Unga-Link UK Interactive

The United Nations has designated 2012 the International Year of Co-operatives. From Argentina to Zambia, the 1.4 million co-operatives across the globe will be celebrating and showing how they build a better world.  

 Argentinian wine co-operative 

Co-ordinated by the International Co-operative Alliance, the global voice of co-operatives, the year aims to boost understanding of co-operatives throughout the world. 

For supporters of co-operatives, it is a unique opportunity to come together as a global movement to promote how co-operative enterprises build a better world.

Co-operatives UK has launched the UK website for the United Nations’ International Year of Co-operatives 2012 - www.uk.coop/2012. The website provides information on what is happening across the country and features a range of useful resources about co-operatives and the International Year for businesses, individuals, journalists and all those interested in learning more.     

Palestine applies for UNESCO membership

The Inter Press Service reports that the 193-member General Conference, UNESCO’s policy-making body, is expected to ratify Palestine’s membership during the session beginning Oct. 25. The application was approved by the agency’s 58-member executive board earlier in the week. 

However the administration of President Barack Obama, under lobbying pressure from Israel and pro-Israeli members of Congress and senators, is threatening to cut off funds to the U.N. agency if it recognises the political legitimacy of Palestine. 

On October 6^th, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States may cut off funding to UNESCO if it moves forward on its recommendation to admit the Palestinian Authority as a full member. The U.N. culture and science agency stands to lose $87 million a year, or 22 percent of the total budget, without U.S. funding. 

Palestinian membership of the International Criminal Court could lead to restrictions on the movements of Israeli leaders 

Israel has accused the Palestinians of trying to “politicise Unesco”. It fears that recognition by affiliate UN bodies could lead to Palestinian membership of the International Criminal Court. If Palestinians were to lodge cases there against Israel, it could restrict the movements of Israeli leaders, at a time when even Washington has warned the Jewish state about its increasingly diplomatic isolation. 

Israeli officials expressed concern that Palestinian membership of Unesco, which recognises historically or culturally important places as World Heritage Sites, could be used to drag disputes over the cultural ownership of disputed holy sites in the region into the international arena. 

The question of historical sites is particularly sensitive in the area, since many of them are sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians and have at times served as mosques, churches or synagogues. 

Yesterday, President Abbas flew to Strasbourg and asked Europe for its backing: “You supported the Arab Spring which was seeking democracy and freedom,” he said. “Now the Palestinian Spring has arrived, asking for freedom and an end to the occupation.  We deserve your support.”

The Luxemburger Wort adds that vote has not been scheduled, but will take place at UNESCO’s General Conference, which runs from Oct. 25 to Nov. 10. 

The Palestinians are also seeking a foothold in the World Trade Organization and won partnership status recently in the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights body.

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                  Guest Speaker  Heather Blake:  

UK chair of Reporters without Borders

Elizabeth Way summarises this Birmingham UNA meeting, held on September 17^th: 

On the 17th of September Heather Blake UK Director of Reporters Without Borders (RWB) spoke to the Birmingham Branch AGM about Press Freedom and Human Rights. 

 RWB was founded in 1985 to support journalists and uphold their rights and to report freely. It helps financially by supporting the families of journalists imprisoned or murdered. She spoke about the increased deliberate attacks on journalists and the increasing violation of human rights.  I pressed for the establishment of laws to facilitate free reporting and for the UN to get the right to report firmly established as one of UN human rights. 

RWB will send one of their panel of experts to areas that have been reported to look at the evidence.  They can send protest letters to governments responsible.  They can then work to raise the international profile of events in that country.

Heather Blake spoke of the problems arising from the cutting of financial support for the World Service by the BBC; it may be impossible for some countries to hear a more truthful alternative to the state media, making human rights violations more probable.  She praised the balanced reporting of Al-Jazeera.  She also spoke about the need to balance detailed reporting in some situations in order to safeguard people who are opposing their own government and giving vital information to the reporter.  Heather praised the Birmingham branch for their informed interest and searching questions.