With the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak evolving, after much consideration and out of an abundance of caution, we made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 UNICEF UNITE Annual Summit. Though the March 21-23 Summit is canceled, we will look toward options to re-schedule the Summit for later in the calendar year. We are saddened by the postponement, but our number one priority is the health and safety of our staff and participants. For this reason, we encourage participants to not travel to Washington, D.C. as the situation evolves.

We are conscious that this postponement leaves a substantial hole in the UNICEF UNITE community experience. Our team is working to create a series of online trainings and opportunities to our broader UNICEF UNITE community starting in March and ending in April.

This may include:  

• A meet-and-greet with incoming UNICEF USA President and CEO Michael Nyenhuis
• Looking ahead for UNICEF USA engagement – Chief Strategy & Engagement Officer, Anucha Browne
• Civic engagement workshop – Advocacy team
• And more…

Dates of these offerings will be confirmed and shared via email and social media; make sure to follow @UNICEFClubs and join UNICEF UNITE Facebook Groups for more information. 

All of us at UNICEF USA want to sincerely thank you for your tireless commitment to the world’s children, and for committing your time, energy and resources to attending our UNICEF UNITE Annual Summit and to taking action as our foremost advocates throughout the year. Each of you are the heart and soul of our movement for children and we deeply appreciate you.

While we will miss bringing us all together in D.C. this spring, we look forward to our continued collaboration and community building, as WE WON’T STOP amplifying children’s voices and helping affect change both here and abroad.

We know you are left with a lot of questions which is why we have prepared the below FAQ. If you have any logistical question please email us at annualsummit@unicefusa.org

As always, we are here to support and stand along you in your UNICEF UNITE journey.  Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at annualsummit@unicefusa.org.

Sincerely,

UNICEF UNITE Annual Summit Team

FAQ

• Why are you cancelling the UNICEF UNITE Annual Summit?
  • This decision was made in consultation with our leadership team and board of directors out of an abundance of caution for our staff and participants. We considered criteria including CDC recommendations, the volume of people at the event, amount of travel that participants would undertake, and the evolving circumstances surrounding novel corona virus.
• Can I get a reimbursement for what I paid for already?
  • Everything that was paid for through our registration website will be 100% reimbursed automatically to all participants within 10-15 business days. Any questions please email annualsummit@unicefusa.org
• What should I do for expenses I already incurred outside of things on the registration page?
  • We are doing everything we can to work with individuals to help support travel expenses. We understand that postponing the event is a burden to you and your family. If you have already booked your travel and need financial assistance please fill out this survey and we will work with you on a one on one level. Please note that we are unable to provide assistance to those of you who have booked your hotel accommodations outside our partner hotels at the National 4H Conference Center and the Bethesdan Hotel.
• What other opportunities are you offering participants?
  • We will be hosting a series of online trainings that will be open to all participants in the following months. We will also monitor the evolving situation and will inform everyone once we have new confirmed dates for the event.
• When will the in-person portions of the event be rescheduled?
  • We will monitor the evolving situation and will inform everyone once we have new confirmed dates for the event.
• How is UNICEF USA being financially responsible with the event?
  • We are working with our vendors to transfer all expected costs to host a rescheduled event and reduce the additional expenses for the organization. We are thankful to have great partners in the National 4H Conference Center and other vendors who are working closely with us on this situation.
• If I was hosting a workshop, what happens now?
  • We appreciate the work you have already put into your workshop and will honor your workshop application for the rescheduled Summit OR invite you to present a session via webinar in March or April as our team determines next steps.
• What does this mean for Advocacy Day?
  • Advocacy Day on March 23, as a critical component of the UNICEF UNITE Annual Summit, will also be cancelled. But you don’t have to be in Washinton, DC to be an advocate for the world’s children! If interested, there will be opportunities to meet with your Members of Congress in-district this spring. Your Advocacy Day State Leader will be in touch with you to provide further details. In the meantime, we encourage you to visit our Online Action Center, where you can take action on UNICEF USA’s policy priorities digitally. Feel free to reach out to advocacy@unicefusa.org with any questions.