United Nations Association of the United States of America

According to the organization's web site, the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is a "nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports the work of the United Nations and encourages active civic participation in the most important social and economic issues facing the world today. As the nation's largest grassroots foreign policy organization and the leading center of policy research on the U.N. and global issues, UNA-USA offers Americans the opportunity to connect with issues confronted by the U.N., from global health and human rights to the spread of democracy, equitable development, and international justice. Through our work, we educate Americans about the work of the United Nations and encourage public support for strong U.S. leadership in the U.N."

Since 1999, William H. Luers has been the president of UNA-USA.

• Ralph L. Cwerman - Senior Vice President
• Edward C. Luck - Former President

History

"UNA-USA traces its roots back to 1943. Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt founded it that year, with the establishment of the American Association for the United Nations (AAUN), a citizen-based organization she herself led. AAUN merged with the U.S. Committee for the United Nations in 1964, creating the modern UNA-USA."

Current Activities

Today, the UNA-USA has "more than 20,000 members spread among 175 local chapters in 43 states.... [and is now] comprised of a number of affiliated organizations, including the Business Council of the United Nations, which promotes greater cooperation between the United Nations and the business community; the Council of Organizations, a program of affiliation for national organizations supporting the work of the UNA; and Adopt-A-Minefield, which helps the United Nations' effort to resolve the global landmine crisis by raising funds for mine clearance and survivor assistance."

The UNA-USA "also boasts a National Council advisory body of prominent Americans, chaired by former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald R. Ford." It also sponsors "the popular Model United Nations program, which teaches young people at an early age what it's like to be a delegate to the U.N. ... [and] is part of a larger network of United Nations Associations around the world, as a member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA)."

Board of Directors

• G. Stuart Ackman, C. Chase Co.
• Albert F. Brandel, Representative to UNICEF, Lions Clubs International
• Christopher Brody, Vantage Partners, LLC
• Ronald Davenport, Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation
• Edison W. Dick, Esq.
• Helen Dougherty
• William H. Draper, III, Draper Richards LP
• The Honorable Robin Chandler Duke
• H.R.H. Princess Firyal of Jordan
• Toby T. Gati, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
• Maurice R. Greenberg, American International Group, Inc.
• Rajat Kumar Gupta, McKinsey & Company, Inc.
• The Honorable Lee H. Hamilton, The Woodrow Wilson Center
• Courtney Ross Holst
• Charles Kaye, Warburg Pincus LLC
• Jeffrey Laurenti, United Nations Foundation
• Lawrence V. Levine
• Alison J. Mass, Goldman Sachs
• The Honorable Donald F. McHenry, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
• Ken Miller
• William Miller
• Lori P. Mirek
• Professor James A. R. Nafziger, Thomas B. Stoel Professor of Law & Director, International Programs, Willamette University College of Law
• Dr. Ved Nanda, University of Denver, College of Law
• Leo Nevas, Nevas, Nevas and Capasse
• Louis Perlmutter, Lazard Freres & Co., LLC
• Carroll Petrie
• Thomas R. Pickering, The Boeing Company
• Beth Weems Pirtle, UNA-USA Dallas Chapter
• Nancy Rubin
• Irving J. Stolberg
• R. E. Ted Turner, Time Warner Inc.
• The Honorable William J. vanden Heuvel, Allen & Company
• Paul Adolph Volcker
• Faye Wattleton, Center for Gender Equality
• Rene Wilson
• Chuck Woolery, American Public Health Association

Contact

UNA-USA
801 Second Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212 907-1300
Fax: 212 682-9185
unahq@unausa.org

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch

• Louise Kantrow - Former Executive Vice President
• Michael Tatu Castlen - Former Vice President