Feb 24 UN NY Conf: Rebuilding Haiti: Against All Odds: Fostering Partnership

The UN Haitian Association has pulled together a conference on Rebuilding Haiti that will take place on Feb 24 at the UN. Registation is at their website - click here.

United Nations Association Haiti
777 UN Plaza
New York, NY 10017
mailbox@unahaiti.org

Haiti Re-Building Against All Odds: Fostering Partnerships
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 | 2:45PM - 6:00PM | Location: United Nations, New York

Reception to Follow | 6:15 – 9:00PM | Location: Turkish Mission, New York

Organization: United Nations Association Haiti in Collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Haiti to the United Nations

Other Collaborators / Sponsors to include:
Corporate Donors, Member States, Non-Governmental Organizations, United Nations Offices, Universities, and Business Associations.

Conference Committee:
Chair and Co-Chair: H.E. Mr. Leo Merores & Mark Hyman, MD.
Team: Emmanuel Francois MD, Carmelita Francois, Kherlyn Veillard-Marcel, Anushay Anjum, Olivia Sybille Desinor, Staci Alziebler, Richard Jordan, Daryl Wilson Randolph Saint Leger, Lawanda Kamara, Jean Louis Dupiton MD, Nadege Fleurimond, Alana Marsili, Harvey Dupiton, Sanaa Himani, Chris Panzica, Michelle Leberfeld, Margot D. Prendergast, Darly Coupet, Dr. Elaine Valdov, Michael Collins

Context: Currently, there is a worldwide mobilization effort to provide assistance to the people and nation of Haiti. A majority of the world’s governments, private sector donors, and private citizens are seeking ways to address the urgent needs and challenges facing Haiti and its people. Unfortunately, there are a number of international initiatives waiting to be launched with little or no information on how to take action on the ground.

We are faced with the question: Can Haiti offer viable opportunities to the investment community? While many will point to Haiti’s challenges, we of UNA Haiti look at Haiti as a tremendous opportunity. Moreover, UNA Haiti believes the current environment in Haiti presents long-term opportunities for public and private sector investments which can serve as a catalyst for real changes that will lead to prosperity for the Haitian people. More importantly, the Association believes that now more than ever, members of the Haitian Diaspora community have a real opportunity to share their visions for the future of Haiti with the world.

Objective: The conference, to be the first of its kind at the United Nations, aims to bring together a variety of initiatives across sectors, including the private sector, professional and technical (education, health, medicine, and engineering), NGOs, and local communities, among others, to foster partnerships for strengthening short- to long-term projects and programs for Haiti. The goal is to mobilize Haitian Americans in the United States, especially the youth, to voice their ideas and vision for Haiti. The sessions will focus on specific areas of growth and existing opportunities. There will also be an interactive exchange of ideas on how individuals can get involved both from abroad and on the ground in Haiti. The conference will be followed by similar conferences in the coming months. It is the hope of UNA Haiti that the results of this initial conference will shape some of the discussions that will take place at—and the initiatives that will emerge from--a major donors’ conference on Haiti in March.

Audience: Haitian American communities across the U.S. in general, and those in the Tri-State in particular; United Nations Member States and Staff; Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs); Academic and Independent Research Organizations; Students; Business/Private Sector Associations; and Religious and Secular Organizations.

Registration: The Conference is Free of Charge. However, we ask a minimum donation of $25 for those who wish to attend the reception. Register on-line at www.unahaiti.org, or send an email to mailbox@unahaiti.org.

Tentative Program Agenda

2:45-3:05PM Session I: Opening Remarks

2:45-2:55PM Introduction
Who:
Harvey Dupiton, Secretary General (elected)
UNA Haiti
Guest UNA: H.E. Francis Lorenzo, Ambassador,
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to
the UN & Founder of United Nations Association of
the Dominican Republic.

What: Introduction to conference, the role of a
UNA in community level participation.

2:55-3:15PM Chair Opening Address
Who:
H.E. Mr. Leo Merores, Permanent
Representative of the Republic of Haiti to the UN.
Dr. Mark Hyman, Volunteer, Partners in Health.

What: A personal message, What’s Going on Now?
Shelter, Relief, Future Plans etc. The high-
level/national approach focusing on the short &
long term challenges;

Special Acknowledgment from the Haitian
community of CNN’s media team of
Anderson Cooper & Dr. Sanjay Gupta

3:15-4:00PM Session II: Community Level Participation

4:00-4:30PM Areas of Growth and Opportunity:
Partnerships in Education and Health

What: Getting communities engaged in educating
and caring for Haiti’s Children (virtual classrooms,
ICT, etc.). Medium - to - long term projects and
programs for re-building Haiti.

Panelists:
Jean Louis Dupiton, MD, Critical Care Specialist,
Graduate Fellow Mount Sinai Hospital.
Emmanuel Francois, MD, MPH, Chairman of
Association des Medecins Haitiens a l’Etranger.
Senior Level Government Official on
Education of Uganda (to be announced).

Chair: To be Announced
Discussant: Anushay Anjum, International
Community Development Consultant

4:30-4:40PM Q&A

4:40-4:50PM Coffee Break

4:50-5:35PM Session III: Getting Haiti’s Economy Going

5:15-5:25PM Areas of Growth and Opportunity:
Partnerships in Microfinance and Diaspora-
originated Investment Fund for Haiti

What: Programs for re-building Haiti. Getting the
financial community involved in investments that
promotes Small and Medium-size Enterprises
(SMEs).

Who:
Alexandre de Lesseps, Founder & President of
Blue Orchard Finance S.A. of Geneva (tbc)
Zvi Chalamish, Chief Fiscal Officer of Israel’s
Ministry of Finance for North America;
Senior Representative of Investment Group,
Launching Fund on Haiti (tba)

Chair: Hon. Mr. Felix Augustin, General Consul
of the Consulate General of Haiti of New York.
Discussant: Kherlyn Veillard-Marcel

5:25-5:35PM Q&A

5:35-6:00PM Session IV: How Can Haiti’s Dynamic Music
and Art Culture Boost Development?

Areas of Growth and Opportunity: Crossover
of Haitian Arts & Culture

What: Crossover of Young Haitian Talents &
Arts – crossing boundaries and promoting change

Who:
Yves Joseph, Tabou Combo (tbc)
Artists to Be Announced

Chair: Wycleff Jean, Artist (tbc)

Discussant: To be Determined

6:00-6:10PM Q&A

6:10-6:20PM Wrap-up Session: Closing Address

Who:
H.E. Mr. Leo Merores, Permanent Representative
of Haiti to the UN, Chair of the Conference
Harvey Dupiton, Secretary General, UNA Haiti,
Wrap Up

6:30-9:00PM Reception: Performance & Social Hour at
Turkish Mission

Haitian Folkloric Dance; performance by
Stephan Said, an Iraqi-American artist promoting
a socioeconomic culture of change through music;
Haitian Art Exhibit

Social hour!




Please RSVP
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