United Nations Association of Greater Boston

Your Gateway to the United Nations and World Affairs


Special thanks to our many individual supporters and sponsors.

2009-2010 Sponsor
Education Programs

National Grid


The Cabot Family Charitable Trust
at the Boston Foundation



The 2009 United Nations Day Luncheon

Sir John Sawers

Keynote Address:

Ambassador John McNee

Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations

Friday, October 23, 2009
The Boston Harbor Hotel, 12:30 - 2:00
Purchase tickets now!

Canada has been active at the United Nations since its foundation in 1945 and played a key role in drafting the UN Charter. Today, Canada continues to uphold the UN by actively participating in the Organization's activities and providing financial support. Canada consistently brings pragmatic ideas and solutions to the table, from peacekeeping proposals in the 1950s, to creating the International Criminal Court and banning landmines in the 1990s.

Ambassador McNee’s keynote to our community is additionally significant given Canada’s leadership role in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, on climate change, and many other critical global issues.

Ambassador McNee took up his post as Canada’s Permanent Representative to the UN in July of 2006, having previously served as Canada’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. He joined the Canada’s Department of External Affairs in 1978 and served abroad in Madrid,
London and Tel Aviv. From 1993 to 1997, he was Ambassador to Syria. At the Foreign Affairs Mission in Ottawa, he held a number of posts, including in the Policy Development Secretariat and on the Prime Minister’s Task Force on International Peace and Security, as well in the Canada-United States Transboundary Division. He also served there as Director, Personnel Division, and as Director General, Middle East, North Africa and Gulf States Bureau.

Many thanks to our sponsors, patrons, and all attendees for joining us at this annual event marking the day in 1945 when the UN Charter went into effect. For past Boston Globe coverage, please click here.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information,
please contact us at 617-482-4587 or info@unagb.org.

Past UN Day Luncheon speakers:

2008 Sir John Sawers, Britain's Ambassador to the UN

2007 Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, French Ambassador to the UN

2006 Ambassador Wang Guangya, China's Ambassador to the UN

2005 Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Britain's Ambassador to the UN
          “The UN After the September Summit”

2004 Ted Turner
         “Our Common Future”

2003 Ambassador Andrew Young 
         “The US, the UN and Global Security”

2002 Ambassador Richard Williamson, the US Alternate Representative to the UN
         “US Priorities at the UN”

2001 Ambassador Donald McHenry, US Ambassador to the UN during the Carter Administration
         “Unilateralism in an Age of Terror”

2000 Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Britain’s Permanent Representative to the UN, who addressed the inaugural Luncheon, “UN Peacekeeping in the 21st Century: the US Role.”