This page presents a chronology of educational activities and organizing efforts in the United States. See other pages for more detail on the Campaign of Citizens for Funding the United Nations and the Whitehead Initiative.
October 30, 1995: UNA-USA Chairman John Whitehead writes to UN Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali, sending a check for $44.00 -- the "Whitehead initiative" is born.
January 16, 1996: Global Policy Forum makes public the "Call for Action" statement and presents a copy to the General Assembly President. NGO leaders and members are urged to sign and to take action.
February, 1996: The national board of Peace Action votes unanimously to support the "Call for Action" statement and to take steps concerning the UN financial crisis.
late February, 1996: At the initiative of the Center for Global Citizens and the New England office of the World Federalist Association, Citizens for Funding the United Nations and its $7.00 Campaign is launched, with the initial cooperation of four other organizations.
February 21, 1996: Psychologists for Social Responsibility sends out a large mailing urging action to address the financial crisis, to insure the survival of the UN.
March 7, 1996: UNA-USA brings 200 of its leaders from all over the United States to Washington for a day of lobbying Congress and the Administration. Six hundred appointments are met during the day, including a meeting with Vice President Gore.
March 15, 1996: Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Issues an Action Alert to its Members.
March & April, 1996: Church Women United, Sisters of Laretto, Medical Mission Sisters and other organizations of religious women circulated the "Call for Action" statement and brought information on the UN financial crisis to their constituencies.
April, 1996: World Goodwill publishes a full-page article on the UN financial crisis in its newsletter.
April, 1996: The New York-based Franciscans International quarterly newsletter features a front-page story on the UN financial crisis.
April, 1996: The DPI NGO Executive Committee sends out a special mailing to all its members with a letter stating that the Committee is "deeply concerned" about the UN financial crisis and urging that NGO members take action.
April 22, 1996: Global Policy Forum holds an emergency meeting of NGOs to address the financial crisis. Susan Mills, Director of the UN's Financial Management Office is the main speaker.
April 26, 1996: Washington Office on Africa issues an "Action Alert" on the internet entitled "U.S. Delinquency Undermines International Programs"
late April, 1996: Presbyterian Peacemaking Program publishes a newsletter featuring an article entitled "The Continuing Financial Crisis"
early May, 1996: NGO Committee on Disarmament publishes newsletter with a notice entitled "The UN funding crisis continues"
May, 1996: The Order of Jesuits, USA circulates a statement to its members entitled "UN - the World's Conscience Bankrupt?"
May 21, 1996: UNA-USA hosts major Conference in New York City featuring Vice President Gore and many other distinguished participants, in an effort to rally support for the UN in the early stage of the presidential elections.
May 22, 1996: The National Council of the Churches of Christ-USA Executive Board passes a resolution on the UN financial crisis, which urges member denominations to circulate the "Call for Action" and to join the citizen funding initiative.
mid-June, 1996: The War & Peace Foundation features an article on the UN financial crisis in its newsletter.
June 16, 1996: League of Women Voters sends a memorandum to Congress and President Clinton calling for the US to pay its UN dues and its dues to other agencies.
7 August, 1996: Global Policy Forum & World Federalist Movement issue a call for a worldwide vigil on the UN financial crisis.
6 September, 1996: the United Nations Association-USA begins circulation of an "Open Letter" to Congress and the Administration on the financial crisis, with a goal of getting 100 organizational endorsements by late September.
mid-late September 1996: Many organizations endorse the October 23 vigil and organizing gets under way in several US cities (along with other cities worldwide).
23 October, 1996: More than fifty organizations sponsor sixteen vigils in the United States as part of a worldwide effort. Chapters of UNA/USA and the World Federalist Association take the lead in organizing local vigils. A vigil in New York, with over 200 people, leads the national effort.
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