Website Publicly Launching and Other Important News

Greetings WILPF members!

As lazy August days transform into the hustle of September, our Cape Cod branch met last weekend for its annual retreat at Hawks Nest to plan for a busy programming year ahead. Like other WILPF branches across the country, and indeed around the world, we have political interventions, petitions, educational events, potlucks, parade participation, vigils and more on our plates. We’re energized by our friendships and inspired by WILPF’s mission of total disarmament and peace. I hope you feel that way as well, as WILPF heads into fall.

In this letter:

• WILPF Launches New Website
• WILPF National Board Seeks Secretary
• Farewell to Tanya Henderson and Welcome to New Faces
• Letter from WILPF's International Treasurer                                  

The long awaited redesign of WILPF’s website is finally here! You’ll now find us at a different URL: www.wilpfus.org. The change of address is part of an international overhaul of WILPF’s web presence; when completed www.wilpf.org will be the gate way to WILPF around the world. For now, please update your homepage and browser to our new address, check out the navigation which we think will promote our goals of transparency and inclusiveness, and participate in one of the on line discussion boards. Let us know what you think about the new design by writing to the national board at dialogue@wilpfus.org.

Do you want to assist national WILPF in establishing smooth functioning through consistent application of policies and ready access to information on prior decisions and procedures? WILPF seeks well organized candidates for the volunteer position of Board Secretary. The Secretary is a full member of the national Board and serves as the primary keeper of organizational records and policies and assures that the WILPF archives contain complete records of current board work. The Secretary can participate fully in the board meeting discussions because her minute taking and record maintenance duties may be facilitated by guidelines, the assistance of an intern and/or temporary recordings of the board meetings. Please see the job description and application for how to apply and further details. Because we seek to fill this opening as soon as possible, only complete application packets received via email by September 21 can be assured consideration.  All inquiries are welcome!

The National board took action on July 29th to fill the vacancies of Program Co-chairs on the National Board and U.S. Section Representatives to the United Nations. We are pleased to welcome Sydney Gliserman (sydney.gliserman@gmail.com) and Ellen Schwartz (ellen@nicetechnology.com) to the board positions and Abigail Ruane and Maryann DeLeo as our UN Reps. Sydney served as administrative intern in the Boston office in 2009 and Abigail is an alumnae of WILPF Practicum in Advocacy at the UN program. We are confident that their combined energies will increase the capacity and impact of our efforts to address the root causes of war and provide realistic, peaceful alternatives.

Sadly, Tanya Henderson resigned from her position as National Director with WILPF on August 10. During her tenure with us, Tanya engaged several new partners and funders, while actively supporting leaders in several branches and WILPF’s seven active issue committees. We are grateful to her for all her successes in raising WILPF’s profile and program in the national arena, as well as for the many new members she personally recruited to WILPF. Tanya has accepted a position with Women's Actions for New Directions, where she will be expanding their political work on SCR 1325, the U.S. NAP, women in Afghanistan, and on gender issues relating to their Disarmament and Pentagon Budget work.  On Sept. 11 she will be presenting a webinar for WAND on “Women as Peace Partners” -- https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/488113742.  

The next meeting of the WILPF National board will take place in Boston on November 9-11. Board meetings are open to all WILPF members; if you are interested in attending, please contact Ria Kulenovic, Director of Operations, at rkulenovic@wilpfus.org for details. The next meeting of the WILPF International Board (IB) will be February 22-24, 2013, with costs and venue to be announced at a future time.  IB meetings are open to all WILPF members and are good opportunities to learn about what the different Working Groups and Standing Committees are doing.

Please read the recent letter from WILPF’s International Treasurer, Nancy Ramsden, in its entirety. It includes updated instructions for directing gifts to our UN projects and Geneva-based secretariat, as well as information on opportunities for joining the international fundraising committee and otherwise contributing to WILPF’s financial stability and success. Nancy makes some concrete suggestions for how a section like the U.S. might develop a sisterly relationship with one or more of the newer sections in the developing world. The editorial team for UNIDAS, the fledgling WILPF newsletter linking North and South America, is building our consciousness about how our future projects might cross borders. The “sister section” proposal is one that we should consider in a similar light. Please let us know your thoughts by writing to dialogue@wilpfus.org.
 
Happy Blue Moon Wonderful WILPF Women (and Men)!
Sincerely,
Laura Roskos, President U.S. Section