LWV OF WESTON ANNUAL MEETING MAY 21, 2010, AT THE RED BARN...

WATER, GOLAN HEIGHTS, JERUSALEM, SETTLEMENTS, GREEN WALL...
After Annual Meeting, which finished in a timely fashion, League members Lucy Bowden, Paula Savignol, Clem Malin and Arne deKeijzer await lunch at the Red Barn (l) and the Betty Hill Forum on International Relations;  guest speaker Professor of Politics at Fairfield University, Edward Dew, PhD addresses the Middle East and in particular, Israel's history and chances for peace (c), or as the sign above, right suggested to this listener, "is there an exit from this history of war?"

LWV 11TH ANNUAL BETTY HILL FORUM:
"HARRY POTTER AND THE GOLAN HEIGHTS"

Professor Dew lectured on the perhaps intractable but perhaps miraculous eventuality of peace in the area of Israel and Palestinian areas.

Dr. Dew cited the effects of the resolution or not of various topics as opening for some "magical" answers to vexing problems, such as:
 The future of the Middle East's economy as one cooperative alliance was suggested by some, and everyone was hopefull if not convinced such might be one result of another political solution.  Another questioner asked how all parties might be willing to arrive at a solution that benefited the economic power of the region as a whole as being a possibility.

LWV OF WESTON ANNUAL MEETING MAY 15, 2009, AT THE RED BARN...followed by:

The Red Barn, at left;  Samuel Connor, Director of Foundations and Trusts at Save the Children, Lively discussions around what comparisons can be made across societies.

LWV 10th ANNUAL BETTY HILL FORUM: 
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FROM THE FRONT LINES

Samuel Connor was this year's guest speaker at the League of Women Voters of Weston's 10th Annual Luncheon and Betty Hill Forum on International Affairs.

With a wide and varied background - from earliest work in the Peace Corps (where he learned about the clash of bureaucracies) to NGO development in Africa and Asia, Mr. Connor has spent 14 years in the field fostering grassroots community development. 

And he told the story of his work with the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa, and how it has come full citcle - a young man in Togo who showed promise moved on to higher education in this country and is now training to teach and lead his own country as it accomodates its tradition and development for the best results.  Mr. Connor served as a senior field director for a leading international non-profit agency, most recently working in the field in Myanmar.

Samuel Connor seeks meaningful change.  This is a challenge, and one example, work to stop the spread of HIV, is pressing.  His recommendation  is to work with the youngest and break the patterns that deprive children of immunities to disease in early childhood and to delay onset of sexual activity in girls, in particular.

He is currently Director of Foundations and Trusts at Save the Children, the international non-profit agency based in Westport.

LWV OF WESTON ANNUAL MEETING MAY 16, 2008, AT COBB'S MILL INN


Joan Lewis photograph

ANNUAL MEETING AND BETTY HILL INTERNATIONAL FORUM 2008...
Weston League to continue in "Steering Committee" mode.  Hon. Julie Belaga inspirational as she answers questions re:  what she thinks can be done to turn around America's position to become a leader in climate change discussion and action!  Weston Forum report and photo below...
Betty Hill International Forum in Weston
U.S. needs to build leadership in environmental affairs
by Patricia Gay
May 22, 2008
Julie Belaga, co-chairman of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, was the keynote speaker at the 2008 Betty Hill International Forum held at the Cobb’s Mill Inn. (Patricia Gay photo)


The title of her speech was supposed to be “Restoring American Leadership in International Environmental Affairs,” but Julie Belaga said that was a speech she could not give.

“The issue should be about building and not restoring leadership. We have no leadership on international environmental issues,” she said.

That was how Ms. Belaga began a lively and well-received speech and discussion with members of the League of Women Voters of Weston and guests who attended the annual Betty Hill International Forum on Friday, May 16, at the Cobb’s Mill Inn.

Following the league’s annual business meeting and luncheon, Ms. Belaga was introduced by Helen de Keijzer, a member of the league who invited Ms. Belaga to the forum.

Conservation voters

Ms. Belaga is the co-chairman of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, an organization that supports environmentally-friendly elected officials in Connecticut. She has served with the Environmental Protection Agency and is on the board of National Audubon CT and the Connecticut Fund for the Environment.

In the mid-’70s, Ms. Belaga, a Republican, represented Westport in the State House of Representatives, where she was involved in issues of coastal protection and the transportation of hazardous waste and solid-waste management.

After an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 1986, she worked as a commentator for WTNH-TV in New Haven and as an instructor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Elusive concept

“Let’s talk about global warming. I’ve been taking about global warming since my days with the EPA, but it’s a tough issue,” Ms. Belaga said.

Ms. Belaga believes the American public in general has a hard time relating to global warming because it is an elusive concept. “The environment and all its problems are very large, and it’s difficult for people to appreciate all this unless they can see the damage up close for themselves,” she said.

Natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina brought home the problems with climate change to many Americans, she noted. “We know from trying to engage the public in environmental issues that local pollution is what galvanizes people. But international solutions are vital, since fouled environment knows no boundaries. Global issues require a completely different mindset than local ones,” Ms. Belaga said.

When it comes to leadership in international environmental affairs, Ms. Belaga suggests the U.S. has been left behind.

She referred to a theory expounded by Fareed Zakaria in his book, The Post-American World. “The U.S. does not seem to be leading the charge any more,” Mr. Zakaria wrote, with the world shifting from anti-Americanism sentiments from the fallout of the war in Iraq, to Post-Americanism.

“Mr. Zakaria called it the rise of the rest of the world, claiming the world is not defined by the decline of America, but by the rise of everyone else,” Ms. Belaga said.

It is her theory that if the U.S. had taken hold of environmental leadership in 1992, it would be better positioned today to move forward as a leader in the world of climate change and sustainable development.

She criticized the country as being “xenophobic” in its policies, making it hard for other nations to allow the U.S. to lead.

Somewhat encouraged

Although Ms. Belaga said she does not have a “happy face” about the country’s leadership on environmental policies, she said she does feel somewhat encouraged that change is on the way.

“Our untenable position today forces political leaders to address new ways of solving problems and form new coalitions that will implement those changes,” she said.

She said the bottom line for her is that the country must begin to acknowledge that the environment is not an isolated concept and that the country’s energy policies are inextricably entwined with the environment. “The relationship between energy and the environment is crucial,” she said.

The U.S. needs to look at all types of energy sources, including alternative energy such as solar and wind power, as well as revisiting nuclear power, Ms. Belaga said.

“The issue with nuclear power is disposing safely of the waste,” she said. Although she was not ready to endorse nuclear power, Ms. Belaga said it was worth exploring. “I don’t know if I can recommend nuclear power, but we know fossil fuel is a killer,” she said.

She said unilateralism must shift to a more dynamic system, which might be messier but would be in keeping with today’s world. “We will need to forge close relationships and embrace behind-the-scene power derived from setting the agenda, defining the issues, and mobilizing coalitions,” she said.

She said if she were president, she would build a cabinet of the “best and the brightest” experts on energy and climate change who would make the issue a priority.

Finally, she said she was encouraged by the upcoming presidential election, which offers the country change. “Let’s hope it signals that the U.S. will be at the head of the parade,” she said.
Annual Meeting and Betty Hill International Forum 2007
June 8, 2007, Friday, Cobbs Mill Inn, Weston, CT 
WESTON LWV ANNUAL MEETING MAKES SOME DECISIONS...

Ducks swimming up stream?
At Annual Meeting, with assistance from neighboring Leagues and representatives of the LWVCT,  a quorum of the Weston League assembled voted to carry on League activities in 2007-2008 using a "Committee" instead of the traditional set of Officers and Directors as spelled out in the LWV of Weston by-laws!  
8TH ANNUAL BETTY HILL FORUM ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Speaker at 8th Betty Hill International Forum Talia Carner - click here for her website.

The Eighth Annual Betty Hill Forum on International Affairs heard from author and activist Talia Carner...whose message was, in effect, do your research, ask questions and use the power of the Internet to make change!  Sounds like 21st Century League!

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
Relating the story of how a writing career (a shift from publishing) has made activism possible - on the lecture circuit!
It was an excellent resolution to the League's administrative problem, and all agreed that the new year is very much going to be a lively one!  Thank you to Pat Heifetz, the outgoing President, and to Talia Carner, for giving us perspective on serious matters of social policy and international significance.  And inspiring each and every one of us to step forward and make a difference!  Betty Hill would have been proud of this day!

Read about reception for "China Doll" in the literary press here.