Dignitaries Awarded in New York for Embodying Spirit of the UN
- Oct 23, 2025
- 3 min read
New York, United States – The NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns-NY (CSVGC-NY) organized the annual Spirit of the United Nations Award Ceremony on October 23, 2025, in the Tillman Chapel of the UN Church Center in New York. This year’s theme was “Fostering Foundational Principles for a Sustainable Tomorrow.” This prestigious award marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, honoring the work that individuals have done in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. UPF-USA, represented by Ms. Keiko White, was one of the NGO co-sponsors of this event.
Mr. Danilo Parmegiani, representative of the Legion of Goodwill and chair of CSVGC-NY, opened the event with words of welcome and the traditional moment of silence. He then gave an overview of the history of the Spirit of the UN Award (SUNA), before introducing this year’s awardees and the contributions they have made toward the UN agenda.
Amb. Anwarul K. Chowdhury, former UN under-secretary-general, founder of the Global Movement of the Culture of Peace, and the first recipient of the SUNA Award in 2007, offered congratulatory remarks. The program also included reflections on the UN’s 80th anniversary, followed by musical performances by Ms. Junia d’Affonseca and Ms. Michelle DellaFave.
The distinguished awardees this year were the following:
Diplomat Category: Amb. Abdulaziz Alwasil is UN ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2016, chair of the bureau for the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, and recently elected vice president of the UN General Assembly. Amb. Alwasil was recognized for promoting multilateralism in diplomacy and advancing international peace, dialogue and cooperation.
UN Secretariat Category: Dr. Najat Maalla M’Jid, appointed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in 2019, is special representative of the UN secretary-general on violence against children. For two decades she has devoted her life to the promotion and protection of children’s rights, through her studies on exploitation and deprivation due to child trafficking and violence. She was involved in setting Moroccan national policy on the protection of the child, and has worked with several non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations.
NGO Category: Rev. Dr. Liberato C. Bautista, former president of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) and primary UN representative of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church. The award recognizes Rev. Dr. Bautista’s extraordinary leadership spanning 45 years in civil society and UN advocacy. Dr. Bautista noted that the award “belongs to everyone who works for justice, peace, and human dignity…ensuring that our work is not only strategic but also spiritual, that our diplomacy is both practical and ethical, and that our advocacy is not only bold but compassionate.”
Youth Category: Ms. Zita Tibeme Ouanzie, founder of Smiles Africa Organization and Connecting Afrikaans. Ms. Zita Ouanzie was awarded for her work with widows, orphans and the less privileged all over Africa. She demonstrated strategic leadership through capacity building, nutrition building and youth mentorship, in addition to the promotion of Afrikaans culture and community connections.
Ms. Nina Meyerhof, CSVGC-NY Council member and NGO representative of Children of the Earth, received a special Lifetime Service Award from CSVGC-NY for her lifelong contribution to the United Nations in peacebuilding based on universal values.
The occasion was completed with a candle-lighting and cake-cutting ceremony. BK Sabita Geer, vice chair of CSVGC-NY and representative of Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, talked about the meaning of the spirit of the United Nations, and invited all to reflect on it.
This memorable afternoon was concluded with closing remarks by the MC, Ms. Rosleny Ubiñas, secretary of CSVGC-NY and representative of the Baha’i International Community. Through this event participants reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a sustainable future guided by universal principles.
