"If we give up hope, then we are all lost". (From The Executive Director).

On December 19, 2001, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan held a conference with members of the international press to reflect on the events of the past year. September 11, 2001, and the worsening crisis in Afghanistan were at the top of the agenda. The Secretary-General commented on the global struggle against terrorism, underscoring the United Nations involvement in Afghanistan. He also discussed current peacekeeping efforts in the Middle East. The Secretary-General mentioned the possibility of war in Iraq, in a region already under great strain. He also addressed the strained relationship between India and Pakistan as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and he called for international intervention to help keep the peace.

Annan urged those at the press conference, and the greater community, not to give up hope. He explained that despite the magnitude of the problems facing the United Nations, "We have not been discouraged and we will keep trying." He spoke of the many accomplishments of the United Nations, naming Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Haiti as examples of success, places where the work of the United Nations and the United Nations Security Council was largely completed. He also spoke of the progress that had been made to normalize relations in several African nations. He acknowledged that, unfortunately, many crises remain. Annan said the United Nations would "look to the future with continued optimism and determination.... If we give up hope, then we are all lost."

It would be easy for many people to fall into despair. As the Secretary-General explained, for many, 2001 "was just another year of living with HIV/AIDS, or in a refugee camp, or under repressive rule, or with crushing poverty, or of watching crops dwindle and children go hungry, as the global environment comes under greater threat." We must not let this happen. ACEI must continue to be a source of encouragement and hope for all of those who care for children.

Earlier in December 2001, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the United Nations was awarded the Centennial Nobel Peace Prize for its unwavering efforts to bring about world peace. In his address during the Nobel Prize ceremony in December 2001, in Oslo, Norway, Secretary-General Annan said that new threats to world peace, such as the horror of 9/11, "make no distinction between races, nations, or regions." He spoke of a young girl in Afghanistan and the hard life that she faced. He reminded the audience that the United Nations was created "to affirm the dignity and worth of every person and to secure peace and development for all people." He continued, "Peace must be sought above all, because it is the condition for every member of the human family to live a life of dignity and security."

Continuing his presentation, Secretary-General Annan said, "We must focus, as never before, on improving the conditions of the individual.... We must begin with the young Afghan girl, recognizing that saving that one life is to save humanity itself." Annan highlighted the need to eradicate poverty, prevent conflict, and promote democracy as the three top priorities for the United Nations in the next century. Meeting the basic needs of the individual human being is the mission of the United Nations. To learn more about the work of the United Nations, visit the UNICEF Web site (www.unicef.org). Here, you will find the complete text of Secretary-General Annan's Nobel address.

ACEI has supported the work of UNICEF since its early founding, and ACEI continues to be well-represented today on three prominent UNICEF Working Groups for Children: education, the girl child, and the Working Group on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This important task is accomplished by ACEI members Eileen Bayer, Nancy Brown, and Lynn Staley.

Last year, the ACEI Public Affairs Committee drafted several key resolutions that were adopted at the Annual Business Meeting, among them a resolution on children and war. At the Annual Business Meeting in Phoenix this April, ACEI members will be asked to support a resolution that condemns the use of child soldiers. "We must all demonstrate and promote messages of peace and equality throughout the world," said Don Murk, Public Affairs Committee Chair. In keeping with our mission, ACEI will continue to promote the rights, education, and well-being of all children worldwide.

--Jerry Odland,
Executive Director