Tag Archives: Aye Aye Thant

Roundup: Democratic Caucus, Venezuela, U Thant …

Posted on January 3, 2026 | 6 comments

The first step toward becoming a Democratic candidate — or helping to influence the party locally — begins January 13 (7:30 p.m., Town Hall).

That’s the biennial Democratic Town Committee Caucus — an election to the DTC. They’re the group that endorses candidates for local elections, and helps select statewide nominees.

All registered Democrats are eligible. Any voter who has changed registration from another party must have done so at least 90 days prior to January 13. Click here for the Westport Democratic Town Committee bylaws.

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Speaking of politics (sort of): The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has had a collateral effect on Westporters vacationing in the Caribean.

The closure of air space in the region caused airlines to cancel hundreds of flights.

One local family was scheduled to leave today from Trinidad & Tobago — 7 miles off the Venezuelan coast, but 350 miles from Caracas.

Another is in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands — hundreds of miles from Venezuela.

Airlines are swamped with calls from stranded travelers. They’re responding with variations of “We have no idea…”

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Verso Studios — the media arm of the Westport Library — has hosted headliners like Patti Smith and the Wallflowers. They’ve produced a vinyl album — the first ever by any library, anywhere.

What haven’t they done? A Battle of the Bands.

Until now.

Next Saturday (January 10, 7 p.m.), 4 high-energy local bands take the Trefz Forum stage. The crowd will decide the winner. Prizes are $500 for first place, $250 for second.

The college and teen groups are the Breakers, Clockwork, Caravan and MOSS.

Tickets are $10 for students, $20 general admission. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

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Many Westporters know and love Abby LaBanca, longtime Spotted Horse bartender.

They may not know that her father Jim is terminally ill with cancer. A strong and selfless man, he continues to give back — including as chair of the Sunshine Kids Cancer Foundation, dedicating time and energy to helping children and families facing the same battle he now wages.

Along with the emotional weight of their impending loss, Jim’s family faces unexpected financial hardship.

A GoFundMe page has been organized to help the LaBancas focus on spending their final days together, without added stress. Click here to donate, and for more information. (Hat tip: Andrew Colabella)

Jim LaBanca

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Thant Myint-U grew up in Riverdale, New York — when his grandfather, U Thant, was the third secretary-general of the United Nations — and then in Bangkok, when his father was with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

But his mother Aye-Aye Thant — U Thant’s daughter — was a longtime Westporter.

Her son has just published a book about his grandfather.

According to PassBlue — an independent, women-led nonprofit news company that covers the US-UN relationship, women’s issues, human rights, peacekeeping and other global matters — “Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World” “reveals rich layers of history during the 1960s, taking readers back to key moments in his maternal grandfather’s role in world history, from the Congo crisis to the Cuban missile crisis, from Vietnam to the Six-Day War in the Mideast.

“The author, who worked for a while in the UN and has produced several history books, has now written a book drawing on his family’s legacy. He says it was an accident that he stumbled upon archival material about his grandfather and the UN, which led him to work on this biography.”

Aye Aye and her husband lived in Westport from 2000 to 2022 (except for 2011 through 2014, when they renovated her former home in Yongon, Myanmar, as the U Thant House Museum. It is still in operation; her son is the chairman.

Aye Aye moved from Westport to Boston in 2022, to be closer to her daugthers.

Click here to read more, including a Q-and-A with Aye Aye Thant’s son. (NOTE: “06880” rules limit comments to the relevant topic at hand. All comments on this item should pertain to the Thant family. General posts about the UN today will be deleted.)

U Thant

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Dana Kuyper snapped a nice “Westport … Naturally” image of the view from Longshore, across Gray’s Creek to Owenoke.

Well, it was a nice view — except for the large trash bin that someone dumped sometime, somewhere, and which managed to get stuck in the winter mud.

(Photo/Dana Kuyper)

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And finally … in honor of the Gray’s Creek photo above, lets hear from this musician:

(Where else but “06880” will you find U Thant and Muddy Waters together? That’s the way we roll. If you appreciate this blog — where Westport meets the world — please click here to support us. Thanks!)

6 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Library, Local politics, Politics, Restaurants

Tagged Aye Aye Thant, Democratic Town Committee, GoFundMe, Spotted Horse, United Nations, Verso Studios

Unsung Hero #356

Posted on October 23, 2024 | 5 comments

Tomorrow is UN Day.

Drivers stuck in traffic on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge can pass the time admiring nearly 200 flags of member nations, lining the downtown span.

The annual display is one of those little things that makes living here so great. It’s a reminder too that our small town is part of a much larger world.

(Photo/Jeff Simon)

But those flags didn’t fall from the sky.

They were placed there — very carefully — by Department of Public Works employees.

They do it every October for UN Day.

And every June, for jUNe Day.

The DPW workers also place scores of American flags on the bridge each summer.

(Photo/Philip Keane)

And they take down, and store, those US and international flags, 3 times a year.

We seldom think of what it takes to make this colorful display happen.

But we should. So today — and every day — all those Public Works folks are our Unsung Heroes.

This year’s Public Works crew, on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.

Of course, thanks go too to the many volunteers from the United Nations Association-USA Southwest Connecticut chapter. For nearly 70 years, they’ve made created, maintained and strengthened our town’s bonds with the UN.

None of it would have been possible without a special hero: Ruth Steinkraus Cohen. Her pioneering work, here and at the UN, paved the way for the traditions that continue, 7 decades later.

PS: A great Unsung Hero shout-out to Aye Aye Thant.

The longtime Westport resident, and daughter of U Thant — the UN’s third Secretary- General (1961-71), she too has worked tirelessly on behalf of that body, internationally and locally.

Today, on UN Day, she offers this message:

As we celebrate the 79 th anniversary of the United Nations Day on 24th October it is also a time to mull over its effectiveness. Some question whether the UN is still relevant today. I think this is because most people, when they think of the UN, usually think of the UN Security Council and its deliberations on war and peace issues facing the world. They then judge the Council’s performance based on their own hopes and desired outcomes.

This brings to my mind what my father termed a “Crisis of Confidence.” He said, “The UN today is facing a crisis of confidence, but the ultimate crisis before the UN is a “crisis of authority.”

I recalled at one of his press conferences he was asked about misunderstandings around the purpose of the UN and how to dispel them. My father replied, “Much of misunderstanding about the United Nations arises from the concept, in the minds of most people, of the United Nations as an entity outside of and different from its constituent members. The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization representing member governments.”

Aye Aye Thant spoke at a 2022 Westport Rotary Club meeting. A photo of her father, U Thant, is on the screen. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

He added, “The United Nations is not only the Secretariat or the Secretary -General or any other organs; it is primarily these Member governments…. the United Nations thus reflects the differences and divisions in the world today. If it is deemed imperfect in one sense or another, it is because it mirrors the imperfections of the world around us.”

As my father said, the United Nations is more than the Security Council. While there are global disputes and turmoil in the political field, there is also a growing spirit of internationalism in the economic and social fields. When my father travelled to poor nations, he was gratified to witness how UN agencies had helped to build a better economic order in those countries. As the world has shrunk, as the world’s affairs are no longer foreign affairs of governments but internal affairs that affect us all, the need for a world organization with the basic ideals and objectives of the United Nations, as reflected in its Charter, is needed more than ever.

On this auspicious day, may I end with my father’s wishes that “mankind’s eternal aspiration for good instead of evil, for peace instead of war, for wellbeing instead of poverty, justice instead of injustice and for friendship instead of hostility will reach a worldwide dimension.”

With prayers for a peaceful world — Happy United Nations Day!

(Unsung Hero is a weekly “06880” feature. To nominate a hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)

5 Comments

Posted in Unsung Heroes

Tagged Aye Aye Thant, United Nations Association-Southwest Connecticut

Roundup: Supper & Soul, Passover, Shakespeare …

Posted on April 22, 2024 | 5 comments

In a town filled with high-profile, high-impact organizations working hard to make the world a better place, Westporters should be aware of AWARE.

Its name is not as well known as some others. But the group — whose acronym stands for Assisting Women through Action, Resources and Education — quietly and efficiently gets stuff done.

And they do it in a unique way.

Each year, AWARE selects a women’s cause — female veterans, say, or breast cancer, literacy, or refugees and immigrants,

Then they partner with a charity working in that area. Through a fundraiser, hands-on activity and educational event, AWARE shines a light on specific women’s issue, all year long.

This year’s partner is Inspirica. The Stamford-based non-profit strives to end homelessness and housing insecurity by helping individuals and families achieve stability through support services, and affordable housing.

To raise funds for an Inspirica playground, AWARE is hosting a “Canvas & Cocktails” party. The event is Thursday, May 16 (6 p.m.) at Clarendon Fine Art, on Main Street.

Tickets are $75. Click here to purchase.

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Nearly 200 people rocked to West End Blend at the Westport Library last night, in the concert portion of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s Supper & Soul event.

Earlier almost 100 enjoyed dinner, at 10 downtown restaurants. And after the show, concert-goers went for drinks there too.

Chamber director Matthew Mandell says, “This translates into a direct infusion of over $6,500 into the local economy.”

That “sounds” pretty good!

West End Blend, at Supper & Soul.

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Tonight is the first night of Passover.

John Kelley offers this history lesson:

“At the onset of Passover, Ashkenazi Jews abstain from eating products containing corn, including those sweetened with corn syrup.

“It didn’t used to be so bad, as products were traditionally sweetened using sugar.

“The person to blame is Edward Bedford — once Westport’s richest man. He was head of the Corn Products Company, and set out to convince companies to switch from sugar to lower-priced corn syrup.

“In the meantime, if you want Coke or Pepsi made with real sugar, stock up on the bottles with the yellow caps. They’re made with sugar, and are kosher for Passover.”

Edward T. Bedford

John Kelley is a wealth of information on famous former Westporters.

Responding to yesterday’s Roundup story on Henry Moses Judah — the Civil War general and Westport resident who last week, 158 years after his death, finally got a headstone, by his tomb at the cemetery on Wilton Road and Kings Highway North — Kelly writes:

“Henry Judah had a more famous brother, Theodore Judah, who surveyed the route taken by the first transcontinental railroad. San Francisco, where I now live, has a Judah Street named in his honor.”

San Francisco: N Judah train on Judah Street at 19th Avenue.

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Today is also International Mother Earth Day. This year’s theme is “Planet vs. Plastic.”

Longtime Westporter Aye Aye Thant — whose father U Thant was the third secretary-general of the United Nations — writes:

“The day recognizes the earth and its ecosystems as humanity’s common home and the need to protect her to enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity.”

“In 1969 my father talked about the environment as an urgent and shared global challenge, and opened the UN’s first meeting on ‘the human environment.’

“He warned: ‘Never in the 25-year history of the United Nations has there been a problem of more relevance to all nations than the present environmental crisis.’

“On this day may I share my father’s prayer for our Mother Earth, as he rang the Peace Bell at the UN on Spring Equinox Earth Day, March 21, 1971:

“’May there only be peaceful and cheerful earth days to come for our beautiful spaceship earth. as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animate life.'”

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Dorothy Abrams died peacefully in her home in Minnetonka, Minnesota yesterday, 4 days shy of her 97^th birthday.

Dorothy lived in Westport from 1963 until 2010, when she moved to Minnesota to be close to her son David and his family.

She taught arithmetic at Kathleen Laycock Country Day School (now Greens Farms Academy), Roton Middle School and Norwalk High School before retiring to an active life of volunteerism and travel.

Dorothy was a member of the Westport Woman’s Club and the Nature Conservancy’s Devil’s Den Ordway Nature Preserve in Weston, and tutored students in the Bridgeport school system. She also served as an election judge in Westport.

Dorothy and her family were longtime members of Temple Israel, where she served for years on the Social Action and Caring Committees. She became an elder of sorts, sharing her institutional memory and guiding younger members as they led the congregation down paths of justice and comfort.

Long Island Sound was her happy place for nearly her entire life.

She is survived by her son David (Audrey), and grandchildren Rachel (Claire Steinhoff) and Sal Abrams. She was predeceased by her brother Eugene Cohn, sister Anne Werner, husband Arthur, and daughters Judith Abrams and Janet (Gene) Karoscik.

Dorothy’s funeral will be at the Temple Israel Cemetery at 225 Richards Avenue in Norwalk at noon on Thursday (April 25) — her birthday. The service will be livestreamed; click here.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fairfield County Chapter of the Nature Conservancy or a local food shelf.

Dorothy Abrams

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William Shakespeare’s actual April birthdate was not recorded. His birthday is now celebrated on the date of his death: April 23.

Tomorrow marks the 408th anniversary of his passing, at 52 years old. The Bard of Avon packed a lot of writing into that short life. (And with a quill pen, too.)

Alert “06880” reader Fred Cantor passes on this long, but interesting, Shakespearean tale. Read to the end, for the important Westport connection:

“There is a lovely small public garden in Stratford, Connecticut, at the entrance to what once was the site of the Shakespeare Festival, and is now known as Shakespeare Park.

“The garden is called Will’s Garden — but not for the reason you would think.

“It was named for Will Geer, the late actor who was best known for his role as Grandpa Walton.

“Before that fame, he acted at the Shakespeare Festival for a number of years.

“And before that he earned a master’s degree in botany, and became an avid gardener — including creating the herbarium at the entrance to what was then the Shakespeare Festival.

“The garden fell into a state of disrepair over time. Its revitalization was spearheaded by Stratford resident Christine Rodney, who was given the name of Sal Gilbertie as someone who could help.

“Sal — the owner of Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center in Westport — has been among the most generous of donors over the years. He has always told Christine: ‘Take as much as you want.'”

I’m not sure if roses grow in Will’s Garden. But if they do, I’m sure — thanks to Sal Gilbertie — they smell very sweet.

(Photo/Fred Cantor)

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Speaking of flowers: On any list of springtime delights, tulips must be near the top.

Colorful proof — though none is needed — comes from today’s “Westport … Naturally” image:

(Photo/Matt Murray)

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And finally … when you saw today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo (above), you knew this was coming, right?

(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. We rely on support from readers like you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

5 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Library, Local business, Obituaries, religion

Tagged AWARE CT, Aye Aye Thant, Dorothy Abrams, Edward T. Bedford, General Henry Moses Judah, Gilbertie's Herbs & Garden Center, Passover, Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce

Aye Aye Thant’s UN Day Message

Posted on October 24, 2023 | 8 comments

Aye Aye Thant was a longtime Westporter, and the daughter of U Thant — the 3rd secretary-general of the United Nations (1961-71).

In 2011 Aye Aye Thant spoke at Westport’s UN Day ceremony.

Today is UN Day. In honor of the organization’s founding 78 years ago, she writes:

On October 24, as we celebrate the birth of the UN “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” I reflect on my father’s ideals and his belief in the role of the UN as a means towards lasting peace.

He stated:

“The principle of non-violence is also a basic concept of the UN Charter. One of the most fundamental principles to which member states have committed themselves is to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force.

“History teaches us that no durable solution can be found for any human problem except by persuasion and by common consent. The use of violence is double-edged, as violence is bound by the doctrine of reciprocal action, to provoke violence in turn. Before long, we find that the rule of law has given place to the rule of the jungle.

We have therefore to go back to first principles and to observe the Charter commitment regarding the non-use of violence or the threat of violence in international relations. In modern war there is no such thing as victor and vanquished. There is only a loser, and the loser is mankind.”

It has been a source of great hope to witness convoys of trucks carrying the UN flag bringing in urgently needed food, water, and medicine to those in a desperate situation in Gaza.

This mobilization — which engages the entire UN system for a humanitarian effort — embodies human solidarity which, my father said, reflects the fundamental moral values of the United Nations.

Happy United Nations Day!

Peace!

U Thant

8 Comments

Posted in Politics

Tagged Aye Aye Thant, U Thant, UN Day, United Nations

Roundup: Candlelight Concert, Mexicue, Poet Laureates …

Posted on November 16, 2022 | Comments Off

Don’t say we didn’t tell you.

Staples High School Candlelight Concert tickets go “on sale” to the public — don’t worry, they’re still free! — on December 1.Performances are Friday, December 16 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, December 17 (3 and 8 p.m.).

The link is easy: www.StaplesMusic.org.

Spectacular holiday music will be provided by the symphonic orchestra, symphonic band and choral ensembles. The 82-year-old event blends plenty of time-honored traditions, with some 21st-century twists.

If you’ve been to Candlelight, you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve never gone — set that alarm for tickets. You don’t need kids in high school to appreciate what these teenagers (and their teachers) do.

One more tradition: the artwork for this year’s concert comes once again from Staples senior Hugh Kennedy. It’s the third year in a row he’s designed the graphics.

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Last February, “06880” announced the imminent arrival of Mexicue.

The restaurant — mixing “street food sensibility” with fine dining — was renovating 38 Main Street, the former site of Bobby Q’s and Onion Alley.

The target for opening was May.

Mexicue missed the mark by 6 months. Opening day is today, at 4 p.m.

From all indications, the wait will be worth it. Westporters who have dined at Mexicue in New York City (Chelsea, NoMad, Midtown), Stamford and Washington say “¡muy bueno!”

Click here for details.

Mexicue

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Westport resident Aye Aye Thant is one of the our town’s biggest boosters of the United Nations.

It’s no wonder. Her father, U Thant, was the third secretary general of the organization. The Burmese leader served from 1961 to 971.

Aye Aye – a longtime Westporter — addressed the Rotary Club yesterday, at Green;s Farms Congregational Church. She reflected on her father’s legacy of diversity and peace, and the role education played in that vision.

U Thant, who died in 1974, was a strong proponent of decolonization and tolerance. His daughter believes he was ahead of his time.

“As a Buddhist, he believed Buddhism was a great religion but he also understood that hundreds of millions disagreed with him,” she said. That realization led her father to espouse a philosophy of peaceful coexistence.

Aye Aye Thant, speaking at yesterday’s Westport Rotary Club meeting. A photo of her father, U Thant, is on the screen behind her. (Photo and hat tip/Dave Matlow)

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Two poet laureates on one stage!

Sixteen years after headlining the Malloy Lecture in the Arts, former US poet laureate Billy Collins returns to the Westport Library.

He’ll chat with Connecticut poet laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell about his new volume, “Musical Tables.” Those short poems focus on nature, animals, mortality, absurdity and love.

The event is December 9 (7 p.m.). Tickets are $26 (same price for 1 or 2 attendees), and include a signed copy of “Musical Tables.” Click here to purchase and for more information.

Westport’s own poet laureate — Jessica Noyes McEntee — says: “If you know Billy Collins’ work, then I don’t have to encourage you to see him live. If you haven’t explored his oeuvre, this night promises to be delightful. His work has a magical and effortless quality that many of us in the poetry community emulate, and enjoy.”

“Billy Collins is perhaps the most revered poet writing in America today,” says Library executive director Bill Harmer. “Most communities would count themselves fortunate to see him once in a lifetime. To have him back in Westport for a second time is a thrill beyond measure. And to be joined by Antoinette is a true gift.”

Billy Collins

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The Staples High School boys soccer program has always given back to the community. This year’s initiative: collecting donations for the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport, and its after-school, vacation and summer camps for low income youth.

All donations will be delivered by players to the Center, in time for their annual holiday party on December 17.

Donations can be made Friday through Sunday, December 2-4, at 1 Baldwin Place (off Bayberry Lane). There will be bins by the garage.

Roundup: UN, Paul Lane Field, Mushrooms …

Posted on October 21, 2021 | 2 comments

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The UN is 76 years young.

To mark the occasion, Westport’s International Hospitality Committee and the UN Association of Southwestern Connecticut are hosting a ceremony on the Town Hall front steps. It’s set for next Monday (October 25, 3:30 p.m.).

UNASWCT president and International Hospitality Committee member Bill Hass will read a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Aye Aye Thant — a Westport resident, and daughter of former UN Secretary-General U Thant — is the guest speaker.

Flags of UN countries will fly on the Ruth Steinkraus-Cohen Memorial Bridge.

For more information, call Bill Hass (203-454-7685).

Happy UN Day! (Photo/Jeff Simon)

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Paul Lane Field — the new name for Staples High School’s football stadium — will be dedicated officially on Friday, November 12.

A host of former players will be on hand, including Matt MacVane, Bill During, John Bolger, Buzz Leavitt and Lance Lonergan, as well as relatives of the longtime Wrecker coach. Festivities include a tailgate in the north parking lot before the 7 p.m. kickoff against Ridgefield High, and a halftime ceremony.

The original date for the dedication was this Friday (October 22). Instead, that’s Homecoming.

There’s plenty of action in what’s known — now and forever — as Paul Lane Field.

Paul Lane (center) flanked by his sons Peter (left) and Skip. Both played for him.

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It was a tough call. But MoCA Westport canceled this fall’s in-person fundraiser due to COVID concerns.

Of course, like any museum they still need support. They’ve pivoted to an online auction., to help with exhibitions and music, community events and outreach to the underserved.

The auction features over 50 items, including original artwork (like art by Devon Troy Strother and a Joel Sternfeld photo from the 1980s), one-of-a kind experiences (an NBA VIP draft experience), and curated products from local businesses (Stephen Kempson London, Stacy Bass Photography, JL Rocks, Pure Barre and Imperial Dental Associates, among others).

The auction begins November 1, and ends November 15. To pre-register, click here. For more information, click here.

MoCA Westport’s Newtown Avenue building is unique. Its online auction is special too.

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Speaking of artistry: The Flower Basket is more than just fantastic floral arrangements.

This Sunday (October 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 995 Post Road East), the wonderful shop near Stiles Market hosts an exhibit of abstract and contemporary art by Romeo. Flower and art lovers are invited.

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TAP is dedicated toward fitness and preventive care in all forms.

Including mushrooms.

On Tuesday (October 26, 7 p.m., 180 Post Road East) they host author Adam Piore. He’s the author of a recent Newsweek cover story on clinical trials using psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” to treat depression. He’ll talk about neuroscience, research and stories shared by patients.

To register and for more information, email Nancy@tapstrength.com.

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Wasps — or at least, a paper wasp nest — makes an initial appearance in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

Patricia Carey spotted it. She writes: “I think it’s really pretty (especially since there was no wasp activity!).”

(Photo/Patricia Carey)

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And finally … in honor of TAP Strength Lab’s upcoming event (see above):

2 Comments

Posted in Arts, Local business, Politics, Sports, Staples HS

Tagged Aye Aye Thant, MoCA Westport, Paul Lane Football Field, TAP Strength Lab, UN Association of Southwestern Connecticut

Aye Aye Thant: Meet, Greet, Celebrate World Peace Day

Posted on September 20, 2021 | Comments Off

Aye Aye Thant is a longtime Westport resident — and the daughter of former UN Secretary General U Thant. She writes:

This Thursday (September 23, 6 p.m.), the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut celebrates the International Day of Peace at a “Meet, Greet, and Celebrate” event. at the Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach.

The event — also known as World Peace Day — was established in 1981 by a unanimous UN resolution. It is observed around the world each year tomorrow (September 21).

Today, in the aftermath of COVID-19, there is another pandemic: hunger. The World Bank has estimated that COVID has pushed as many as 150 million people into extreme poverty (living on less than $1.90 a day).

We need extraordinary efforts and global cooperation to tackle and deal with today’s challenges. With that goal, the United Nations has dedicated this year’s Peace Day to the theme “recovering Better for an Equitable and Sustainable world.”

The UN “invites all nations to celebrate the day by spreading compassion, kindness and hope in the face of the pandemic and as we recover.”

Each year as Peace Day approaches, I reflect on my father’s vision for peace. He said: “Peace is dependent, to a large extent on the achievement of social progress and a higher standard of living. To have lasting peace, there has to be economic and social advancement for all people, and a recognition of the need to bring down the number of human beings living in conditions of poverty, disease, hunger and illiteracy.”

I moved to Westport 20 years ago. I liked to tell Ruth Steinkraus Cohen, the founder of our UNA –USA Southwestern Connecticut Chapter. that I came here because I learned about the activities of the chapter and the International Hospitality Committee of Fairfield County. She loved that.

I was a regular at Wednesday weekly meetings at her home, and was active in all activities of the organization. Ruth was an inspirational figure to many of us, and touched so many lives as a mentor and a friend.

Several years ago Aye Aye Thant spoke at Town Hall, for Westport’s United Nations Day ceremony.

She wrote, “Westport s a port where one meets the world.” She founded jUNe Day. Westport hosted 500 United Nations staff for a day of fun and sun with the mission of fostering friendship between the people of the UN, the international community, and the American people as hosts.

She believed that it would help to build a bridge between cultures and, in turn, develop an understanding and respect of our differences while taking pride in our own cultures. In recognition of her vision, the bridge crossing the Saugatuck River on Post Road is named in her honor.

After Ruth passed away in May 2002, I was honored to serve as president of the chapter. As Ruth wrote, “As we become better informed about the UN and develop a better understanding of the practical problems involved in building a world community of nations, we will become more UN-minded in our political activity and in the long run will help strengthen public opinion and political support for the United Nations, which after all, is a key element of US foreign policy.”

By understanding the work of the UN, especially in the economic and social sectors, we recognize the interdependence of our existence and how strong multilateral cooperation is needed to achieve peace.

I hope you will join us on September 23, and become members of the UNA-USA to learn more about the role of the UN in advancing peace in the world.

Through a small measure, we shall contribute toward a larger goal: peace for all!

Comments Off on Aye Aye Thant: Meet, Greet, Celebrate World Peace Day

Posted in Politics

Tagged Aye Aye Thant, International Peace Day, U Thant, UN Association of Southwestern Connecticut, United Nations

The Burma Road Leads To Westport

Posted on May 21, 2012 | 2 comments

The “06880” tagline reads “Where Westport Meets the World.”

And — though Myanmar lies half a world a way from Westport — our connections are so close, it might as well be next door.

The new ambassador to Myanmar — the 1st in 22 years — is Derek Mitchell. His brother Jeff moved here in 1993. Derek comes often to watch his nephew Zach play Staples football and run indoor track (he captained the team to a state championship). The ambassador will be here next month too, for Zach’s graduation. (As Derek often does, he’ll walk his red poodle in Winslow Park.)

The swearing-in ceremony for Special Representative Derek Mitchell, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The ambassador’s oath will be administered soon by President Obama. From left: Min Lee (Derek’s wife), Derek Mitchell, Secretary Clinton, and Eli, Zach and Jeff Mitchell of Westport.

In February Burton Levin — the most recent ambassador to Burma (1987-90) — spoke at the Westport Public Library. Jeff Mitchell was there, and helped the 2 ambassadors connect.

Perhaps the most famous Burmese person in the world is U Thant, the 3rd secretary-general of the United Nations (1961-71). His daughter Daw Aye Aye Thant is a longtime resident of Westport. She speaks frequently here, and is the founder and president of the U Thant Institute.

According to Asia Times, her Westport home is filled with beautiful indigenous tapestries and exquisite sculptured Buddhas, and photos of her father with presidents Kennedy and Johnson, plus many other world leaders.

Last fall her son, Thant Myint-U, spoke at Green’s Farms Congregational Church on key issues facing Myanmar and the rest of Southeast Asia.

Jeff Mitchell hopes to arrange for his brother, Aye Aye Thant and former Ambassador Levin to speak together here. It would be a historic event, Jeff says, and would mean that Westport “pretty much has a monopoly on the top Burma scholars in the world, outside of that country.”

Though just “wishful thinking” today, Jeff would love for Aung San Suu Kyi — the Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition politician who recently helped Myanmar transition from military rule to democracy — to come together for the event.

Meanwhile, Jeff Mitchell has started a charity organization, Partner with Myanmar. The goal is to further the development of community-based programs and projects. The focus is on arts, culture and conservation.

Its 1st project brought international attention to the Me N Ma Girls, 5 college-educated women who wrote their own songs, battled censors both on song content and how they dressed, and came from different ethnic regions. They’re on the verge of becoming the 1st Burmese band — male or female — with an international recording contract.

Up next for Mitchell: creating the 1st film from Myanmar to be release globally. With Westport’s many industry connections, that goal may not be far-fetched.

06880 meets the world in many places, and many ways. The new democracy in Myanmar is one of the most intriguing, and impressive.

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Posted in Entertainment, Organizations, People, Politics

Tagged Aung San Suu Kyi, Aye Aye Thant, Burma, Derek Mitchell, Myanmar, U Thant

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