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Vigil 98 Letter Letter to Announce the
Third Worldwide Vigil for the UNfrom James A. Paul, Executive Director
Updated August 7, 1998
Global Policy ForumDear Friend,
The United Nations is on the brink of financial ruin - largely because the United States has refused to pay over a billion dollars of dues. Jesse Helms and his compatriots in the US Congress have used every means to undermine and discredit the UN. But governments in many other countries have weakened their commitment to UN voluntary programs as well. Staff have been cut and funds reduced for all the UN's essential operations on human rights, food security, health, disarmament and peace.
I'm writing to ask your help in protesting against this scandal. I hope you will organize a Vigil on October 23rd in your community, as part of the Third Worldwide Vigil for the UN. Together, we can show the governments of the world that we claim a voice in humanity's future. Let's make the Third Worldwide Vigil a greater success than ever.
For the past two years we have organized a Vigil on October 23rd, the eve of UN day. The vigils have been a great success, by helping educate people in local communities about the UN financial crisis and by mobilizing public pressure to resolve it. In 1997, vigils took place in 45 cities around the world, including New York, Denver, Washington, Tokyo, Madras, Toronto, Milan, and many, many others. Committees of community-based organizations planned the vigils. Many vigils were held at dusk, by candlelight, often outside US embassies, consulates or government office buildings.
GPF is working closely with UN Associations, World Federalists, the Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations, the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO), the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), and many other organizations to make 1998's Third Worldwide Vigil even more successful than last year's. This year we hope to expand the number and diversity of cities and organizations and to raise even broader awareness and support. Up to date information will be posted regularly at the Global Policy Forum site on the World Wide Web at - www.globalpolicy.org.
I hope you can organize a vigil in your own city or town, in cooperation with local UNAs and World Federalist chapters, local religious organizations, and neighborhood groups. Your vigil can be an important way to alert your community and it can be part of the great worldwide effort to resolve the crisis. So please let us know of your plans. And I will look forward to hearing from you as we organize for this truly global political event.
With best wishes,
James A. Paul
Executive Director
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