Washington, DC, 20 January 2023 – The Deputy Director of the United Nations Information Center in Washington, Brenden Varma, today briefed members of the Graduate Fellows Program (GFP) of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA). The event was held at Corcoran Hall at the George Washington University.
The main focus of the briefing was 'Our Common Agenda', a report by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, which represents his vision on the future of global cooperation and calls for inclusive, networked and effective multilateralism, to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.
During the hourlong interactive session, in addition to discussing the report, participants from 11 countries asked questions about the United Nations’ communications methods, youth engagement, Afghanistan, Palestine, Ukraine, humanitarian funding shortages, digital diplomacy and disinformation.
According to a survey following the briefing, 96 per cent of respondents said the briefing had been very or somewhat effective in improving their understanding about the United Nations, and 83 per cent said they now planned to take action in their community based on what they had learned.
The GFP was founded in 1991 and is open to graduate students studying within the DC-Maryland-Northern Virginia (DMV) region. It is run by UNA-NCA, which has more than 2,000 members, volunteers, and supporters in the greater DC area, and works to educate the public about the United Nations and strengthen relations between the United Nations and United States.
