GFDD to Greet Executive Director of UNA-USA, at its August Session of GFDD Global Roundtables

For the August edition of its online broadcast program “Global Roundtable,” Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) is honoured to invite Chris Whatley, Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the United States.

Throughout his career, Mr. Whatley has held several high level positions on Capitol Hill. Prior to joining UNA-USA, he served as Washington Office Director and Deputy Executive Director of The
Council of State Governments (CSG), representing elected officials in all 50 states and the six territories in Washington D.C., forging ties between American states and their counterparts in Canada and Mexico, and serving as an appointed advisor to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Prior to joining CSG, Chris served as a program officer and field representative for the International Republican Institute (IRI), leading a wide range of international election observation
missions and technical assistance programs in Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. He began his career as a Research Assistant for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), studying the demobilization and reintegration of former combatants in Zimbabwe following the Lancaster House Agreement.

Given Mr. Whatley’s current responsibility to advocate for UN causes and educate the next generation of UN supporters in the US, this session of “GFDD
Global Roundtables” will focus on the importance of civil society organizations in advancing the work of the UN and the role they can play in the post-2015 development agenda. Mr. Whatley will also comment on the role of the US Congress in influencing the work of the US Mission to the United Nations. Finally Mr. Whatley will consider the UN, as a forum for discussion, and discuss its efficiency at formulating policy solutions and discuss any possible need for reform, in light of
its upcoming 70th Anniversary.

The session will be structured as an interactive discussion between Chris Whatley and Natasha Despotovic, GFDD Executive Director, and will be streamed on the Foundation’s website.

About the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA)
UNA-USA is a membership organization dedicated to educate the American people about the United Nations. For 70 years UNA-USA has worked
to accomplish its mission of informing, inspiring and mobilizing Americans to support the principles and vital work of the UN, strengthening the UN system, promoting constructive US leadership in that system and achieving the goals of the UN Charter. Forming a strategic alliance with the UN Foundation in 2010, UNA-USA continues to pool talents to increase public education and advocacy on the work of the UN.

About GFDD Global Roundtables
In
close association with the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the UN, GFDD organizes regular meetings with UN Ambassadors and other prominent figures in the international community in an effort to spread the news, knowledge and understanding of other countries, global issues and work of different UN bodies to its audience in the Dominican Republic, the US and around the world.

The regular series,”GFDD Global Roundtables”
is also a part of GFDD’s program to support the work of the United Nations and, as a non-governmental institution affiliated to it, contribute to the visibility and understanding of its work.

Related link:
www.gfddglobalroundtable.org