ATOP Newsletter 2010
# Committee on Aging

The Committee on Ageing (NY) held  its 24th General Meeting  at the United Nations Church Center, 777 UN Plaza (44th  Street & 1st Avenue), New York on 6 January 2011. The meeting was in preparation for the 49th Session of  the Commission for Social Development.

The NGO Committee on Ageing works to raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of global ageing. The Committee urges all UN member States within the framework of the United Nations to integrate the condition of Older Persons within national policies on Development.

Speakers are the meeting included Mr. Steve O’Neil, Treasurer, NGO Committee on Social Development and Ms. Luz Melon, First Secretary, Mission of Argentina to the United Nations.  The Committee expressed appreciation for the continued support of the government of Argentina in furthering the cause of the organization in the United Nations and its Agencies.

ATOP of MeaningfulWorld, a not-for-profit origination in consultative relationship with the United Nations was represented by its United Nations Main Representative, Dr. Ozichi Alimole. ATOP’s main service areas include post-conflict interventions, disaster relief and education on mind-body-spirit connections.

DPI Briefing: 13 January 2011 Disaster Relief and Preparedness:
Haiti: A Year Later

The Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization (DPI/NGO) of  the United Nations hosted its weekly briefing on 13 January, 2011. The venue of the event was the North Lawn Building. The purpose of the briefing was to review the situation in Haiti a year after the earthquake that raised Port-au-Prince to the ground  on January 12, 2010.  Guest Speakers at the event included David Garden, Bruno Lemarquis, Denise Brown and Taina Bien-Aime. The Briefing was moderated by Ms. Maria-Luisa Chavez, Chief, NGO Relations, Department of Public Information, and United Nations. While our ATOP tam spearheaded by our President Dr Kalayjian is conducting a one year follow-up in Haiti working on assessing the continued needs, educating the community in healing and empwerment, and training social workers, psychologists, and teachers. The UN was trying to invite Dr Kalayjian to be one of the speakers, but video conferencing efforts wee unsuccessful.

The various speakers who had first experience of the Haitian tragedy expressed their regret  that in spite the enormous work that had been done, a lot still needed to be done in terms of disease control, provision of shelter and security. The speakers deplored the high-level of crime in Haiti and inadequate and the large-scale insecurity of which women are the most vulnerable.  Theyemphasized the need for  international support to help rebuild dilapidated infrastructures and restore basic sanitation.  (Photo Available)

ATOP of Meaningful World was represented by its United Nations Main Representative, Dr. Ozichi Alimole, and VP Jennifer De Mucci.

14 January, 2011: Pre-Assembly Meeting of the 24th General Assembly of  Conference of Non-Governmental Organization (CoNGO) with Consultative Relationship with the United Nations

The pre-General Assembly Meeting was held at the United Nations Church Center on January 14, 2011. The 24th General Assembly meeting proper was help at the Salvation Army from 17 – 20 January, 2011. The highlights of the 24th General Assembly were the election of a new President and Board and the comprehensive review of the challenges facing the organization.  The meeting also discussed procedural and strategic issues including the reduced physical and intellectual access of CoNGO members to the United Nations. The members agreed that “the space for participation of NGO and Civil Society Organizations at the United Nations was shrinking, in terms of both physical space and political participation.” It was resolved the new CoNGO leadership should initiate early measures at the appropriate level in the United Nations to address the issue of access. (Photo available).

ATOP of MeaningfulWorld was represented at the 24th Session of the CoNGO by its UN Main Representative, Dr. Ozichi Alimole and the Newsletter Editor, Mr. Oleg Voronov.

DPI/NGO, 31 January 2011. Unexpected Saviors:
The Role of Turkey in Assisting Victims During the Holocaust

This solemn briefing was held at the North Lawn Building on January 31, 2001 instead of the Salvation where it was previously scheduled. It was a solemn gathering in Commemoration of the Holocaust Remembrance. Most the speakers who included Jewish historian scholars and professions recounted the story of a tragic past. Some of also paid tribute to Turkey for its role in saving hundreds of Jews from Hitler’s evil-driven madness.

There were heroic accounts of Turkish diplomats and consuls in German occupied countries who used their diplomatic status to save thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. Those brave individuals persistently defied Nazi pressure to deport Turkish Jews to Eastern Europe for extermination. ATOP of MeaningfulWorld was represented at the briefing by its UN Main Representative, Dr. Ozichi Alimole. (Photos Available)