On November 18 and 19, Manhattanville College joined together with 50 colleges and universities from around the world at the United Nations for the launch event of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI). President Molly Smith, Professor Beth Williford, Roger Drew, Ileana Rodriguez, and Mike Seminara represented Manhattanville. The initiative aims to create new partnerships by engaging with the academic world.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior United Nations officials were joined by more than 300 university presidents, senior faculty members and student representatives for the event. UNAI includes members in more than 90 countries - a global alliance in which institutions of higher education and research share with the world body a culture of intellectual social responsibility. Representatives from Manhattanville worked side by side with other American Universities including: New York University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, the University of Chicago and the University of Connecticut.

The launch event culminated with a concert titled, "Sounds of Heaven" featuring the Asia-Pacific United Orchestra the in the General Assembly Hall.

The ten principles that are were set to guide college and universities moving forward with the UN Academic Impart are as follows:

1. A commitment to the principles inherent in the United Nations charters as values that education seeks to promote and help fulfill
2. A commitment to human rights, among them freedom of inquiry, opinion, and speech
3. A commitment to educational opportunity for all people regardless of gender, race, religion or ethnicity
4. A commitment to the opportunity for every interested individual to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the pursuit of higher education
5. A commitment to building capacity in higher education system across the world
6. A commitment to encouraging global citizenship through education
7. A  commitment to advancing peace and conflict resolution through education
8. A commitment to addressing issues of poverty through education
9. A commitment to promoting sustainability through education
10. A commitment to promoting inter-cultural dialogue and understanding and the unlearning of intolerance, through education

Participating schools are asked to take part in one event per year that addresses at least one of the ten principles. At Manhattanville, we are already addressing most of these issues through our Duchesne Center; we must now look towards combining our efforts with other members of UNAI.

"The United Nations understands the enormous impact of scholarship, innovation and ideas," the Secretary-General said. "We are trying to harness that great power to build a better world; a world where human ingenuity will make our homes, communities and consumption patterns socially and environmentally sustainable; a world where research receives the funding and support it needs to defeat disease, deprivation and despair; a world where the 'unlearning' of intolerance will bridge barriers that still divide nations and peoples."

To learn more about the United Nations Academic Impact visit:
http://academicimpact.org/index.php

If you would like to become involved in Manhattanville's work with the United Nations contact Roger Drew, Global Citizenshoip Coordinator, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 914-323-5186.