Please join us for this BookTalkUNA presentation on the occasion of the UN International Day of Happiness with special guests
Richard Lui
Award-winning news journalist
H. E. Dr. Michal Mlynár
Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the UN
Pelin Kesibir
Honorary Fellow,
Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin
Seven years ago, news journalist Richard Lui walked into his supervisor's office at NBC's 30 Rock headquarters, prepared to give up his dream newsanchor job. Having just learned of his father's Alzheimer's, the journalist wanted to be with him during his important last years, even if it meant setting aside his career. Lui reduced his work hours and joined 53 million Americans in becoming a family caregiver.
In his new book, ENOUGH ABOUT ME: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness (available on March 23), Lui opens up about helping his father and living to take care of somebody else. His was no small decision, and decisions to be selfless are rarely so dramatic, but Lui accompanies his own story with research and tips on how and why anyone can learn to live selflessly and bring joy to others despite difficulties.
According to Lui, America suffers today from a "selfish pandemic." There is a problem of apathy, from everyday Twitter disrespect to a rise in hate crimes. He reflects on his recent reporting about race-based violence, spree killers and political animosity as examples of selfish acts rising in frequency.
On the flip side, however, he shares behind-the-scenes stories of the ordinary heroes who have shown him how small, practical choices can stop this selfish pandemic. During breaking news coverage of some of the world's most difficult moments — from terrorist attacks in Paris to racial strife in Ferguson — Lui met those who rose above dire events to be helpful, self-sacrificing and generous in the face of tragedy and loss.
Lui writes, "I was presented with a challenge and decided to figure out how to help my dad. This prolonged illness is not what any of us would have chosen, but Dad is still teaching me through it. He is teaching me the unexpected power of selflessness. You might call it the anti-self-help approach to self-help."
In many of life’s decisions, big and small, we can always discover hidden opportunities to put others ahead of ourselves. What does that mean on a larger scale? Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General, and Executive Director of UN WOMEN, says that “selflessness is an asset for every community. In South Africa we call it the spirit of Ubuntu. It has been fundamental to building a sense of human solidarity, of caring for and believing in each other.”
And at this particular time, the fact that countries like Vietnam, South Korea and New Zealand were praised for their response during the pandemic offers direct testimony that being selfless and protecting others really helped in the bigger picture.
Please join us for this special BookTalkUNA event, when Richard Lui (whose presence as Master of Ceremonies graced many of our recent UN Day Gala dinners), will discuss his new book, which will provide you with many practical tools to find meaning and compassion in even the smallest of everyday choices. Richard will be joined by Ambassador H. E. Michal Mlynár, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the UN, and Pelin Kesebir, an Honorary Fellow at the Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin.
Note: readers can purchase advance copies of the book here. All author’s net proceeds will be donated to charitable causes promoting selflessness.
This BookTalkUNA event is part of a current series of online presentations by UNA-NYC in a virtual format on the ZOOM platform. These online events are free, but require advance registration, after which all participants will receive an email confirmation, along with a link for attending the discussion at event time.
Since UNA-NYC sends emails for events in advance, we encourage all who are interested in participating, but who are not already UNA-NYC members, to sign up on our general mailing list, in order to receive email notifications about our events, as well as occasional news updates.
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Panelists
RICHARD LUI
Veteran journalist Richard Lui has more than 30 years in television, film, technology and business. Currently at MSNBC and previously with CNN Worldwide, he is the first Asian American man to anchor a daily national cable news program, and a team Emmy and Peabody winner.
In addition to joumalism, Richard's 15-year business career involves a fintech patent and launching six tech brands over three business cycles. He has lived, worked, and volunteered on every continent.
Richard is a Celebrity Champion for the Alzheimer's Association, Caregiving Champion for AARP and Caregiving Ambassador for BrightFocus Foundation.
H.E Ambassador DR. MICHAL MYLNÁR
Ambassador Dr. Michal Mlynár has been the Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the UN in New York since August 2017.
During the 73rd session of the UNGA (2018-19), together with the Permanent Representative of Jordan, he served as co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. He has been re-elected to the same position also for the 74th session of the UNGA (2019-20), with the Permanent Representative of Ghana and for the 75th session of the UNGA (2020- 21), with the Permanent Representative of El Salvador.
During the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (2019-20), Ambassador Mlynár has also served as the Chairman of the Sixth Committee (Legal).
In 2017 he was elected Vice President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Coordinator of its New York Working Group for 2018-20.
Together with the Permanent Representative of South Africa, he has co-chaired the Group of Friends of Security Sector Reform (SSR).
Since May 2011, he has served as Chair of the Governing Board of the International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT), integral part of the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF).
In 2015-17, Ambassador Mlynár was Director General for International Organizations, Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
Prior to that (2012-15), he was posted as Slovakia's Ambassador in Nairobi, Kenya. During the same period, in 2014-15, he served as Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to UN- Habitat and in 2016-17 he assumed the role of President of the 25th session of the UN-Habitat Governing Council.
As Deputy Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations in New York (2004-09), he was Political Coordinator of Slovakia's diplomatic team on the UN Security Council (2006-07).
He has been a member of Slovakia's Foreign Service since September 2000. Prior to that he worked as a teacher of English and Russian, including as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington, California and at UCLA in the 1998-99 academic year.
He holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Teaching Foreign Languages from the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia.
PELIN KESEBIR
Researcher Pelin Kesebir is an Honorary Fellow at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin.
Pelin is a social psychologist interested in the study of happiness and virtue. The ultimate goal of her research is to gain insights into the bidirectional relationship between virtue and happiness while discovering ways to encourage virtuous cycles in people.
Her work so far has focused on the role of self-transcendent virtues such as humility in mollifying anxiety and fostering existential well-being.