Greetings – I am Barry Simon and I am honored to have been elected President of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), Southern California Division at the recent annual meeting. Let me first thank outgoing President, Judith Harris, for providing extraordinary leadership during her terms as President. Thank you, Judith! I look forward to your guidance, love, and support going forward.
The Southern California Division is composed of a dozen local grass-roots chapters from Santa Barbara and the San Fernando Valley to San Diego and Beverly Hills to Hollywood to Pasadena and the Inland Empire. Included are a few college campus chapters as well!
The chapters are all engaged in holding meetings/events that focus on the Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of a strong UN-US relationship. Particular attention has recently focused on the refugee situation and climate change. Although gender equality, human rights, sex trafficking and other issues remain major areas of chapter attention as well.
I invite you to get involved. You can start by checking the Calendar of Events on the web at www.una-socal.org. Whether your interests are in the Adopt a Future campaign that supports children in refugee camps or the Nothing-But-Nets program of the UN Foundation, all funds raised by our chapters goes to work, locally or globally, contributing to a better world for all people.
For further information feel free to contact me anytime by phone 310-699-2180 or by email at barrysimonuna@gmail.com. Communications may also be sent to our new mailing address: UNA-USA Southern California Division, PO Box 827, Santa Monica, CA 90406.
Thank you for the opportunity to work with you creating a stronger and more impactful UN Association and thus a more united, compassionate, productive and cleaner world for all!