United Nations Association of Oklahoma City

10/14/2026

We are very pleased that our friend Thuan Nguyen will deliver a Welcome speech at our UN Day program on Saturday, October 24th. Please join us for a great program in Bethany!

New year, new incredible stories to tell!

Introducing our first Humans of OKC for 2025: Thuan Nguyen

If you ask Thuan about the Asian District, he'll tell you without hesitation that "It's a gem of Oklahoma City." If you ask anyone who knows Thuan about what makes him exceptional, they'll tell you it's his dedication to the city and his community.

Born in Vietnam, Thuan has been instrumental in creating a place for Asian Americans in Oklahoma to gather and celebrate their rich heritages through placemaking efforts and the creation of the Asian District of OKC.

Read more here: https://nacok.org/humans-of-okc-thuan-overcoming-adversity/

(Humans of OKC is sponsored by our friends at Simmons Bank)

10/13/2026

If you plan to attend our UN Day celebration on October 24th, please be sure to reserve your seat by registering online at the link. There is no cost. By pre-registering, your seat will be guaranteed.

We hope to see you on Saturday, Oct. 24, in Bethany, Oklahoma!

United Nations Day in Oklahoma City: "Refuge & Resilience" 🌍 will celebrate the UN's role in providing support to refugees as well as Oklahoma's history as a…

10/12/2026

Here is the updated event flyer! And this is the line up of all Speakers with their varied and international background! Please join us on Saturday, 10/24/26 @ 02.00 PM @ Bethany Public Library. It's free event. So, bring your friends and family! See you there! This is a type of event that you can't afford to miss. And October 24 is the exact day of the United Nations Day! Please scan the QR code to save your seats ASAP. See you all there!

10/12/2026

Congratulations to our chapter member Dr. Emily Geest! She has been selected to continue serving as a UNA-USA Global Goals Ambassador in 2026 and 2027!

Through the UNA-USA Ambassador program, a select cohort of members of the United Nations Association are chosen to increase awareness about the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, build national SDG programming, and elevate the mission of the UN Association.

Emily serves in this program in parallel with her job as a conservation scientist at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden.

We will honor Emily's service in this program with a special presentation at our UN Day program on Saturday, October 24th.

Please help us to honor Emily's support for SDG 15 by turning out for our UN Day program at the Bethany Public Library. The program is free and open to the public: 2 to 4pm at 6700 NW 35th Street in Bethany, Oklahoma.

(More information about our UN Day program is given in the comments below).

Thank you, Dr. Geest, for your efforts to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems!

https://unausa.org/2026-2027-global-goals-ambassadors/

10/11/2026

We are honored to announce that Mayor Amanda Sandoval will deliver a Welcome at our UN Day program on Saturday, October 24th.

Mayor Sandoval was elected in 2025, after serving on the city council from 2019 to 2023.

After her election, she commented, “I'm the first Latina elected, or Latino elected Mayor in the state of Oklahoma, I stand on the shoulders of giants. I am my answers to my wildest dreams.”

Then she added: “For me it wasn't trying to run to try to be the first Latina elected mayor, it was me trying to run to make sure I'm listening to our residents and paving the way for accountability and transparency in local government.”

“I just want to encourage more of the youth to run for office, more people of color to run for office, because we are part of this community, and we have every right to be in these spaces and be in these offices.”

Our UN Day program will be at the Bethany Public Library, 6700 NW 35th Street, in Bethany. We'll start at 2pm.

The program will be focused on the theme of "Refuge and Resilience," and it will feature a great lineup of speakers, including:

Faith Akovi Cooper, Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the USA

Thuan Nguyen, Business and Community Leader

Brad Bandy, The Spero Project

Guillermo Fuentes Rosales, Mr. Guatemala – Oklahoma 2026-27

Dr. Imad Enchassi, Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma

We're also planning for music and light refreshments.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet friendly, interesting people who support the UN values of tolerance, social progress, and better standards of life in larger freedom.

The program is free and open to the public. You are encouraged to pre-register to ensure you will have a seat. We'll post a link in the comments.

We hope to see you on Saturday, the 24th, at 2pm.

Amanda Sandoval now holds the title of mayor of Bethany, but that’s not the only milestone for Sandoval.

10/10/2026

We want to celebrate United Nations Day with you on Saturday, October 24th, 2 - 4pm, in Bethany. Look at our lineup of speakers:

Our keynote speaker will be Faith Akovi Cooper, the executive director of the United Nations Association of the USA. Ms. Cooper is a humanitarian executive and global refugee advocate with more than two decades of experience leading humanitarian assistance, international development, and community‑centered systems across Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Mayor Amanda Sandoval will welcome all of us to Bethany. Beyond her work at city hall, Mayor Sandoval also serves on boards for the Neighborhood Alliance and the Oklahoma Municipal League. She is the first elected Latina mayor in Oklahoma history.

Mr. Thuan Nguyen is a business and community leader in Oklahoma City. He will offer a welcome from the perspective of the Vietnamese American Community. Thuan Nguyen is the founder and Lifetime Advisory Member of the Asian District Cultural Association.

Mr. Brad Bandy is the co‑founder and Executive Director of Community Development at The Spero Project, an Oklahoma City nonprofit that welcomes and supports resettled refugees by connecting them to people, resources, and learning opportunities that foster belonging.

A welcome from the Guatemalan community will be delivered by Mr. Guillermo Fuentes Rosales, who is recognized as "Mr. Guatemala – Oklahoma 2026-27." Guillermo is a chemical engineer and a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

An additional welcome will be delivered by Dr. Imad Enchassi of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City. Dr. Enchassi is the author of "Cloud Miles: A Remarkable Journey of Mercy, Peace, and Purpose."

The theme of our program is, "Refuge & Resilience." We will learn about the many ways that the United Nations supports people around the world who are seeking shelter, opportunities, and freedom.

We hope you can join us: Saturday, October 24th, 2 - 4pm, at the Bethany Public Library.

We'll have music. There will be light refreshments. You'll meet some interesting, friendly people. The program is free and open to the public.

Come join us!

https://unaokc.my.canva.site/una-usa-oklahoma-city-chapter

10/09/2026

"We are elated to hear the news." (We like this!)

10/09/2026

This year's Peace Prize winner served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. She is an excellent choice!

Newly awarded peace laureate Navi Pillay has held states and national leaders accountable and brought hope to victims of violence and conflict.

Navi Pillay is one of the great defenders of international legal principles in our time. Her distinguished career reminds us of the need to support, fortify and expand the global rule of law. Navi Pillay’s commitment to justice and human dignity is a source of hope and inspiration to all who seek to bring about a more peaceful world.

Read more about the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize: https://bit.ly/4xPtmor

10/08/2026

Do you know the story of the Marshallese community in Enid?

After the United States military used the Marshall Islands for testing of nuclear weapons, thousands of Marshall Islanders moved to the United States -- including large numbers in Enid, Oklahoma.

Their story is told in the film, "67 Bombs to Enid."

Our members might be interested in attending a screening of the film in Oklahoma City on Sunday, October 11th, at the Flix Brewhouse in OKC. See the comments, below, for details about the show time and tickets.

From the 67Bombs website: "Between 1946 and 1958, the U.S. detonated 67 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands, contaminating the region and leaving generations of Marshallese facing illness. Decades later, many of the survivors and their descendants are building a new life in a United States prairie land."

"After winning Best Documentary at the deadCenter Film Festival in 2025, 67 BOMBS TO ENID had its international premiere at the 2026 Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece. Also in 2026, the film was invited to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland to play in the margins of the 63rd Human Rights Council in a unique collaboration with Nobel Peace Award winners ICAN, the Republic of the Marshall Islands Permanent UN Mission, and the UN Human Rights Council."

Building a New Life. That phrase aligns perfectly with the theme of our UN Day program on October 24th!