President’s Welcome

United Nations Women’s Guild-Geneva

March/April 2018

Hello everyone,

I would like to congratulate you all on the occasion of the Woman’s International Day, which the world observers on the 8th of March. Let me take this opportunity to recognize and deeply appreciate the hard work of each and everyone of you towards promoting Guild’s activities which have become a prominent land mark in the women Geneva community. The recent Art Exhibition held by Guild at WIPO attests to this fact. My sincere thanks go to our colleagues, Manila Paktian, Hema Servansing and others who did a marvelous job in organizing this event, as well as our artists who participated in this Exhibition and enchanted our visitors with their fantastic pieces. At this point in time, I would like to convey to you with great pleasure the good news that I received a letter from Mr. Michael Møller, Director-General of UNOG, responding positively to our request to hold the 2018 Bazaar in the Palais on November 20. A second letter by Mr. Møller also approved our Children’s Walk to be held in the Palais on October 12. Get ready ladies, every little help counts.

Nehad Sukayri

The AGA will be on Tuesday 11th May at 14:00 – 17:00.Hall X11.Doors will be open at 13:30. Please arrive in plenty of time for a prompt 2pm start.

COFFEE MORNINGS

Tuesday 6th March. Hosted by Sri Lanka.Tuesday 3rd April. Hosted by the African Ambassador’s Spouses

For more details pease contact: Carmen Falaize (Hospitality) or Ghazala Syedda Nayyar (Welcoming). Their contact details may be found in the Guild Members Directory.

U.N. Hall XIV Price 3 CHF No GuestsPlease note there is no parking at the U.N.Buses 8, 28, V, F, Z Stop Appia

For all coffee mornings, please present to our Welcoming team when paying the coffee morning fee, your 2018 membership card.

Languages and ActivitiesLanguages and activities are always changing. For to date information please visit our website where changes will be updated as they occur.

Information can also be found in the office at the Villa.

If you have any skills that you would like to share with the members of the Guild or if you are able to teach a language please contact Secil Cetinkaya. Contact address on last page.

To be eligible to register for any course or activity, you must show your current membership card.

THERE IS NO PARKING AT THE VILLA FOR STUDENTS. The 3 parking places are reserved for the E.C. and leaders of language and activity courses.

ANTOINE-CAMBRIDGE Makeda (Ambassador) Trinidad & Tobago

BOURGEOIS Isabelle (Switzerland)

BOUZAINE Radhia  (Tunisia/France)

ELGINDI Rihab (Soudan)

ELNWIRY Hoda (Egypt)

FELDMAN DE MAYO Debbie (Chile)

GUERDAT Graciela (Switzerland)

HANDAYANI Yuniarti Retno (Indonesia)

HASANOVA Stella (Azerbaijan)

HEIBA Sherine (Egypt)

JARVIS Helen (Canada)

KANEKO Mai (Japan)

LI Ruowei (United States)

LIANG Wei (China)

ONO Midori (Japan)

OULD KHOU Fatmna (Mauritania)

PALAIRET Katarina (Serbia)

SUNDARAM Raji (Switzerland)

SYLLA Fatoumata Kindy (Guinea)

TATEWAKI Anri (Japan)

THIRUMARAN Vaishnavi (India)

WOLFHEIM Cathy (Switzerland/USA)

WU Dongqun (United States)

We would like to offer a warm welcome to the following new members and hope that you will enjoy joining in all our activities with us all. Hope to see you all soon.

The monthly meetings take place at the Villa on 1st or 2nd Friday of the month at 14:00. They last about one hour.The cost to each member is 2CHF with which we buy a gift for the speaker in appreciation for his/her time.To sign up the UNWG secretary will send an e-mail to all our members giving the topic and background about 3 weeks ahead of the talk and ask members to respond to Bilqueece at alimohamed@bluewin.ch

9th March:Anne Hornung-Soukup (President CA) works for the TPG and would like to give a talk on their products and activities to make Geneva a safe and healthy city

Anne Hornung-Soukup, a dual national Swiss-American with experience in finance and governance, was appointed Chair of the Board of the TPG in July 2016.  In her talk she will present this state-owned mobility company which is so vital to the economy of the Geneva region, expanding the network constantly and transporting well over 200 million people every year.  The world of mobility is changing quickly and presenting challenges to existing transportation systems, and the TPG is developing new services and systems which will allow it to remain the leading mobility provider throughout the area.

13th April is a talk on Wellness and Ageing by Bonnie Fatio.

Cooking class 

16 March 2018 at 13:30 Place: Nations area (The address will be sent upon request) Transportation: Bus no 8, 11 Bus stop: UIT

This month cooking class will be in our Leili’s place.We will enjoy learning how to cook Iranian saffron rice with chicken.

As the meeting will be held in her home, the number of attendants is limited. Therefore we would like to remind those who wish to join to inform Mme Leili Kaweh in advance.

BOOK CLUB

The Book Club shall be discussing:

(1) The Heart Has Its Reasons by Maria Duenas on Friday, 23rd March 2018, at 2 pm in the Villa.

You can read all about the books we have previously reviewed and discussed at our monthly meetings of the UNWG Book Club and see the list of books we will be reading and discussing in the coming months, at my website:http://www.1stbookreview.

CONTRIBUTION DEADLINE

It is imperative that information for the Newsletter arrives on the dead-line to ensure prompt delivery.

The deadline for May/June Newsletter will be 15th April.

Contributions in text should be in word and photos in .jpg.

UNWG Newsletter can also be found at the website http://www.unwg.ch/

Membership cards and forms for the U.N. access can be picked up at the Coffee Mornings.

(2) The Violinist Of Venice: A Story Of Vivaldi by Alyssa Palombo on Friday, 27th April 2018, at 2 pm in the villa.

Membership cards will be delivered at the Villa on presentation of proof of paymentfee on:-Monday afternoons 14:30 – 16:30Thursday mornings 10:00- 12:00Telephone 022 917 25 30 during these hoursOr ‘exceptionally’ by appointment with Sibyl de Peic - 079 202 26 11Or Diana de Peic - 079 302 17 06membership@unwg.chPLEASE NOTE THAT U.N. PARKING BADGES WILL NO LONGER BE ISSUED(Except in ‘exceptional’ cases ie: Disabilities)

UNITED NATIONS WOMEN’S GUILD

Villa les Feuillantines,8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211. Genève 10Tel:022 917 33 86E-mail:-cfnu.unwg@bluemail.chOpening Times:- Monday – Friday 9.30am – 12 noon Monday and Thursday 2.00 – 17.00

Bus: 5,8,22, 28,F,V,Z Tram: 15 Bus and Tram stop: Nations.

President: Nehad Sukayri unwgpresident@gmail.comVice-President Activities: Senait Gebreselassie activity@unwg.chVice-President Projects: Catherine D’Arangues project@unwg.chTreasurer: Mawieh Oulabi unwgtreasurer@gmail.comCo-Treasurer: Christine Dela Rosa unwgtreasurer@gmail.comMembership Secretary:-Sibyl de Peic membership@unwg.chCo-membership secretary:- Diana De Peic membership@unwg.chEnglish Newsletter Editor: Karen Ransome newsletter@unwg.chFrench Newsletter Editor: Farida Serir newsletter@unwg.chHospitality: Carmen Falaize hospitality@unwg.chPublic Relations: Peta Girod public.relations@unwg.chEducation: Secil Cetinkaya education@unwg.chRecording Secretary English:-Samina Zafar Monthly Meetings:- Bilqueece Alimohamed monthly meetings@unwg.chWelcoming:- Ghazala Syedda NayyarPhotographer: Margaret TomassiDistribution: Budi Maher & teamWebsite Management: Olga Mednikova

These days more and more information is found on websites. This includes us. Information is updated regularly and is the best source for information.

You can access UNWG Guild information on the unwg website: http://www.unwg.ch/ .

I have put some thought towards our online presence as an organization and found that we could greatly benefit from a social media platform. Therefore, I have asked a young lady with very good computer skills to be our social media manager. We have created accounts on Instagram, twitter, and facebook. Please follow us on:

Instagram-@unwggeneva Twitter-@unwggeneva Facebook- Unwg Guild

Additionally, I am well aware that we have several exciting events in the works at all times. Therefore, it would be really helpful if you send pictures of the Guild activities to our new social media email: unwgsocialmedia@gmail.com.

Please follow us on:

Instagram-@unwggeneva

Twitter-@unwggeneva

Facebook- Unwg Guild

01 March 2018- Meeting with Ms. Elisabeth Philippe, UNFCU Senior Mgr. Community & Media Relations Mktg.

The new Arabic class

OUR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Today: Training in vegetable gardening for young women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Report by Vice President-Projects, Catherine d’Arcangues

Nselé is an eastern suburb of Kinshasa, mostly rural, where 90% of the population ahs no job. It is drained by several rivers, a situation that facilitates vegetable gardening which is mostly done by women to support their families. However because of a lack of technical knowledge, these women only get a poor yield. To address this, an ex-director of OXFAM DRC created a NGO called ENDE (for “environment and development”) aimed at offering professional training to these women, thereby fighting poverty and inequity.

First, ENDE bought a plot of over 9 acres and created a gardening school with fruit trees and vegetable gardens. It wished to follow this by offering professional training to 20 young mothers with the aim of increasing their income by 50% over the year. The goal of this training as not only the strengthening of technical capacity but also the intensification and diversification of crops and extending the period of culture to the full year. At the same time, 30 women from the community would take this opportunity to learn new culture techniques by observing and sharing the practical sessions.

Training lasted 8 months and covered a) general notions about vegetable gardening, b) management of a gardening association, c) soil management, and d) management of diseases and pests through use of bio-pesticides and natural substances. To put theory into practice, a training plot was set up for two crops: sorrel and tomato.

The UNWG contributed to this project by supplying gardening material, teaching material and farm inputs, and by supporting an agronomist and a community worker for the duration of the project. The project was met with great success and will be replicated as soon as sufficient resources become available.

OUR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Today: Support to marginalized communities in Kosovo

Report by Vice President-Projects, Catherine d’Arcangues

The Ideas Partnership was created to tackle education, cultural heritage and environmental challenges in Kosovo and the region, without any political or religious affiliation. Their work focuses on the empowerment and integration of marginalized and poor communities, more specifically the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian people. These communities have very low education rates (only 4% have completed compulsory education) and the worst infant mortality in Europe (41 of every 1000 live births die before their first birthday). Almost every family lives from rubbish-picking.

The Partnership is made of volunteers: one-third are from these communities, one-third are Kosovo Albanians and one-third are foreigners. It works at three levels: a) helping people in need: by distributing clothing, running antenatal classes, providing palliative care and vaccination campaigns and helping widows with school-age children; b) helping people help themselves: physiotherapy for children with mobility difficulties, academic support to school children, intensive classes for those who want to return to school, a club for girl teen-agers, a kindergarten, adult literacy classes and support to micro-businesses run by women; and c) helping people in need help others in need: bursaries to finish high school in exchange for community work, bursaries for future teachers, support to project leadership and management to achieve community change.

The Partnership requested support from UNWG for activities designed for children and young women: antenatal tests and follow-up for 30 pregnant women, physiotherapy and diapers for 11 severely disabled, heating for the kindergarten, educational material for the week-end academic support to 102 children and literacy classes.

Time Language Teacher Venue

Monday 10:00 – 11:30 Italian Maria Antonieta Passaro

Room 2

10:00 – 12:00 French A2 Nadia Mehdi Room 3

14:00 – 16:00 French A Emmanuelle Terrettaz

Room 1

13:30 – 15:30 French B1 Hassiba Oulhaci Room 2

13:30 – 15:30 French A2 Nadia Mehdi Room 3

Tuesday 10:30 – 12:00 English A2 Karen Ransome Room 1

9:30 – 11:00 Chinese Junling Zhang Room 2

Will be announced soon Arabic Yasmine OmarSara Amr

Room 3

14:00 – 16:00 Spanish B1 Doris Murillo Room 1

Wednesday 08:30-10.00 French-Communication

Nadia Zenagui Room 2

10:00 - 12:00 Persian Shaghayegh Yasamy Gerrard

Room 1

13:30 – 15:00 Japanese Kayoko Senoo and Noriko Mouri

Room2

Thursday 10:00 – 11:30 Spanish A1+ Connie Pilo Pais Room 2

9:30 – 11:00 English A1 Ghazala Syeddah Nayyar

Room 3

13:30 – 15:30 English B1 Bilqueece Alimohamed

Room 3

Friday 13: 30- 15:00 Korean Seunghee Yun Room 2

DayTime Activity Activity

LeaderVenue

Monday 10:15-11:30 Pilates Sibyl De Peic ITU Gym

Tuesday 3rd Tuesday of the month

Sing Song Bertha Dubois

13:15-16:30 Open Bridge at ILO

Zofia Eda Bankowski -

Padma Srivastava

ILO

14:00-16:00 Handicrafts Manila Paktian Room 3

Wednesday 10:15-11:30 Pilates Sibyl De Peic ITU Gym

Different meeting times and venues

Hiking Mahrooghe Mary Kazazi -

Denise Maertens-

Edith Mayer Wallin

Outdoors

1st, 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month 10:00-12:30

Painting and Artistic Techniques

Chantal Andersen

Room 3

14:30-17:00 Painting Nadine Salembier

Room 3

12:30 - 15:30 Mah Jong Sonia Woolcock -

Chantal Andersen

Room 1

Thursday 9:30 – 13:30 Social Bridge Rosaleen Nassif

Room 1

Friday 10:00-11:00 Full Body Workout

Claudia Nonninger

ITU Gym

3rd Fridays of the month 09:30-12:30

Hat and Fascinator Making

Sandra Realpe Room 3

3rd Fridays of the month 13:30 - 15:00

Cooking Leili Kaweh Room 3

Last Friday of the month 14:00 - 16:00

Book Club Chouhrette Bunzl

Room 1

*The contact numbers of the teachers and activity leaders can be found on the notice board in the villa and on the phone directory.

*Please get in contact with the activity leaders before joining the lesson for the first time. For courses in ITU premises, building security might need to be informed in advance.

*Hiking group is open to the participants who have prior experience and/or have strenght and capability of coping with long walks and high attitudes. Members can get in contact with the activity leaders through their emails for further information.

UNWG - Nominating Committee 2017-2018

Dear Members,

Listed below are vacancies for positions on the UNWG Executive Committee. If you are interested in a post please send us your Curriculum Vitae along with a Letter of Motivation.

All members elected must participate in the monthly meetings of the Executive Committee and submit a report at the request of the President and for the following AGA.  

1. President (2 years: 2018-2020) Acts as the UNWG Geneva representative at all activities appertaining to the Guild within the UN community and the wider Geneva community. - Presides at all meetings, shall chair the Executive Committee (EC), and be member ex-officio of all Standing Committees with the right to vote. - Presents a report on the year’s activities at the Annual General Assembly. - Signs all minutes of meetings of the EC after adoption, and must initial any alterations made. - Signs occasional letters of congratulations and condolence. - Signs all letters of acceptance and refusal of assistance which are presented to her by the Vice-President - Projects.   - She also signs the final letters when sending the donation. - Prepares an annual report or summary of Geneva activities for the UNWG – New York for subsequent publication by them.

2. Vice President – Activities - (2 years: 2018-2020) • In the absence of the President, the Vice-President must act on her behalf.• Assist the President in all her duties.

3. Co-Treasurer - (2 years: 2018-2020) • Assists the Treasurer and acts on her behalf if necessary. • Collects annual fees and all funds of UNWG; pays the bills according to the instructions of the EC. • Transfers the amounts destined for projects. • Ensures the bookkeeping of revenues and expenditures and prepares an annual financial report for the AGA. • Knowledge of accounting and/or finance highly desirable. • Should have good IT skills especially Microsoft Excel.

4. Membership Secretary (2 years: 2018-2020) • Keeps up to date the membership list, including Associate Members list.• Prepares labels for different mailings to members. • Prepares statistics of membership information for the EC. • Prepares membership cards.• Cooperates with the Treasurers for the compilation of the Telephone Directory. • Good computer literacy required.  

5. Recording Secretary – French (2 years: 2018-2020)• Attends meetings of the EC and takes minutes. • Sets the agenda for all meetings of the EC. • Ensures the preparation of the Annual Report for the AGA.

6. Newsletter Editor - English (2 years: 2018-2020) • Gathers information from activity leaders. • Works in close cooperation with the French Editor. • Prepares the Newsletter every 2 months as well a list of events. • Coordinates with the team/person responsible for uploading the Newsletter on the UNWG website and the mailing of the “Listing of Events”. • Must be English mother tongue with good knowledge of French. • Must have excellent computer skills.

7. Education (2 years: 2018-2020) • Responsible for organising and coordinating the activities of the Guild including the language classes, which start from September.• Works in close cooperation with the Vice President – Activities.• Informs the Newsletter Editors (English and French) of the Activities program. • Must have knowledge of English and French.  

8. Visits and Culture (2 years: 2018-2020) • Prepares every month a meeting or a cultural visit of interest to members. • Must obtain the approval of the President and/or the EC before launching a monthly meeting. • Associate Members may apply for this post.

9. Welcoming (2 years: 2018-2020) • Works closely with the Hospitality team to prepare the coffee morning.• Welcomes new members and organises the New Members Coffee mornings to introduce the members of the EC and the leaders of Activities. • Responsible for the collection of attendance fees at Coffee Mornings. • Associate Members may apply for this post.

10. Public Relations (2 years: 2018-2020) • Develops the UNWG image through the creation and distribution of general information.• Coordinates activities of the Guild with international organisations in Geneva.• Maintains contacts with the media.• Provides new activities to publicize the UNWG.• Coordinates the management of the Kiosk. • Associate Members may apply for this post.

Do not hesitate to contact us:

THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE 2017-2018  

Kajori Massé Basu (Chairwoman) masse.kajori@gmail.com

Zeinab Farag zeinabfarag@gmail.com

Rosaleen Nassif rosnassif@gmail.com

Nourane Doyen