UN DAY 2024
Sunday, October 20
5 pm – 8 pm
Doors open at 4:30 pm
MSU Kellogg Center
219 S Harrison Rd
East Lansing, MI 48824
GL-UNA'S 2024 UN DAY CELEBRATION
Join us for the 2024 UN Day Celebration on Sunday, October 20, in the Lincoln Room at the Kellogg Center as we gather to commemorate the work of the United Nations and local leaders. This year, under the theme “May Peace Prevail,” we honor efforts toward global peace and human rights.
The evening will feature a delicious meal, live entertainment, and the presentation of awards to our 2024 honorees, including Dr. Farashin Silevany, Brian Wibby, Lindsey Bollis, and Allison Bennett for their contributions in global health, sustainable development, and education.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and the program begins at 5:00 p.m.
If you’re not yet a GL-UNA member, we encourage you to explore the benefits of UNA-USA membership before registering for the event. GL-UNA members enjoy a discount on their UN Day tickets and much more. Learn more here.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Each ticket includes a meal (salad, entree, dessert, and beverage) and parking. When purchasing your ticket, please select your meal option. When you purchase multiple tickets you must select a menu option for each ticket.
TICKET PRICES
- Students: $20
- Members: $40
- Non-members: $50
MENU OPTIONS
- Churrascaria Salmon (GF, VG)
- Pesto & Parmesan Chicken Breast with Ricotta Lasagna Roll (GF, VG)
- Stuffed Roasted Poblanos (GF, VG)
Thank you, co-sponsors!
Lansing Area Peace Education Center
LATTICE (Linking All Types of Teachers in Cross-cultural Education)
MSU African Studies Center
Waverly International Student Alliance
Zonta Club of East Lansing Area
Zonta Club Michigan Capitol Area
2024 UN DAY AWARDEES
Vandenberg Awardee
Dr. Farashin Silevany
Farashin Silevany DO, MPH, a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, earned her master’s degree in public health and her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, completing her internal medicine residency at Michigan State University/Sparrow Health System in Lansing.
As a humanitarian activist and global health specialist, Dr. Silevany has undertaken several medical missions, especially in conflict zones and natural disasters areas; including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Palestine (Gaza before the war, and twice this year during the war), and Bangladesh (at the beginning of the Rohingya Crisis). Her dedication to helping people in need while taking part in multiple medical relief missions extends to other significant locations, such as Jordan to assist Syrian and Palestinian refugees; as well as Colombia (during the Venezuelan crisis & influx into Colombia), Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico (after Hurricane Maria).
Global Goals - Local Leader Awardee
Brian Wibby
Brian Wibby is a father, social worker, farmer, and educator with the Children and Youth Institute of Michigan State University Extension. Wibby is a co-founder and co-director of the World Food Prize Michigan Youth Institute, an MSU pre-college program that engages middle and high school aged youth from all parts of Michigan in envisioning solutions to critical global challenges related to food, hunger, nutrition, poverty and sustainability.
Wibby worked to establish the institute at MSU in 2015 with the goal of providing young people with a forum to have their voices heard and to take action on critical global issues related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to learn how faculty, staff, and students at MSU are engaged in addressing these topics.
Global Goals - Local Leader Awardee
Farha Abbasi, MD
Dr. Farha Abbasi is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Michigan State University and a core faculty member of the Muslim Studies Program. Since moving to the United States from Pakistan in 2000, she has focused on cultural psychiatry, advocating for culturally competent care, particularly for Muslim patients. She received the American Psychiatric Association SAMSHA Minority Fellowship in 2009, using the grant to promote cultural acceptance and awareness. Dr. Abbasi also works closely with the Muslim American community to foster integration and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
As the founding director of the Annual Muslim Mental Health Conference and the Global Muslim Mental Health Conference, Dr. Abbasi has made significant contributions to the field. She serves as the managing editor of the Journal of Muslim Mental Health and directs the Muslim Mental Health Consortium at MSU. Dr. Abbasi has been recognized for her service with numerous awards, including those from the American Psychiatric Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She also chairs the Mental Health Task Force for the Mayor of Lansing and serves on various national boards and committees.
Global Education Educator of the Year Awardee
Lindsey Bollis
Lindsey Bollis, a social studies teacher at Williamston High School, is the GL-UNA Global Educator of the Year awardee for 2024. She is recognized for her strong support of global education and her active engagement in student focused programming including Williamston High School’s Model United Nations club.
Global Education Student of the Year Awardee
Allison Bennett
Allison Bennett, a 2024 graduate of Williamston High School, and currently enrolled in a joint BA/MA program in Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, is GL-UNA’s Global Education Student of the Year 2024 award winner.
Throughout her high school years, Allison was an active member of Williamston High Schools award winning Model United Nations club. In her junior and senior years she held senior leadership positions in the club, taking responsibility for organizing and running training sessions for 45 high school students interested in learning the skills necessary to successfully participate in Model UN competitions. Over the years in Model UN competitions Allison has represented Russia, Belgium, Israel, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, North Korea, Japan as well as historical characters such as Hannah Sheehy-Skeffington who was a 1920s women’s rights activist in Ireland.
Since enrolling at Seton Hall this fall Allison reports:
“I was recently employed by the School of Diplomacy and International Relations as a member of their social media “Dream Team”. Assistant Dean Dr. Edwards also informed me that I am a “key component in their plan to get SHUNA (Seton Hall’s competitive Model UN team) Back into the top 25 rankings” Whatever that means, apparently, they know my work somehow. Besides that, I have just been living college life and meeting tons of amazing people!”
UN Day Entertainment
Phoenix Miranda
a classically trained and multi-genre vocalist from Maryland, is pursuing her Master’s degree in Voice Performance at MSU under acclaimed Baritone Mark Rucker. She holds a Bachelor’s in Voice Performance with a minor in Entrepreneurship from MSU. Phoenix has performed notable roles in opera and musical theater, including Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Desirèe in A Little Night Music. She’s also a soloist in the MSU Jazz Orchestra series and the Slavery to Freedom lecture series. As president of MSU Color Me Music, she advocates for students of color, fostering supportive and creative spaces.
Mia Chinni
performing with Phoneix Miranda, is a Michigan-based jazz guitarist originally from Washington D.C. She moved to MI in 2021 to study under Randy Napoleon at MSU. Known for her expressive playing and unique technique, Mia blends classical influences with modern jazz sensibilities. She has performed in a wide variety of settings, from big bands and nonets in concert halls to more intimate venues like bars and coffeehouses. Whether solo or with a band, Mia captivates audiences with her fluid improvisation, intricate harmonies, and deep emotional connection to the music.
Michael A. Eyia
born in Havana, Cuba, began studying classical guitar at age 10 under the renowned Dr. Leo Brouwer. After relocating to Lansing, MI, he pursued music studies at Michigan State University and Lansing Community College, where he later taught for a decade. In the late 1970s, Mike founded ORQUESTA RITMO to introduce and promote Latin/Cuban music. He is a founding member of the Jazz Association of Mid-Michigan (JAMM) and has served on the board of the East Lansing Summer Solstice Jazz Festival for over 15 years.
