, year of political contest and change,
Ambassador Nancy Soderberg covered a wide
range of issues with "International Challenges Facing
the New President." Each of these presentations
anticipated many of the far reaching challenges that
lie ahead while anchoring our group in the rich UN
history.
UN Day:
Our UN Day took place on October 23rd with
proclamations by our city and county as the UN flag
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flew high at city hall. We had an enjoyable,
informative and educational 2008 UN Day program.
It started with Dr. Wendy Graham, chair of the
Water Institute at the University of Florida,
discussing "Sustainable Water Resources: Challenges
and Opportunities" and Dr. Tony Oliver-Smith,
giving insight on "Sustainability Within the
Framework of the Hazards of Climate Change and
Environmental Threats." The keynote speaker, Mona
Grieser, a Behavior Change and System Strategist
who is a Senior Advisor to Governments, the UN and
other International agencies, gave an excellent
presentation: "Walking on the Boulevard." She
discussed ways to strategize effective plans for
creating better societies around the world, while
understanding what motivates people to change
through the power of their own perception. Our UN
Day Chair was Dr. Jackson Sasser, President of
Santa Fe College. There were 150 people in
attendance with 25 local organizations co-sponsoring
the event.
Speaker’s Bureau:
Our speaker’s bureau has been quite active,
presenting many lectures on UN issues such as
"Refugees and the United Nations" in the fall and
"The Food Crisis and the UN" in the spring.
In addition to these venues, we have also co-
sponsored and participated in community events
such as Women's Equality Day Luncheon and the
Family Literacy Festival. Our Gainesville Chapter
was pleased in March 2008 to nominate the recipient
of the annual Women's History Month award, Dr.
Karen Cole-Smith.
Two of our board members were also recognized
for their contributions: Professor Emerita Helen
Safa on women and development, and Professor
Mickie Edwardson for promoting and protecting the
rights of those who have crossed her path.
Our Chapter works closely with and supports Model
UN Clubs at the University of Florida, Santa Fe
College and Eastside High School. The city of
Gainesville and our Chapter take pride in the
outstanding accomplishments of these three teams.
Each team not only won first team honors but also
individual members were named Outstanding
Delegates. Heartfelt congratulations are warranted for
these young community leaders who tackle current
international issues as well as those of the past. These
future leaders of our society are learning to work
effectively in developing vital interpersonal skills. -
--Taraneh Darabi
Want to let elected officials know
about your support for the United
Nations? A wealth of contact
information is available at
http://capwiz.com/unausa/home/
Convention Program
UNAUSA Florida Division
Convention Agenda
Friday November 13
Cocktail Reception 5:00-7:00 p.m. Hilton Garden
Inn, Ybor City
Saturday, November 14
9:00-9:45 Florida Division Board Meeting
10:00 -11:00 a.m. Chapter Leaders Business Meeting
(voting delegates only)
11:15-12:15 Building Membership (open to all
members)
12:30-2:30 Luncheon, Keynote Speaker Steven
Dimoff, Vice President, Advocacy and Policy,
United Nations Association of the USA
2:30-3:30 Ideas for Successful Chapter Events
3:30-4:00 Florida Division Board Meeting
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 The Florida Division of the UNAUSA
Cordially Invites You to Attend Our
Annual Convention to be held in Historic Ybor City,
Tampa Florida on November 14, 2009
Keynote Speaker

Steven A. Dimoff
Steven A. Dimoff is Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at the United Nations Association of
the USA (UNA-USA), a leading center of policy research and public outreach on the United
Nations and multilateral issues.

As UNA-USA's senior Washington representative, Mr. Dimoff is responsible for keeping the
Legislative and Executive Branches apprised of UN-related issues, and for monitoring a range of
policy issues, including US funding of the UN system, US ratification of international treaties,
and trends in foreign assistance programs.

Mr. Dimoff joined UNA-USA after serving as a legislative assistant on foreign policy in the US
Congress. He holds a B.A. in American Government from Ohio University, and M.A. from the
School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University, and an M.A. from the
University of Nancy, France, with a specialization in European political and economic
integration.

Location: Columbia Restaurant, Ybor City

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/ybor.asp
Convention Fee: $40.00 Plated Luncheon is all-inclusive
Register Here link to register and pay https://www.acteva.com/go/unatampabayevents
A block of rooms has been reserved for overnight guests at the Hilton Garden Inn Ybor City
reserve online at
http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/groups/personalized/TPAYCGI-NAT-20091113/index.jhtml

For more information please contact Kelly Miliziano Convention Planning Chair at 813-453-5003 or
kellymiliziano@me.com

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