Liaison Newsletter > LIAISON Vol. 2, No. 5, September 1998 - Articles

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The Galas of '98
by Angus Archer, UNA director of Development

As members of UNA know, the fundraising gala dinners of the Association are an important (and successful) part of our corporate outreach and revenue generation activities. Last year we held our most lucrative gala yet, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, netting close to $125,000 for the Association in a single evening.

This year we are planning no less than three galas, with a fourth being postponed into the early spring of 1999.

On October 24th (UN Day) in Edmonton, we will host a gala with Hon. Maurice Strong. Randy Palivoda and the Edmonton Branch of UNA are providing invaluable logistical support.

On November 17, we are organizing a major gala in Montreal with Dr. Klaus Töpfer, the newly appointed Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi. The Montreal event will focus on the U.N.environmental theme and recognize the City of Montreal, the home of the Montreal Protocol, the Biodiversity Convention and the NAFTA/CEC, as the "international environment capital of the world". Yves Fortier has agreed to be the master of ceremonies and Diana Thébaud Nicholson will, once again, be the gala coordinator.

On November 25, in cooperation with the Hon. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, we will organize a gala dinner in honour of Her Excellency Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and now United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights in Geneva. Ms Robinson, clearly one of the new "stars" of the UN system, is making her first official visit to Canada at that time.

A tribute dinner for Lloyd Axworthy, to honour his work for Canada at the UN and on the land mines issue, originally planned for Winnipeg this fall, has been postponed until March/April, 1999. Several tributes have already been held in Winnipeg for Mr. Axworthy and it was felt that by postponing the event for six months would make it more unique as a UNA event. A high level corporate committee, led by Hartley Richardson,President of James Richardson and Sons, has been formed.

It is hoped that the galas in Edmonton, Montreal and Ottawa this year will come close to equalling or even surpassing last year’s financial success in Toronto.