Those of you who know Geneva and/or live in the area might be interested by an exhibition sponsored by the town of Divonne-les-Bains, entitled 100 ans +1 de vie internationale – une région transformée. The establishment of the League of Nations in Geneva in November 1920 marks the beginnings of what has now become widely known as Genève internationale which has had a tremendous impact on both Geneva and the surrounding area including the Pays de Gex and Haute-Savoie. Our member John Burley, who was on the town council of Divonne for a number of years and Deputy Mayor for cross-border relations in 2019/2020, has organised the exhibition. One year late because of the pandemic, it is now going to take place. Through the use of documents, photos, videos and interviews, it examines the evolution of economic, social and cultural relations between the Pays de Gex and Geneva over the last 100 years. Information about the exhibition is in the attached flyer. Those interested can write to john.burley@wanadoo.fr for more information.

That BAFUNCS can and will survive the blow of losing Michael Davies is in itself a tribute to this charming, thoughtful and talented man.  No single individual has ever done more than he did for our Association.  He was a most able, comprehensively-organised and good- humoured chair of the Executive Committee, a constructive Honorary Treasurer, and a determined supporter of regions in difficulties. He was also an author and co-author of recognised intellect on the institutions in which we worked. Born in 1944, he took a Cambridge degree in Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Metallurgy) and Economics, yet made a career in finance and administration. As John Burley recalls, that combination was typical of Michael, a man of many parts.  In 1965, they shared responsibilities for the Cambridge University UNA (CUUNA) with Michael handling special events.  Michael concocted new ways of doing business, a sign of things to come. Yet another of that remarkable group of JPOs mobilised in the 1960s by the then International Service Department of UNA UK, he began his UN career with UNDP in Sudan and FAO in Darfur.  Unsurprisingly, FAO spotted his talent and appointed him to its Purchasing and Control branch at headquarters in Rome.  In all he spent fifteen years with the organisation, including six as its Administrative Officer in Kenya, which he considered his most satisfying assignment, both from a professional and personal perspective. He showed long-lasting loyalty to the rugby club for which he played in Nairobi, keeping in touch for half-a-century. From 1982 to 1986 he was seconded by FAO to become Pay Research Officer in the Salaries and Allowances Division of the International Civil Service Commission in New York.  Here he further honed the skills in compensation, benefits, systems evaluation and human resources in general for which he was justly famed.  He then moved to the World Bank, again as a pay specialist, this time working both on field issues and a major review of the Bank’s pay systems. In 1990 he was appointed Chief of the Compensation and Benefits Division at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, where he remained until retirement. Towards the end of his time at IDB he was seconded to the World Bank as a senior adviser to a further major human resources reform programme.  In retirement he undertook consultancies for organizations as varied as Interpol, the European Investment Bank, the World Trade Organization, the Global Fund, the Aga Khan Development Network and the Bank for International Settlements. In 2007, the FAO Council appointed him a core team member of an Independent External Evaluation. In this role he was the lead evaluator responsible for the administrative and organizational management components of the first fully holistic evaluation of a major international organization. He was courageous in his examination of the vagaries of the Saouma period – that work is still subject to embargo. His was indeed an energetic retirement.  He wrote The Administration of International Organizations, (Routledge, 2002) and co- authored with Richard Woodward International Organizations – A Companion (Edward Elgar, 2014). His interest in the governance of international organizations continued in the fine study of the life of Sir Eric Drummond, the first Secretary-General of the League of Nations, (Eric Drummond and his Legacies, Palgrave, 2019)in which he was joined by John Burley, Marilyn Carr and David Macfadyen. He followed this with a monograph with John Burley on ‘The Early Contributions of British Nationals to the Post-War International Organisations’. He paid great attention to detail in his writing, drawing support from his wife Joan, and inspired by the prestigious medical publications of his father.  He also championed BAFUNCS’ UN Career Records Project, enabling the publication of Bill Jackson’s Guide for Researchers and actively participating in the Project’s three Witness Seminars commemorating the UN’s 70th Anniversary. When Michael made his last appearance before us at the 2019 Annual Reunion at Stratford-upon-Avon, he knew that he had a fatal illness and how it would progress. He was not, however, one who wished others to know about this. The few who did greatly admire the strength and courage with which Michael and those around him faced his final months. Our sincerest sympathies go to Joan, whom he met way back in the Sudan, and to their daughter Dawn, as well as to his sister and brother.  We are grateful to the family for allowing Michael to give so much time to BAFUNCS.  He was a much-valued friend who is greatly missed.  Many in the UN benefitted from his work and all of us in BAFUNCS, for which we are thankful to a colleague who was wonderful to work with.  Consequently this appreciation is the work of several hands.

Announcing BAFUNCS SOUTH CENTRAL AUTUMN LUNCH, DATE: Tuesday 5 October PLACE: THE BLUE BELL INN Address: 29 South Street, Emsworth PO10 7EG   Lets all meet to enjoy a great day together The Menu is as follows: STARTERS [1] Chicken Liver Parfait served with toast and red onions chutney [2] Soup of the Day [3] Fresh “Blue Bell” King Prawns cooked with chili, garlic, spices, served with artisan bread (add £1.50) MAINS [4] Pie of the Day [5] Blue Bell Famous Beer Battered Free Fish served with hand cut chips, mushy peas and tartar sauce (add £2.-) [6] Homemade Lasagne served with salad and chips [7] Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Lasagne served with salad and chips [8] Treagust Sausage and Mash with rich onion gravy and garden peas PUDDINGS [9] Choice of hand made desserts (add £1.50) [10] Ice Cream (two scoops) [11] Cheese Board (four British cheeses, onion chutney and bread) (add £2.-) There is public parking at the back of The Blue Bell Inn.  PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO PAY & DISPLAY! 🥴🥴🥴 Two courses = £17.00 – Three courses = £22.00 (“add” as appropriate) Guest Starter Main Pudding #1 # # # #2 # # # Coffee, Cappuccino, Latte or Tea = £3.- Total = £ Please Order by Tuesday 28 September latest. Maker Cheque payable to: CPC PICHON 39 West Street, Titchfield, PO14 4DG Thank you PS. Due to possible delays in letter delivery, you might like to let me have your choice of food by email message and settle on the day.

The best laid plans can’t control the weather and July 15th must have been one of the rainiest days of the already very rainy summer! But in spite of the bad weather, 15 BAFUNCS members made their way for a lunchtime gathering to the Jardin Botanique in Geneva where we had hoped to be able to sit outside and have our lunch in the gardens. However, this was not to be. Nevertheless, the food was excellent and the plates looked so pretty, we all hesitated to spoil the display.  I am happy to say that the taste was as good as it all looked. We had a lovely gathering and three new members joined us along with two members who had been living in the UK and had returned to Switzerland and re-joined the Overseas Region. The regional members had not been able to meet in person since last August because of Covid restrictions so it was quite a special feeling to be able to do this again. Unfortunately the bad weather made me forget to take the photographs I had promised and I only realised this on the way out while passing some of the Jardin’s fauna, so for want of human beings I snapped some of the animals which will remind us all of the lovely time we had until our next lunch which we usually plan for November. with best wishes Coby Sikkens”