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United Nations Association Haiti will mark the six-month anniversary of the tragic earthquake that killed more than 250,000 in Haiti on January 12, 2010 with a prayer service & rally on July 12, 2010 in New York City.   At exactly 4:53pm, the time the earthquake struck, a moment of silence will be observed.

Among those invited to join this occasion are several dignitaries including the Mayor of the City of New York, Regional Bishop of Brooklyn & Founder of the National Haitian Apostolate, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, the president of New York Special Olympics, and many other special guests.  

The occasion will be used to rally support for a much deserved nation-wide event scheduled to take place in Haiti this August, the Haiti 2010 Street Olympic (Olympic website, www.surgeforhaiti.org).  The Olympic is an event months in the making, involving  the effort and vision of hundreds of collaborators, and is aimed at giving Haiti’s children, especially the disabled, a sporting chance this summer, starting in August.  While the immediate goal of an « Olympic » is simply to afford the youth access to various sporting and educational activities this summer and beyond,   its raison d’etre is enormous.  At stake according to UNA-Haiti is the state of a nation--- a nation where poverty is still outracing progress and where the national spirit is at a low.  (Not even the turn of events at the World Cup in South Africa is favorable to the Haitian people who for the most part are passionate fans of Brazil, Argentina & Italy by order of preference).  But perhaps the greatest current concern is the failure to this point to capitalize on the wave of goodwill and manpower manifested by Haitians in the Diaspora in the wake of  that horrific earthquake of January 12, nearly six months ago.  The Olympic is a Rally Point for all who want to help Haiti, to be able to help hands-on as volunteers.  In the words of  the Most Reverend Guy Sansaricq,  “The (Olympic) Program (I hope) will prepare the upcoming generation of Haitians to appreciate the importance of effort and discipline in the pursuit of national reconstruction. ” 

United Nations Association Haiti is inviting all to pray for Haiti and to mobilize support for the Haiti 2010 Street Olympic.  UNA-Haiti share the belief that investment in children everywhere is priority #1 and it most certainly cannot afford to wait in Haiti where half of the country’s population is under the age of 17.