Local nonpartisan, nonprofit Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy (UCCD), along with 18 civil society organizations from around the world, has been approved by the United Nations Department of Global Communications for association with the Department.
UCCD has been Utah’s civil sector leader in shaping foreign relations by connecting people in Utah with people from around the world. UCCD’s connection to the United Nations began with its Global Leaders Scholarship Fund, a legacy program of the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference hosted by Salt Lake City in 2019. Currently, UCCD is a partnering organization of the First International Academic Conference on the Sustainable Development Goals: Why it Matters hosted in October 2022 by Utah Valley University’s Office of Global Engagement to host.
UCCD’s association with the United Nations Department of Global Communications will help the community learn about world affairs and how these affairs have a direct impact on Utah while amplifying the work of the United Nations, but the biggest benefit will be to its youth program, the Young Diplomats of Utah. High school students learn about world affairs through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals while exploring how to create positive change in the world.
Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy Executive Director, Felecia Maxfield-Barrett, shared, “Utah is an extraordinary place that the world sees as an innovative, economic, and cultural hub. The people in Utah are warm and welcoming, globally curious and engaging, and most importantly, Utahns genuinely care about making the world a better place for all. Association with the United Nations Department of Global Communications will amplify Utah’s many creative and tenacious voices as part of the solution that addresses some of our states, our nation, and the world’s most pressing issues. We are honored to be part of this international group of change-makers.”
About Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy (UCCD): For 55 years, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy has relied on people of every age to help meet its mission of promoting respect and understanding between the people of Utah and other nations, one handshake at a time. From art, science, and economics to education, religion, and governance, international relations touch every facet of our lives in Utah. By engaging with UCCD through its international exchanges, lectures and dialogues, hosted dinners, and youth programs, not only are we amplifying Utah as an economic, innovative, and cultural hub, we are contributing to a more peaceful and prosperous world in the following ways by combating negative stereotypes of Americans; immersing in cultures, customs, and languages, and enhancing national security by building trust. To learn more about UCCD, visit utahdiplomacy.org. Click here to read the original United Nations Press Release.
