History of UNICEF greeting cards

In the late 40s, when UNICEF was established,  unlike other UN organizations funded with compulsory contributions from member states, the Fund received just voluntary donations from people and governments.

Maurice Pate, first UNICEF's Executive Director and his assistants were always working on new ideas to raise money and expand the net of donors for the Fund. (information excerpt from the book "The children and the Nations" published by Development historian Maggie Black at: http://www.unicef.org/about/history/index_childrenandnations.html )

The first design for the cards, shown below, was a picture of a maypole painted on glass by a seven-year-old Czechoslovakian girl Jitka Samkova. Jitka and her classmates were regular drinkers of Unicef milk, and the paintings they produced were a 'thank-you', sent off to UNICEF's bureau in Prague by their teacher.

The picture from Prague was sent to the office in Vienna directed by Al Davidson, who asked Grace Holmes Barbey, Executive Director Assistant in an information mission in Europe, to bring the painting, first to Paris and then to the HQ in New York. Once arrived in New York, Ms Barbey in collaboration with Gil Redfern, Helen Matousek and Mrs Edwards and with the support of the Executive Director decided to publish a small amount of greeting cards based on the May pole painting to fund a small project (excerpt from an interview of Ms Holmes Barbey).

Nowadays, UNICEF greetings and Christmas cards are printed in the hundreds of millions.  In 2010 the sales of Cards and Gifts amounted to US$15.5 million a bit lower than expected due to the global recession, but still representing an important financial source for the work of the Fund.

Don't forget to buy UNICEF cards and gifts for a good cause!!!!! 

http://shop.unicef.org.uk

Information on social instability and ethnic clashes in Ferghana Valley

The Ferghana Valley is one of the most densely populated geographical areas of the world. Borders demarcation of the three countries of the Valley, namely Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan was established in Soviet times putting aside any consideration of geographical, economic, ethnic and religious differences of the local population.
The new administrative arrangements decided by the Communist Party with the National Policy of 1930, divided the population  favoured inter-ethnic hostility. Recently, in 2005 and 2010 the tension resulted in demonstrations and killings.

Physical map of the Valley

Distribution of population UNEP/Grid-Arendal Apr.2005

Main problems faced by the population in the valley (FEWER International):

Increase in corruption
Politicisation of ethnic commuities
Growth of radical islamic organisations
Disputes over natural resources
Destabalising role of regional enclaves
Growing influence of international drug cartels
Growth in terrorist activities
Western countries exploitation of natural resources
Russia's influence in Central Asia
Lack of security coordination among Central Asian states hardening position of radical groups
Efforts at stabilisation by IGOs and NGOs*

*A number of international organizations are working in the Valley carrying out projects of community mobilization and public awareness to reduce inter-ethnic tension

Introductory information

ICE Inventory of Conflict and Environment. American University - Washington D.C. - "Ferghana Valley. A Soviet legacy faced with Climate Change"(2011):
http://www1.american.edu/ted/ICE/ferghana.html


Frederick Starr (ed.) -  Ferghana Vallery the hearth of Central Asia (June 2011)
http://www.mesharpe.com/extra/004Starr-Intro.pdf
http://www.mesharpe.com/mall/resultsa.asp?Title=Ferghana+Valley%3A+The+Heart+of+Central+Asia 


Chatham House - Local and Regional Politics in the Ferghana Valley (Jan.2011)
http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Russia%20and%20Eurasia/270111summary.pdf

Recent information

Mercy Corps -  Ferghana Valley Field Study Central Asia May 2003Reducing the Potential for Conflict through Community Mobilization
http://www.mercycorps.org.uk/files/file1134154677.pdf

Human Rights Watch - Skewed justice over 2010 conflict inj Kyrgyzstan (Oct.2012)
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/10/28/kyrgyzstan-skewed-justice-over-2010-conflict

Ferghana News- Knut Vollebaek: The underlying reasons for the June events have still not been eradicated
http://enews.fergananews.com/articles/2790

Maps

UNEP/GRID Arendal - Collection of maps showing data on environmental, economic and social statistics
http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/collection/environment-and-security-central-asia-ferghanaoshkhujand-area

5th Annual Conference on Access to Justice - 19-20 December 2012 held in Alexandria, Egypt

The Protection Project is a not-for-profit human rights research and training institute based at The Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C. The Institute is engaged in the elimination of human rights violations around the world. In order to achieve this mission the Protection Project continually works to achieve the following goals:

• Promotion of human rights values around the world;
• Protection of human security, and enhancement of women’s and children’s rights;
• Fostering of civil society and NGO development through capacity building and coalition building; Strengthening the rule of law by promoting citizen participation in the political process;
• Advancing human rights education; Encouraging state observance of internationally recognized human rights;
• Eliminating trafficking in persons;

The Institute together with the Alexandria University Faculty of Law will arrange the 5th Annual Conference titled “Access to Justice,” which will take place on December 19-20, 2012 at the Helnan Palestine Hotel in Alexandria, Egypt.