The Humpty Dumpty Institute was established in 1988 by Connie Milstein and four other business entrepreneurs whose goal was to solve international problems through public-private partnerships. In January, the HDI held its 39th Congressional Delegation to the United Nations. The day began with a breakfast hosted by The United States Mission to the United Nations, where Rosemary DiCarlo, U.S. Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, talked about the importance of the U.N. Security Council to U.S. policy, especially in times of conflict resolution and maintaining human rights abroad.
The delegates then heard Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Planning of the Executive Office of the Secretary General, Robert Orr, discuss the United Nations varied interests; the delegates were especially interested in hearing the U.N.’s sustainable energy initiative and promotion of green economic growth. Later, Dr. Mari Ortega, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of Join United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, briefed participants on the current state of the AIDS epidemic and what the U.N. is doing in response to this crisis.
Following a private tour of the United National Capital Master Plan (a plan that details upcoming renovations to the U.N. campus), the participants met with Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations. His remarks highlighted the importance of cooperation between the United States and United Nations and he discussed his plan of action for his second term as Secretary-General, during which he hopes to achieve fiscal and structural reform.
Finally, the group moved to the U.N. Millennium Hotel for a working lunch. Edmund Mulet, the Assistant Secretary-General Department of Peacekeeping Operations, spoke during the lunch hour about the importance of U.N. peacekeeping operations throughout the world and how member states can contribute to the program. Bill Rouhana, HDI Chairman, closed the day by sharing the history of the Humpty Dumpty Institute with the delegates and encouraged the members of Congress to become more involved with HDI’s international mine action activities and HDI’s Higher Education Alliance in the U.S.
