United Nations

Evelyn Tomaszewski Appointed to International Federation of Social Work United Nations Commission

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 14:28:27 +0000

Evelyn Tomaszewski Appointed to International Federation of Social Work United Nations Commission Mary Cunningham Mon, 04/11/2022 - 10:28

In This Story

Evelyn Tomaszewski, MSW, ACSW

Mason faculty member to provide perspectives on social justice and social work as representative for the International Federation of Social Work to the UN for North America.

Evelyn Tomaszewski, Master of Social Work program director and assistant professor, was appointed to a four-year term as a United Nations (UN) Commissioner for the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW). As one of five commissioners for North America, she will bring a social work perspective to the UN and the UN agencies and work towards joint action based on social work principles and highlight social solutions that can be achieved through applying the social work principles as a framework for achieving social justice, inclusive participatory democracy, sustainable peaceful societies, and social transformation for equality and rights. Tomaszewski has been asked to lead IFSW’s efforts related to the UN’s High-Level Meetings (HLM) and High-Level Political Forums (HLPF) as well.

“The appointment to represent IFSW as a United Nations Commissioner provides a unique opportunity to connect with and build partnerships and collaborations with social workers from across the globe,” said Tomaszewski. “My role as a commissioner will allow me to increase the visibility and importance of social work on an international scale and tie social work into the UN’s global public health work. As a faculty member, I am equally excited about the real-time learning opportunities for students interested in the social worker’s role and leadership in promoting global human rights.”

Tomaszewski has been involved with the IFSW as a representative to the UN for more than a decade. Through her previous positions, she attended the UN HLM on HIV/AIDS, HLM non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and HLPF sustainable development (SDGs). She has continued participation in HLMs while at Mason, and her impeccable work throughout the years led to her appointment as a commissioner.

The UN Commission is comprised of representatives from the five IFSW regions. IFSW is the global body for the social work profession.

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United Nations

From Jerusalem to DC, Mason alumna dedicates her life to solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Mariam Aburdeineh — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 05:00:00 +0000

From Jerusalem to DC, Mason alumna dedicates her life to solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Mariam Aburdeineh Wed, 09/23/2020 - 01:00

After graduating from Mason, Fakhira Halloun returned to Jerusalem, where she works as a civil society and peacebuilding consultant at the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Photo provided.

Fakhira Halloun holds two contradictory identities: She is Palestinian and an Israeli citizen.

It wasn’t until she began facilitating peace dialogues between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem in 2000, that she realized Palestinian citizens of Israel could be the missing link in bridging ties between the two groups.

“Palestinian citizens of Israel have an important role to play in solving the conflict,” said Halloun, a 2019 PhD graduate of ��AV’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. “We know the mindset of the Palestinians in the West Bank and share the same national identity and culture; at the same time, we know the Jews in Israel because we live with them and a lot of relationships are built there.”

That realization inspired her studies at Mason and life goal of bringing about peace, she said.

After graduating from Mason, Halloun returned to Jerusalem, where she works as a civil society and peacebuilding consultant at the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

“This was my dream work,” Halloun said. “I’m helping civil society organizations engaged in peacebuilding work on both sides to reexamine and redefine their work in order to make a difference.”

Though she is overseas, Halloun’s impact in the Washington, D.C., area remains.

Halloun was part of a team that established the D.C.-based Museum of the Palestinian People, which highlights the history, identity, culture and achievements of Palestinians.

Fakhira Halloun (left) shows a guest around the Museum of the Palestinian People, which she helped establish. Photo provided.

“Usually the story about the Palestinian people is very narrow, and it’s linked with the conflict,” Halloun said. “We wanted to expand their narrative and bring out the complexity of it so that Americans and others can see themselves through the stories of the Palestinian people.”

Halloun has also stayed connected to Mason.

Since 2019, she has been co-teaching a study-abroad course with professor Marc Gopin that takes students to Israel and Palestinian territories to understand the conflict from both sides.

It’s an enlightening course, Halloun said, and one she also took as a student.

“Fakhira is an extraordinary peacemaker who understands intellectually and personally the power of compassion and the heart to heal wounds of war and conflict,” Gopin said. “She combines that with reasoning and strategy to build bridges across lines of adversaries.”

“I brought my passion, commitment and persistence to impact my reality, but professors like Dr. [Kevin] Avruch and Dr. Gopin equipped me with a deep lens in conflict resolution through their knowledge, analysis and approaches to understand,” Halloun said. “I couldn’t be successful now where I work in the UN without their contribution to who I am.”

Creating a better future is Halloun’s top goal, she said. According to her professors, she has what it takes.

“If peace with justice is ever to have a chance, it will be people like Fakhira—on all sides—who will commit to seeing it through, and bring it about,” Avruch said.

Fakhira Halloun (far right) with her students in Jerusalem. Photo provided.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Carter School Affiliate Faculty

peacemaking

peacebuilding and analysis