Just one day before the 17th Anniversary celebration of Anand Ashram - The Existence blessed us with an unexpected surprise gift - a Letter from The United Nations, granting us affiliation with the prestigious world body.

Implication of such recognition is far and wide - we can now attend all the meetings held under their auspices for NGOs. We can also attend the official interstate official meetings as observer. The founder of the ashram and two reps appointed by him will be granted special UN Passes, which can be used to visit the UN facilities in New York at any time.

It seems that we are the first Interfaith Spiritual Organization with headquarters in Indonesia to be granted such affiliation. We consider this as a great responsibility toward our nation and people and toward International Understanding, Friendship and Peace. Grant us strength, O Lord, to do justice to this responsibility.

We seek your blessings friends, sympathizers and supporters.
We know without your support, well wishes and prayers - this could not have happened.

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EXCERPTS FROM THE PRESS RELEASE BY UN
Link: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/ngo608.doc.htm

The United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) has admitted 28 new non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to its roster, bringing the number of those that work with the Department in the area of communications and information outreach to 1,590.

The Department, together with the Economic and Social Council, is a key focal point in the United Nations Secretariat for non-governmental organizations who wish to work with the Organization.  The above resulted from the DPI Committee on NGOs, which held the last of its two annual meetings on 15 December.

The DPI Committee on NGOs noted that the newly associated NGOs represented six different regions of the world –- Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Europe, North America and Latin America.  All of them conform to the principles of the United Nations Charter and fulfil the DPI criteria of association.  They all operate solely on a not-for-profit basis and are involved in United Nations-related work.

Raymond Sommereyns, Chair of the Committee and Director of the Outreach Division stated that “this biannual meeting is an important process to add new NGOs to the list, disassociate those that no longer meet the criteria and evaluate those that are already associated with DPI.  Our partnership with civil society is critical for the UN to achieve the MDGs.”

The 28 newly associated non-governmental organizations are advocates for an array of issues, ranging from human rights, the drive against HIV/AIDS, peace and cultural understanding, early childhood education, democratic values, children and youth, humanitarian issues, assistance to victims of armed conflict, transitional justice and accountability, health care, women’s rights/empowerment, peace education, and counselling and support for underprivileged children and substance abusers.

................ Following are the organizations newly associated with DPI, listed alphabetically by region: .............

Asia and the Pacific:  Anand Ashram Foundation ( Indonesia), Clean Up the World ( Australia), Kyung Hee University ( Republic of Korea).

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Link: http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/dpingopressrelease19dec06.asp