The External Relations and Publicity Committee, composed of Wade Matthews (Chairman), Walter Low, Daniel Luu, Conrad Pologe, Thelma Sachs, Ed Shapiro and Helen Jo Williams, was appointed by the President to combine the functions of the Newsletter, Media and Public Relations, and Legislation standing committees specified in Article VI of the Chapter Bylaws.
The UNA Reporter, a well-designed, provocative, and informative four-to-six page newsletter, has been produced monthly by Ed Shapiro, from October through May. As customary, the newsletter was not issued during the summer, experiencing a hiatus during these months when Chapter activity drops off. During the past year, The Reporter concentrated on upcoming activities and UN issues, with very little mention of things that have already occurred. One of its prime functions is to promote interest in events that are going to happen, thereby creating sufficient interest so that members will participate. The Chapter has been cited this past year for excellence of the newsletter. The UNA National has handed us glowing compliments on The Reporter, as have the Florida Division of UNA and some other chapters. Local officials, political and community leaders, a number of other chapters, and correspondents, in addition to all Sarasota- Manatee Chapter members, receive that publication.
Media and Public Relations chair Thelma Sachs notified all relevant local newspapers including the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, The Pelican Press, Longboat Key Observer and television stations in advance of our monthly luncheons and other activities, and many of them carried notices of our events. Our publicity included television coverage of a local brunch at which the President of the UN General Assembly spoke to our Chapter and invited guests.
United Nations Day was celebrated on Friday, October 24, 1997, at the Country Club of Sarasota, with the coordination of Thelma Sachs and the assistance of Board members including Golda Basta, Margaret Bates, Scott Behoteguy, Hope Byrnes, Irma Fuller, Doris Low, Daniel Luu and Jo Williams. The United Nations flag flew over the Sarasota City Hall and we were honored to receive Proclamations from Mayor Gene Pillot of Sarasota, Mayor Bill Evers of Bradenton, and Mayor Merle Grasser of Venice. The keynote speaker, Dr. Roy Morey, Director of the United Nations Development Progamme, gave a seminar on "The Promises and Complexities of Sustainable Development".
The entire External Relations and Publicity Committee had only one formal meeting, but informal consultation and activities continued throughout the year. Committee member Jo Williams wrote an Op-ed article defending and supporting the UN that was published in the Bradenton Herald. The Chairman wrote two letters to the editor calling for payment of US debts to the UN and explaining its essential work, and he also spoke to five audiences during the past seven months about the UN and related matters. Letters, FAXes, e-mail messages, and telephone calls were made to our Florida U.S. Senators and our U.S. Representative, as well as to the White House, supporting funding for the UN and full payment of the badly overdue U.S. debt to that organization
Several Chapter members, including two Committee members, met with U.S. Congressman Dan Miller and with staff members of Senators Graham and Mack in Washington last June to advocate greater support of the UN and payment of US dues without further preconditions. At least two petitions and pre-printed cards, the latter prepared by the Chapter President, advocating support for the UN or related activities (abolishing land mines), were circulated to members and then sent to political leaders.
The Committee collaborated with member Daniel Luu in preparing the text of his outstanding initiative of developing a World Wide Web home page (actually eleven pages) for the Chapter. It is now accessible both through the national UNA-USA Web Site and directly at www.oocities.org/CapitolHill/Lobby/9703, and is being updated monthly by Daniel to reflect our forthcoming activities. It is apparently the only Chapter home page in Florida and one of the handful of Chapter home pages in the United States that is being expeditiously updated. More information are given in Web Site for UNA Sarasota-Manatee Chapter (page 13)
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© 1997 danmtluu@aol.com
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