Do you have a vision of what UNSA could be in 2009?

UNSA UQ has a need for outgoing individuals to join their dynamic and lively Exec team of 2009.

Nominations are now open! Click here to see a list of the available positions.

All positions will be open for election at the AGM on Friday 24 October

When: 5:30-6:30pm (following the Careers Fair)

Where: Physiology Lecture Theatres

Building 63, Room 360

RSVP to our facebook event for regular updates

Got questions? Email unsa.uq AT gmail.com

Fancy an international career that puts the world at your fingertips? Give yourself a head-start at the UN Student Association ‘International Careers Fair’.

Date: Friday 24 October

Time: 2:00pm - 5:30pm (please be punctual!)

Location: Physiology Lecture Theatres, Building 63, Room 360

Cost: FREE!

RSVP to our facebook event for regular updates

Are you interested in a career which allows you to engage with international issues, peoples, and places? Would you like to find out more about overseas volunteer or internship opportunities? If so, then do yourself a huge favour and come along to the UNSA ‘International Careers Fair’ on the last Friday of semester. The Fair is the largest event on UNSA’s calendar and brings students together with representatives from a broad range of career, volunteer, and internship backgrounds with an international perspective. No matter what your degree might be, as long as you’re keen to apply your skills in an international context there’s sure to be something of interest for you. Presenters will be divided across three sessions:

Angling for that Grad Position: 2:30 - 3:30pm
• DFAT
• AusAID

• GRM International (major international private development company)

• UNYA Youth Representative to the United Nations

Further education 4:00-4:30pm
• UQ Career Advice through Student Support Services
• Rotary World Peace Fellowships

Volunteering and Internships Panel 4:30-5:30pm
• UN Missions
• Red Cross
• Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development
• Australian Volunteers International
• AIESEC

The Fair will be a fantastic opportunity to learn about some of the opportunities that lie beyond university and how best to grab them. You’lll be able to ask further questions of the speakers during the ‘networking’ break between sessions. This will also provide a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with like-minded individuals studying a range of disciplines and degrees. The Fair will be followed by UNSA’s Annual General Meeting, with many opportunities to get involved in what promises to be an exciting 2009.

Afternoon tea refreshments will be provided.

Followed by UNSA’s AGM and End of Year Bash!

September and Spring have well and truly arrived and that can only mean one thing … that’s right, it’s time for the 2nd UN Student Association General Meeting! The meeting will be held next Thursday the 25th from 12 - 1pm in Room S402 of the Social Sciences Building (Bldg 24). Last month’s meeting had a great turnout but we thought we’d have a different focus on this occasion. At this meeting we’ll be providing info on:

1. The upcoming UNSA International Careers Fair, (traditionally our largest event of the year).
2. 2009 exec positions up for grabs at our Annual General Meeting next month.
3. The ever-expanding UQ delegation to SydMUN in December.
4. Any queries about the Asia-Pacific Model United Nations Conference (AMUNC) to be hosted at UQ next year.

In addition, we thought we’d open the meeting up for one of our ever-popular topical discussions. In recognition of the UN decreed International Day of Democracy this week and in light of recent setbacks to democracy in Thailand and Zimbabwe, we thought a suitable topic would be ‘Democracy in Retreat?‘. This was the title of an Economist article earlier this year and articles in publications such as Foreign Affairs have argued similarly. As usual, discussion will be heartily informal and all points of view are welcome.

So come along, bring a coffee, bring a sandwich, bring an opinion, and find out what UNSA has to offer as we head into the pointy end of semester.

We keep hearing feedback from you folk calling for the return of our trademark “discussion sessions”. Well wait no longer!

When: Next Thursday, 4 September

Time: 2pm - 2:50pm

Where: Wordsmiths Cafe, Staffhouse Road, UQ St Lucia

Topic: the Georgia-Russia Standoff

For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, UNSA discussion meets are a great way for internationally-minded students to get together in a casual and social setting to engage in conversation and debate over the issues of the day. One of our members gives some context and analysis of the issue and facilitates a discussion.

There’s no obligations, stress, or tutors taking participation marks: just a healthy forum for different ideas and perspectives and a great way to meet and mingle with other UNSA members. No prior knowledge of the issue is required or expected, and please feel free to drag along any curious friends / bystanders.

So if coffee, muffins and engaging conversation appeal to you it would be great to see many of your smiling faces on Thursday.

Just look for the UNSA flag and pull up a chair.

Visit our facebook event

To launch the first edition of Contribute, UNSA’s biannual magazine unites six thought-provoking student articles on a range of contemporary global issues under the theme of human rights.

Celebrate this wonderful event by kicking back and taking in three short thought-provoking films, kindly donated by the Human Rights film festival event.

Lyari: The Lyari River in Karachi, Pakistan, is the site of a massive infrastructure development project; the Lyari Expressway. While promising to improve accessibility and economic development for the city’s population of 16 million, it comes at a heavy price for the 200,000 people who have made their homes on the river’s banks, who face forced evictions and limited support.

Forbidden Rights Looks at young people growing up in Palestine and covers their thoughts and feelings on subjects such as curfews, punishments, and education.

Now We Are Fearless Women, community development and the caste system. How ‘untouchable’ and tribal South Indian women use collective action to successfully fight injustice and discrimination.

14 August 6pm—9pm
Kathleen Room: UQ Staff & Grads Club
$5 entry - incl. canapés+ magazine
Cash bar only
Please RSVP: at either our facebook event or by sending an email to unsa.uq@gmail.com

Open to anyone and everyone! This Thursday UNSA UQ will be hosting a general meeting from 12-1 in Steele Building, room E329.

This is a great chance to come along and meet other members and catch up with the 2008 executive. It is also a wonderful opportunity to hear about the upcoming AMUNC 2009 and the ways in which you can assist in hosting this special event. So if you’re keen, you are sure to benefit from hearing about the wide range of opportunities on offer and be better able to decide how you would like to get involved - particularly for the upcoming SydMUN and AMUNC09.

See you there!

This is an event that brings together for the first time UNICEF, Oxfam UQ, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit (ATSIS unit UQ), Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR Queensland), EcoBug Food and Engineers Without Borders (EWB) to raise awareness of child health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and to give everyone the opportunity to voice their support for health equality, and learn about inspiring initiatives to ‘CLOSE THE GAP’ in child and maternal health from around Australia.

Join in displays and activities and enjoy our BBQ (kangaroo and vege options) and fairtrade cafe (chai, chocolate, cakes and snacks).

Event: UQ Unites for Indigenous Child Health
When: Tuesday 5 August
Time: 10am to 2pm
Venue: Grassy Knoll, Campbell Place UQ

Volunteers are needed on the day for setting up and staffing so please e-mail unsa.uq@gmail.com if you are available to help out anytime between 8:30am and 2:30pm or if you would like to bring a cake to contribute.

See you there!
UNICEF ULO UQ

A chance to catch up after AMUNC, set the agenda for this semester and organise upcoming events, the General Meeting is open to everyone.

More information coming soon.

Hosted by the University of Sydney, SydMUN is the next nation wide MUN in Australia. Held December 5-7, 2008 SydMUN is a great opportunity to introduce yourself to the world of MUN, catch up with friends made at AMUNC or just participate in yet another fun filled event.

For more information go to usydunsociety.org/sydmun or add
“SydMUN” on Facebook.

On September 1, 2008 UNIFEM will be holding the annual SPRING WALKS campaign starting in the Great Court on the UQ Campus. The walk aims to raise funds for ‘peace scholarships’ which give opportunities for young women from the Pacific to study at Australian Universities through your donations or your friends’ sponsorship, so come along and have a great time. Meet other UNSA members and likeminded students for a tour around the campus!

Contact Amy Beech for more information at unifem.uq@gmail.com.