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On 4 June 2008, six UN Program students and Professor Phyllis Lee met with Panamanian NGO representatives in Panama City. This is the second meeting of its kind, supported by the UN NGO/DPI Executive Committee. The purpose of this outreach program was to increase the number of NGOs associated with the Department of Public Information at UN headquarters in New York.
In Panama City, Professor Lee and the students hosted a breakfast in the Panama Sheraton Hotel for more than sixty NGO representatives and UN officials. They prepared a PowerPoint presentation in Spanish describing the benefits that an association with DPI at UN headquarters would bring. Participants were also provided with the information necessary to complete the application process. Various United Nations pamphlets and other helpful UN-related materials were distributed.
Carmen Genao, representing the group of student ambassadors spoke about the difficulty many of the Latin American NGOs often face, with only a limited number able to finance individual representation at UN Headquarters. As a commitment to solving this dilemma, Ms. Genao pledged the UN Graduate Program will designate graduate students to represent the NGOs at important UN meetings and events, in cases where Panamanian NGO affiliates would need a contact at UN Headquarters. The students will report back to the organizations on events that are occurring and on matters of regional interest as well. Ms. Genao further explained the importance of such follow-up contacts and the need to remain engaged with the Panamanian NGOs in the future.
During the Q&A session, many NGOs expressed interest and raised questions about the application process. NGOs also wanted to learn more about the work the other NGOs in attendance were developing and suggested that a “network” be created, which would allow for more support and alliances to be built.
A photo slideshow of the meeting can be viewed here.
For more information and to learn how you can support the outreach project in Panama, Costa Rica and elsewhere in Central America, please contact:
Professor Lester Wilson
Director, UN Graduate Certificate Program
E-mail: Lester.Wilson@liu.edu
Sponsored by the Executive Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations Associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information
LIU Panama Project:
Carmen Genao, Irina Makarevich, Tibethan Memisoglu, Yawne Robinson, Nappawan Saraget, Jian Zhou
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