A global “nonchalance” at deaths of refugees and migrants is shocking, says Volker Türk, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Students from Delaware Valley Friends School started the school year off with an exciting visit to New York City, where they learned about the UN and Quaker work at the UN. The delegation of 8 high school students was among hundreds of young people invited to take part in this year's observance of the UN’s International Day of Peace. “It was truly inspiring to learn about the work that other kids our age are doing around the world,” said Lauren (grade 10) reflecting on a full morning of workshops and presentations at the UN Headquarters. 

In preparation for the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including in the Marine Environment (INC-3), taking place from November 13-19, 2023, in Nairobi, Kenya, the INC Secretariat facilitated a series of technical webinars. Two of these sessions allowed observers to present submissions that could inform the committee's work.

Building on our many decades of work to ensure recognition and implementation of the right to conscientious objection to military service we welcomed the recent Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) workshop on this subject. This brought together stakeholders dedicated to ensuring protection of the right to conscientious objection including UN staff, civil society organizations, former judgers, and conscientious objectors (COs) themselves.

Have you ever wondered how to say “good morning” in Bisaya, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Nepali, Tagalog, and English? Well, one way to learn is to attend the Asia and West-Pacific section meeting of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) and QUNO New York’s Director, Sarah Clarke, had the opportunity to do just that.

On the 19th of October, in the spirit of the building that hosted it, QUNO New York joined civil society partners as well as other faith-based organisations to hold an interfaith service for members of the UN community and our broader constituency at the Church Center for the United Nations (CCUN). Rev. Dionne P. Boissiere, Baptist Minister at CCUN, opened with a call to prayer, grounding participants in a moment of silence for all the victims of the conflict between Hamas and the Israeli Government.

Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) staff in Geneva sends condolences to the family of William Knox, who served for two years on their governance committee until his recent passing.

Knox passed away in early October at his adopted home in Penang, Malaysia.

Robert Gibson, a fellow QUNO Geneva governance committee member, plans to attend a memorial service for Knox in Oxford in England next week.

In a letter to the Knox family, QUNO Geneva staff wrote that “even from the Zoom meetings he brought with him his deep humanity, expertise and humour”. 

The international community has expressed grave concern regarding the escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel.

Against the backdrop of Asia’s struggle with burgeoning plastic waste, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) has published a new report that delves into the complex challenges and potential strategies for addressing this problem in the region.

QUNO’s report, ‘Trade and Plastics — Fostering Sustainable Development in South East Asia’, was issued by its Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme this month (November).

It focuses on plastic pollution in Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam and highlights the pressing need for systemic changes.