The United Nations Association of Australia   Is pleased to invite you to attend a dinner with the Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Join us for this exciting opportunity to hear Australia’s foreign minister reflect on her experiences of the UN and where to next for Australia’s international diplomacy.   Further Information: Contact: Jonathan Curtis, President, UNAA (ACT) on 0413 802 446 or act@unaa.org.au

  The United Nations Association of Australia and The United Nations Parliamentary Group   On the Occasion of United Nations Day 2014   are pleased to invite you to a dinner with special guest The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG   at Rydges Capital Hill, 17 Canberra Ave (Cnr Canberra Ave and National Circuit) Forrest, on Tuesday 28 October 2014 at 6.30pm for 7.00pm   Michael Kirby will speak on ‘The violation of Human Rights in North Korea. Can the United Nations deliver protection?' The dinner will be hosted by Professor Russell Trood, National President of the UNAA.   Michael Kirby is perhaps Australia’s best known judge and jurist—a former judge of the High Court of Australia and of the Federal Court of Australia, President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal and inaugural Chairman of the Australian Law Reform Commission (1975-84).   He also has wide experience of the international system, having served as UN Special Representative on Human Rights in Cambodia; a member of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Judicial Reference Group, and in 2013, as head of the Commission of Inquiry on Alleged Human Rights Violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.   Tickets: $90 or $75 concession Register at: unaa-act.tidyclub.com/events Or email: joncurtis@iinet.net.au Phone contact: Jonathan Curtis, President UNAA (ACT) on 0413 802 446

“All victims of human rights abuses should be able to look to the human rights Council as a forum and a springboard for action.” – Ban Ki-Moon. UN the United Nations Human Rights Council was established as an intergovernmental body responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights, and is comprised of 47 UN Member States elected by the UN General Assembly. In 2013, Australia announced its candidacy for membership of the human rights Council for the 2018 - 2020 term. This is the first time Australia has sought membership of the Council. Australia has worthy international credentials in peace, security and human rights, and has always maintained support for the human rights Council. However Australia’s own human rights record is not unblemished. In light of Australia’s bid for a seat, the UNAA is hosting a timely forum to ask the question, ‘What could Australia achieve with a seat on the human rights Council?’ Speaker: Prof. Hilary Charlesworth Hilary Charlesworth is an Australian research Council laureate Fellow, Professor in regNet and Director of the Centre for International Governance and Justice, ANU. She also holds an appointment as Professor of International law and human rights in the ANU College of law. her research interests are in international law and human rights law. She has worked with non-governmental human rights organisations on ways to implement international human rights standards and was chair of the ACT Government’s inquiry into an ACT Bill of Rights, which led to the adoption of the ACT Human Rights Act 2004. Via Skype from New York: Prof. Philip Alston Philip Alston is the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and is one of the most senior Australians operating in the UN System. As an international law scholar and human rights practitioner, he is a Professor of Law at New York University, and co-Chair of the law school's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. He has also held a range of senior UN appointments for over two decades, including United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. When: 5.45pm Thursday 25 September 2014 Where: ACT Legislative Assembly, London Circuit, Canberra Tickets: $5 members/$10 non-members. Includes drinks and light refreshments. Contact: UNAA ACT President Jonathan Curtis via joncurtis@iinet.net.au and 0413 802 446.

RSVP: elizabeth.shaw@unaa.org.auSenator Chris Back and Melissa Parke MPon behalf of the Australia - United Nations Parliamentary Group, invite you to attend a morning teaWith special guestThomas Albrecht, UNHCR regional representativeMr. Thomas Albrecht is the Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Canberra, with geographical responsibility for 16 Pacific countries. Prior to taking up this assignment in early 2014, Mr. Albrecht served as Head of the UNHCR Regional Support Hub in Nairobi, which, in close collaboration with the Organization’sHeadquarters, works with offices in the East and Horn of Africa as well as the Great Lakes Region. From 2005 to 2009, Mr. Albrecht served as Deputy Regional Representative at the UNHCR Regional Representation for the United States of America and the Caribbean, located in Washington.Thursday 26 June10.30-11.30amSenate Committee Room 2S2 Morning tea will be provided RSVP: elizabeth.shaw@unaa.org.au

Please RSVP to rsvp@economicsandpeace.org  Senator Chris Back and Melissa Parke MP on behalf of the Australia - United Nations Parliamentary Group invite you to the Launch of the 2014 Global Peace Index What is the state of global peace in 2014?   What are the risks that threaten the peacefulness of nations and communities?  How can Australia’s foreign policy and aid interventions better prioritise the mitigation of risk? Guest speaker: Camilla Schippa, Director of the Institute for Economics and Peace, will present the key findings from the 2014 Global Peace Index report: Measuring Peace and Assessing Country Risk.  When:  Thursday 19 June 201411.30am – 12.30pm Where: Senate Committee Room 1S4, Parliament House, Canberra  Please RSVP to rsvp@economicsandpeace.org 

Professor Ramesh Thakur (Editor-in-Chief of Global Governance, Co-editor of Nuclear Politics, and Director of the Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation & Disarmament, ANU) is our guest speaker for the evening, presenting his views on the problem of nuclear weapons, and what to do about it. The evening is hosted by Shane Rattenbury, MLA for Molongolo.