In a recent meeting with diplomats, May Sabe Phyu of the Women's Advocacy Coalition – Myanmar shared that, “The only hope for any of us to live on is to see a new federal democratic Myanmar.” She made this point during a lunch gathering at Quaker House in New York on 23 October. The meeting brought New York-based diplomats together to meet with four representatives of the Women's Advocacy Coalition to learn more about the gendered aspects of the crisis in Myanmar.  
 

QUNO’s Human Impacts of Climate Change programme published a new briefing paper titled "Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR): What is Sustainable and Just?". Written by Dr. Duncan McLaren and Dr. Olaf Corry, two academic experts on environmental law, international politics and geoengineering, this briefing paper is a key resource for understanding the risks of reliance on CDR.  

On 1 October, representatives of QUNO New York met with colleagues from the NGO Working Group for Peace on the Korean Peninsula to hear from Reverend Dr. Kim Hiheon. Reverend Kim is a pastor and peacebuilder from the Republic of Korea (South Korea), who engages in Christian activism on social justice, demilitarization, and unification of the two Koreas. The conversation took place in the context of a deteriorating relationship between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and South Korea, as North Korea has stated its intention to abandon reunification as their goal.  

For anyone who has worked with the Quaker UN Office (QUNO) in New York, Stephen Collett's name looms large as a former Director who provided steadfast leadership during a time of significant change at the UN. We are saddened to learn of his unexpected passing on 29 July 2024.  

I first stepped foot in the UNGA chamber at age eighteen on a tour while visiting New York City with my family. Taking in the vast expanse of delegate seats, the dramatic curve of the ceiling, and the UN seal shining in the distance, I dreamed wildly of one day having a place in that hall. Over the past few weeks, participating in civil society Action Days for Summit of the Future and experiencing the energy around the high-level week of the General Assembly, I thought often of teenage me.

As part of the 2024 World Plenary Meeting (WPM), QUNO Geneva Interim Deputy Director and Representative for the Human Impacts of Climate Change Lindsey Fielder Cook, contributed personal reflection and testimony by video recording on the theme of ‘care for creation’. Taking place in South Africa from 5-12 August 2024, the WPM was organized by the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) and hosted by the Southern Africa Yearly Meeting.

As part of QUNO’s Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme and the Uncommon Collaborations initiative, we are pleased to announce the release of a new brief titled Trade Issues and the International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution: A Legal Analysis. Authored by Dr. Alexandra Harrington, the report provides a critical examination of the intersection between international trade law and the proposed global treaty to end plastic pollution (ILBI), currently under negotiation.

In September of 2024, QUNO’s offices in both New York and Geneva bid fond farewells to this year’s cohort of Programme Assistants. Natalie Dewar and Nyeri Otero Flanagan departed from QUNO’s New York office to pursue their future endeavours, and Anna Aguto, Maria Kamenias, and Chatrina Schumacher reached the end of their terms at QUNO in Geneva. The entire QUNO team thanks these committed advocates of peace and justice for their hard work and contributions to our programmes and community. We wish them the best of luck in their next steps! 

This August saw the gathering of Quakers from around the world in Johannesburg, South Africa. The World Gathering of Friends brought 250 Quakers together in person with many more individuals and hubs gathering online for a week-long celebration of our different Quaker traditions and work. QUNO was given the opportunity to hold a plenary session introducing the work of Quakers at the UN.