This is a particularly welcome gesture to us at this time because the theme that the Lord Mayor has adopted for her year in office is a ‘Global Belfast’ while the UNA-UK’s current programme is ‘Keeping Britain Global’. UNA believes that global cooperation brings peace, lifts people out of poverty and helps build the kind of world we all want to live in, not just internationally but here in Northern Ireland.
We are very happy to welcome Dr Carl Wright, a national trustee of UNA-UK and the Secretary-General Emeritus of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. He has 40 years professional experience of working with the UN, the EU and the Commonwealth and in 2012-15 was closely involved in the discussions leading up to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. He has served on a range of international commissions and been a Commonwealth election observer on a number of occasions.
sloan memorial award
William Chen is the first proud recipient of the Sloan Memorial Award. The award is a commemoration of the international work that Hilary Sloan so keenly promoted, particularly in her roles as Chairman of UNA-NI for many years and Chairman of the Board of Governors of Botanic Primary School from 2010 until her death.
UNA-NI collaborated with the Principal, Paul Bell, and the Governors of Botanic Primary to instigate the annual award and Pat Irvine, Chairperson UNA-NI, and Judith Fawcett, Hon Secretary UNA-NI, attended the school’s P7 Leavers’ Service, together with Hilary’s husband, David, for this first special presentation on 23rd July 2017. Pat spoke about Hilary’s pride in the school’s multi-cultural ethos and wide ranging activities which introduce the pupils to the global community.
In the picture, William holds the main trophy which will be kept on permanent display at Botanic Primary. Each recipient will also receive a smaller version and both incorporate a globe with a map of the world on a blue background. In the photograph with William are his parents and David Sloan, husband of Hilary.