Twenty-four exhibits of materials from various groups were on display from 12 to 1:30. The materials provide information that can be used in schools and communities, including books, posters and leaflets that explain projects and provide teaching ideas. Representatives of the various groups were on hand to discuss their activities further. Many of the Info Fair participants were from the organizations that panel discussion speakers represented. The Info Fair list is presented below, and includes websites of the various groups and speakers.
Cabbage Hill Farm Foundation - Mimi Edelman, Director, “Edible Education Project”
(www.cabbagehillfarm.org). A 200 acre organic farm in Mt. Kisco, NY, doing intergenerational and after-school programs and hosting day-long field trips involving sustainable agriculture, green energy and aquaponics; they also work in schools, and run a summer camp.
The Christian Foundation for Children & Aging - Dan Pearson, Project Director (www.cfcausa.org). A lay Catholic organization committed to upholding the dignity of every person and building a community of compassion through relationships between sponsors in the U.S. and children and aging persons in 27 developing countries; provides food, clothing, medical attention and education to sponsorees, assists families with home repairs, and provides scholarships.
Earthbox - Molly Philbin, Educational Director (www.earthbox.com). Produces mini-environments in which 50 lbs. of tomatoes or greens can be grown 3 times a year with a minimal amount of water; has sent 300 earthboxes to a refugee center in Kenya, and has built a curriculum for schools around FAO’s Growing Connection Programme and Earthbox.
International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) - Momodou Mambouray, Director, Teachers For Africa (www.ifesh.org). Places accredited teaching professionals in sub-Saharan African countries to help improve local educational systems; sponsors an International Fellows Program assigning recent graduates and graduate students to community-based projects overseas for nine months, and fosters a self-help school construction project.
International Reading Association - Beth Cady, Public Information Associate (www.reading.org). A professional organization providing resources and support for literacy teachers worldwide; advocates for policy, curriculum and educational reform. Individuals can volunteer as technical advisors or trainers.
Joint U.N. Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) - Dr. Victor Mari Ortega, Deputy Director, NY office (www.unaids.org). Coordinates the efforts of 10 U.N. organizations working for prevention and eradication of AIDS worldwide; focuses on advocacy, tech. support, tracking, monitoring and evaluation, civil society engagement, and mobilization of resources.
Literacy Resource Group of Rotary International - Eileen Gentilcore, General Coordinator (www.rotary.org). Rotary International offers a broad range of humanitarian, intercultural and educational programs designed to advance the goal of world peace; supports international exchanges for students, teachers and other professionals; supplies volunteers to assist in the eradication of polio; and addresses issues such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence.
Makindu Children’s Program - Winnie Barron, Director (www.makindu.org). A grass roots organization in Kenya serving 120 orphans by placing them with foster parents and grandparents, and paying their fees at local public schools; provides food, bathing facilities, and medical checkups at a local center, where they are taught nutrition, AIDS awareness, how to grow crops to help defray expenses, and receive job training to become self-supporting.
National Institute for Literacy - Sandra Baxter, Director (www.nifl.gov). Works to strengthen and expand adult literacy services and to help children and youth learn to read by disseminating scientifically-based reading research on highly effective classroom practice and policy.
Nicole Johnson Health Care Consultants - John Swanston, Vice-President (www.dlife.com). Produces a half-hour weekly TV program on Diabetes Awareness, Sunday nights, 7:00-7:30 on CNBC, and has begun a “Life for the Child” initiative, bringing mobile health care units of diabetes medications to rural villages in developing countries.
NY Red Cross - Christophe Lobry-Boulanger, Volunteer Program Mgr. for Int’l Services (www.nyredcross.org). Provides classes for children in the five boroughs and upstate on first aid, CPR, emergency contacts etc., and workshops for adults on creating disaster emergency kits. The international division has programs on Exploring Humanitarian Law for 8-15 year olds, and sponsors a White House initiative involving school children in raising awareness and funding for measles and malaria prevention in developing countries.
One Laptop Per Child - Walter Bender, President, Software & Content, Samuel Klein, Director of Content (www.laptop.org). Working to revolutionize the way the world’s poorest children are educated; in collaboration with academia and industry, they have designed an efficient, low-cost ($100) laptop that uses wind-up power to do all but store huge amounts of data.
The Overlake School - Dr. Francisco J. Grijalva, Head of School (www.overlake.org). A high school in Redmond, WA, affiliated with American Assistance for Cambodia (www.cambodiaschools.com ); raised $15,500 to build a school of the same name in Cambodia, and more to pay the salaries of computer and English teachers (www.overlake.org/cambodia ). Students at Overlake continue to fund computers and other support, and have made trips to visit the school in Cambodia.
Save the Children - Charles MacCormack, President, Save the Children USA (www.savethechildren.org). An international alliance of 27 national organizations working in more than 110 countries to ensure the well-being of children; has programs in education, emergencies, health, HIV/AIDS, hunger, malnutrition, and saving newborns. A new program called “Rewrite the Future” targets children in danger of military conscription, trafficking etc.
Slim Kids - Laura Kraemer, Director (www.slimkids.com). Works to fight childhood obesity with a weight-loss program specifically designed to help children and teens develop healthy lifestyle attitudes over the long term.
United Nations Dept. of Public Information (DPI) - (www.un.org). The communications arm of the United Nations, providing U.N. documents, press releases and a video lending library of U.N. films. Educational Outreach includes: Cyberschoolbus - Bill Yotive (www.un.org/cyberschoolbus). An online resource disseminating information on international issues and the U.N. through teaching materials and activities for use at primary, intermediate and secondary levels, and for teacher training. UN Chronicle - Belal Hassan (www.un.org/chronicle). The magazine of the United Nations, with articles on issues on the U.N. agenda, economic and social development, the arts in a global context, etc. UN Works - Carmel Mulvany; Jenna Arnold (www.un.org/works). Produces emotionally gripping videos, using celebrity narrators, on global issues from the perspective of children in the countries featured, with lesson plans, and a website featuring the stories of people who have benefited from the work of the United Nations.
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United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Suzanne Bilello, Information Officer (www.unesco.org). Its educational division works to promote education as a basic right and builds networks to introduce modern approaches in curriculum design, to improve practical skills, and to promote international dialogue on education policy and reform; has student program: “World Heritage Sites in Young Hands.”
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US Fund for UNICEF - Kate Weber, Deputy Director, NGOs, and Guirlaine Belizaire, NGO Coordinator (www.unicefusa.org). UNICEF works in 161 countries and territories in the areas of disease prevention, safe childbirth, nutrition, sanitation and education; provides emergency response to global crises; sends School in a Box to disaster areas where schools don’t exist. They also have lesson plans for grades 6-12 at www.teachunicef.org.
Universal Peace Federation - Alan Saunders, Director/ HIV/AIDS Prevention (www.peacefederation.org). A global alliance dedicated to building peace in all sectors of society, including sports, the arts, government, business, the media and education. Education focus includes an AIDS curriculum and a Character Education Initiative.
Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children - Carolyn Makinson, Executive Director, Jessica Hansen, Communications Director (www.womenscommission.org). Works to improve the lives and defend the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children and adolescents.
World Bank - Gaspard Curioni, Assoc. at the Office of the Special Rep. to the World Bank at the U.N. (www.worldbank.org). A U.N. development organization owned by 184 countries that provides low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, and communications; does research in development economics, and advises countries on health, education, nutrition, finance, justice, law and environment.
World Health Organization (WHO) - Andre Pirigov, Asst. Director-General and Exec. Director, WHO at the U.N. (www.who.int). The U.N.’s specialized agency for health; works to insure health as a basic human right; disseminates information on health through its on-line catalogue of material published since 1948.