Our Mission
The Better World Campaign (BWC) works to foster a strong, effective relationship between the United States and the United Nations (UN) through outreach, communications, and advocacy. We encourage U.S. leadership to work constructively through the United Nations and to strengthen the United Nations’ ability to carry out its invaluable operations around the world. And we engage policy makers, the media, and the American public to increase awareness of and support for the United Nations.
History and Highlights
BWC is a project of the Better World Fund, created with support from entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner as part of his historic $1 billion gift in 1998 to support UN causes.
Launched in 1999, BWC has helped build support for:
- Repayment of $926 million in U.S. debt to the United Nations, under the Helms-Biden agreement. The last of three payments was made by the United States in September 2002.
- U.S. re-entry into the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in October 2003.
- Constructive U.S. engagement in UN reform in 2005 and 2006, which led to the creation of the Democracy Fund, Peacebuilding Commission, Ethics Office, Human Rights Council, and improvements in UN management.
- Almost $2 billion in Congressional funding increases for UN peacekeeping from 2006 to 2008 to help ensure that the United Nations has the resources needed to foster stability in volatile regions of the world.
- Additional funding of $141 million to pay down debt to the UN regular budget in 2008.
2010 Agenda
2009 brought on many changes that enhanced the relationship between the U.S. and the UN thereby strengthening both of their capacities and global roles. During the year, the U.S. fully funded the UN regular and peacekeeping budgets, addressed outstanding arrears, joined the Human Rights Council, and pledged support for a strengthened nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime.
In 2010, BWC will continue to build support for U.S. policies that reinforce and renew U.S. engagement in the UN. We will work with the Administration and Congress to ensure U.S. dues are paid on time and in full so that the U.S. does not fall back into arrears. We will encourage greater support for UN peacekeeping operations and the UN’s work in places such as Haiti and Sudan, active engagement in the Human Rights Council, commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, ratification of key UN agreements, and the adoption of reforms so the UN can better address the global challenges of the 21st century.
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