The United Nations Staff Recreation Council Society of Writers United Nations Headquarters, New York
The UNSRC Society of Writers is a member of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council, governed by and responsible to the laws of the Constitution of the UN Staff Recreation Council, the Secretary-General and General Assembly.
Membership in the Society is open to serving and retired United Nations staff members and their relatives as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations and the diplomatic community. Our members include both established and emerging writers who are involved in a range of literary arts which include poetry, journalism, fiction and non-fiction. We try to create new opportunities for work to be shared and encouraged in private settings and public forums like local libraries, radio and UN programs.
The Society of Writers seeks to promote the written word as a powerful and artistic tool in furthering the universal goals of the United Nations. We focus on working collaboratively with UN agencies as well as literary organizations within New York City and worldwide to create unique programs and publications which further the universal vision of world oneness through the artistic medium of language.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
President: Ms. Bhikshuni Weisbrot
Vice-President: Ms. Naomi Farrell
Secretary: Ms. Tina Skevin
Treasurer: Ms. Antana Locs
LEGACY
Over the years, the Society of Writers has created an opportunity for the UN community to meet and exchange ideas with both emerging and established writers. Our members and friends throughout the diplomatic community continue to take an active part in programming and sharing the progress of their own work. We owe a dept of gratitude to our founding President Hans Janitschek and former President Catherine Vijaya Claxton who continue to inspire our work.
Below is a small selection of memorable past events.
To see captions, hover over image or click to start slideshow.
**Below is a partial list of recipients of the Award of Excellence. The Award was offered until 2007.
Actors: Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards
Educators: William Banks
Filmmakers: Baraka, Keith Beauchamp
Journalists: Richard Bernstein, Hans Dichand, Ranan Lurie, Ian Williams
Playwrights: Arthur Miller, George Plimpton
Photographers: Susumu Sato, John Morris, Bruno Zehnder. Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher
Sculptors: Edwina Sandys, Peruko Coopacatty
Visionaries: Edward de Bono, President Mikhail Gorbachev, Oscar Ichazo, John McConnell, Maurice Strong
Writers: Sri Chinmoy, Betty Friedan, Erica Jong, Norman Mailer, Mani Sankar Mukherjee, Michael Platzer, Gloria Steinem