Global challenges require global governance. Since January 2016, Karsten Weitzenegger has served as a member of the Präsidium of the DGVN Landesverband Nord — the regional governing body of the United Nations Association of Germany (UNA-Germany / Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen, DGVN) for Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Schleswig-Holstein.
What is UNA-Germany (DGVN)?
Founded in 1952 as a registered, non-profit and non-partisan civil society organisation, UNA-Germany is dedicated to promoting the United Nations and the vision of a peaceful and just world. Since 1966, it has been a member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), a global network connecting over 100,000 people through UN associations in more than 100 countries.
UNA-Germany pursues four core missions:
- Informing the German public in an impartial and critical manner about the goals, institutions, and activities of the United Nations
- Raising awareness for current developments in foreign policy, development cooperation, cultural exchange, and international relations
- Stimulating debate on global challenges while critically engaging with German UN policy
- Advocating for strong multilateral institutions as the only viable path to sustainable development, peace, and human rights
The Präsidium: Governance at the Highest Level
The Präsidium of UNA-Germany represents the association alongside the Board of Directors and serves in an advisory capacity. Its members are elected by the general membership assembly for three-year terms and are drawn from personalities active in United Nations affairs, German and international politics, business, civil society, academia, and youth. It is a role of both symbolic weight and substantive responsibility, one that connects local civil society engagement with Germany’s broader role in global governance.
The DGVN Landesverband Nord, covering Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Schleswig-Holstein, is one of UNA-Germany’s most active regional chapters. Hamburg’s identity as a port city, a hub of international trade, and home to the EU-LAC Foundation and other multilateral institutions makes it a natural centre for UN-related public education and policy dialogue.
Karsten Weitzenegger’s Role
Karsten’s long-standing engagement in the Präsidium LV Nord reflects his commitment to multilateralism as both a professional value and a civic responsibility. After three decades of working with European institutions, German bilateral agencies, UN bodies, and civil society organisations across more than 40 countries, his contribution to UNA-Germany is rooted in direct experience — not abstract conviction. He understands what it means when multilateral frameworks hold, and what it costs when they falter.
Why You Should Join UNA-Germany
Membership in UNA-Germany is open to all individuals aged 16 and above, as well as institutions and organisations. Joining means:
- Supporting the only German-language expert journal on the United Nations, VEREINTE NATIONEN, published six times a year
- Access to lectures and events featuring leading UN officials, diplomats, and scholars
- Participation in international study trips to UN locations and peacekeeping missions, allowing direct contact with UN decision-makers
- Eligibility for the UN Staff Officers Course (UNSOC) in Hamburg, offered in cooperation with the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr
- Membership in a respected national network with a direct link to the global WFUNA community in 100+ countries
At a time when multilateralism is under pressure from all sides, joining UNA-Germany is a concrete act in defence of international cooperation, human rights, and sustainable development.
👉 Become a member: dgvn.de/ueber-uns/mitgliedschaft
👉 DGVN Landesverband Nord: dgvn-nord.de
👉 UNA-Germany in English: dgvn.de/english
Karsten Weitzenegger Consulting — Independent Expert and Evaluator since 2003. Based in Hamburg, Germany. Available globally.