UNITED NATIONS — Late Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's spokeswoman Marie Okabe told Newsmax that the secretary-general would be traveling to Chicago and would not be attending a controversial UNICEF gala.
It seems Ban wants to separate himself from the event. The bash, the largest in U.N. history, is being entirely underwritten by the Italian fashion house Gucci. And, that has been a source of angst among U.N. officials.
For reasons not made entirely clear by U.N. officials, UNICEF (the U.N. Children's Emergency Fund) allowed the use of its name, logo and access to the grounds at U.N. headquarters in return for a pledge of no less than $750,000 to its AIDs relief fund made by Madonna, Newsmax has learned.
The United Nations, long concerned about its public image and any tie-in with commercial entities, has had a de-facto ban on the use of its name or logo.
"I don't know how such things happen. Gucci went a little too far . . . the secretary-general had planned to attend . . . but now I don't know . . . he's a little worried." Those were the latest comments by Ban's Chief of Staff Vijay Nambiar. He was speaking to the Web site InnerCity Press.
More puzzling is why UNICEF chief Ann Veneman (former U.S. secretary of agriculture) gave Madonna, Gucci and company the green light without vetting the project with her staff or with Ban's office.
UNICEF sources tell Newsmax that many inside the organization were quite upset and embarassed about the fund | 
