Every June since the 1950s — just a few years after the United Nations moved into its New York headquarters, and spurred by the work of UN advocate/ secretary to Eleanor Roosevelt/Westport resident Ruth Steinkraus Cohen — we have welcomed ambassadors, government officials and staff members to town.
On a (hopefully beautiful) early summer Saturday, we offer hospitality and friendship. There’s a breakfast and low-key greeting ceremony. Then our guests, their families and volunteer hosts spend the day in a variety of ways: at the beach, Earthplace or Wakeman Town Farm; playing golf, tennis or soccer; shopping, dining and relaxing.
Through the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the end of colonialism and the rise of new global powers, the tradition has endured.
It’s one of those things that makes our suburban community different from many others.
jUNe Day flags fly on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. It’s named for the founder of the annual Westport event.
This year, jUNe Day was different.
Over 100 people protested, on Jesup Green.
They were fully respectful. They were totally silent.
But their t-shirts, signs and flyers sent a message. They were angry about the UN’s “egregious bias against Israel, and the fact that our tax dollars are being used to host representatives of the United Nations, particularly this year, after the horrific events of October 7, and the consistently glaring antisemitic/anti-Israel efforts to delegitimize the only Jewish state.”
They cited many other reasons why they believe they UN has become “a highly politically divisive organization.” Inviting employees here, they said, “is simply no longer acceptable to us….We are all for international hospitality, but we should be hosting an organization that stands for universal equality for all.”
jUNe Day protestors, on Jesup Green. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Bill Hass disagrees.
As president of the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut — the organizer, with Westport officials and volunteers, of jUNe Day — he firmly believes in the organization’s mission.
And he wants our town’s tradition to continue.
Hass told “06880”: “For nearly 60 years, Westport has supported jUNe Day as an opportunity for Westporters to offer hospitality and friendship to UN staff and delegates.
“This derives from a recognition that the United Nations is the only organization created to maintain global peace and security in which nearly all the countries of the world are represented. In a world of deeply divergent interests, it is essential that lines of communication be kept open concerning current conflicts and other global challenges. And, in this age of nuclear weapons, global peace is not only a lofty ideal, it is critical for the survival of the human race.
“Westport is a welcoming and diverse community with many residents also having lived and worked abroad. Many here realize that what affects those halfway around the world can also impact us.
Bill Hass speaks at this year’s jUNe Day welcoming ceremony. First Selectwoman Jen Tooker is seated at left. (Photo/Dan Woog)
“In 1962, the world came very close to experiencing the terror of nuclear war during the Cuban missile crisis. At that time, the UN Security Council and Secretary-General U Thant provided a breathing space that made it possible for the Soviet Union and the United States to step back from the brink of disaster and allow back channel and other quiet diplomacy to resolve the crisis.”
(Thant’s daughter Aye-Aye is a longtime Westport resident.)
“We sometimes hear that the UN is doing nothing, but the Secretary-General’s use of quiet diplomacy is an essential tool for helping to resolve difficult situations and crises.
“Earlier in the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Secretary-General quietly negotiated an agreement to permit the export of Ukrainian grain to countries in desperate need. Also, a multitude of UN agencies maintain peace in areas attempting to recover from conflict, provide disaster relief, and address key global issues such as climate change, immigration and the plight of refugees.
“Expenses for jUNe Day are borne by the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut, the UN Staff Union and modest reservation fees. We are very grateful to the town for opening many of our recreational facilities to UN guests as well as the Wakeman Town Farm, and for the warm welcome extended by our First Selectwoman. Earthplace is also much appreciated as a favorite destination of our guests.
“Our jUNe volunteers observed that UN guests who represented so many member states deeply appreciated Westport’s hospitality, and noted the right of people to protest peacefully.
Enjoying jUNe Day at Jesup Green, not far from the protest. (Photo/Dan Woog)
“It is important to acknowledge the concerns of those who protested on jUNe Day. Some even may have relatives or friends who were killed or injured on October 7, or at other times in Israel’s history.
“On October 7, 2023, in response to the attack by Hamas on Israel, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned ‘in the strongest terms the attack by Hamas against Israeli towns.’ He also extended his ‘deepest condolences to the families of the victims” and called for “the immediate release of all the abducted persons.’ Finally, he stressed that ‘violence cannot provide a solution to the conflict, and that only through negotiations leading to a two-State solution can peace be achieved.'”
“Some Westport protestors alleged bias by the UN against Israel. It is important to distinguish between the UN organization and the position of some of its member countries.
“The Secretary-General and the staff are required by the principles of the UN Charter to treat Israel and, indeed all UN member countries, with dignity and respect and without discrimination. There exists honest disagreement on many issues related to this conflict. It is a disservice to the UN to construe its disagreement with some of the policy choices of the government of Israel as antisemitic.”