United Nations Association of Santa Barbara and Tri-Counties
Join Our UNA Celebration
"Robert Muller Peace Prize"
In Honor and Remembrance of Dr. Robert Muller,
Lifelong Champion for Peace to End the Scourge of War
with the United Nations
Tuesday, April 20, 2023
5:00 - 6:00 PM, Pacific Time
Accessible via Zoom Link at 378 519 7792
2023 Robert Muller Peace Prize Recipients
Dr. Geraldine Schwartz and
Dr. Desmond Berghofer,
Visioneers International Network
Honoring and celebrating the one-year Anniversary. From 40 Peace Leaders from 3 countries, one year later, October 2023, The Visioneers International Network has expanded to 62 countries and hundreds of Peacebuilders thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr. Geraldine Schwartz & Dr. Desmond Berghofer.
At this moment of existential darkness in human history, the Visioneers are ingathering the global family of outstanding leaders celebrated in an international Humanity’s Web of Good Work. virtual exposition as Visioneers are telling a new story about human goodness and essential nobility, proclaiming that we will not allow ourselves to be defined by the egregious bad actions of the few. Instead, as builders of the Golden Peace we underline our common resolve to be fierce warriors by Waging Peace.
You may be asking why would we celebrate UN Day?
The news is depressing and confusing, and it feels like World War 3 is trying to start, with conflict in Ukraine from Russia, and now Israel and the Middle East. It can feel at times overwhelming, like the world is trying to hurtle into the Endarkenment, after all the progress that’s been made.
Our hearts hurt collectively over recent events. On that, there is no question.
The United Nations was formed 78 years ago to prevent another World War, and in that, it has succeeded spectacularly. We can all wish multilateralism could cure all the world’s ills, and lament where it hasn’t.
Or we can remember and celebrate all the good things that the UN has achieved, and they are many. The UN model has distributed humanitarian aid worldwide, handled refugee crises, kept the peace when there was a peace to be kept in a prior conflict zone, moved women’s rights and protection of children forward, and so much more.
The UN has been very active in both the invasion of Ukraine and now the erupting Middle East situation between Israel and Palestine. As an institution, the UN may not be perfect, but none is, including our democracy in the USA.
We may not be able to solve all the world’s problems, but what we can do is come together and pursue the cause of peace, in celebrating the institution that we care about, on this 78th anniversary of its formation.
The them for this year’s UN Day 2023 is:
Equality, Freedom and Justice for All
Could there possibly be a better theme, at this time, given recent events?
It’s the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), signed in 1948, spearheaded by Eleanor Roosevelt.
The UN is the only global institution with human rights at its core. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights document is a milestone in UN history where freedom, equality and justice for all inspired, and paved the way for, the adoption of more than seventy human rights treaties, applied today on a permanent basis at global and regional levels.
The UDHR’s 75th Anniversary, UNA-USA’s theme for UN Day 2023, aims to celebrate the first universally protected fundamental human rights document. With its 30 articles, the UDHR serves as a constant reminder that human rights are universal, indivisible, and essential for a just and harmonious global community. It continues to inspire advocacy, promote accountability, and encourage the pursuit of a world where the rights and dignity of all individuals are upheld and protected.
So please join us this UN Day, and let’s ground ourselves in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, remind ourselves that everyone has the right to live free and equal to everyone else, and celebrate a lifelong champion for peace at the United Nations, Robert Muller, by awarding a peace prize in his memory to two very worthy recipients.
The event is free. We hope to see you there!
