The United States much to gain by being a member of the United Nations, despite the growing belief by United States citizens that the UN has become an irrelevant institution, said Gillian Martin Sorensen, a senior advisor at the United Nations Foundation.

Sorensen, a 20-year veteran of the United Nations, is on a lecture circuit around the county in response to a growing misunderstanding and distrust of the UN in the United States and visited Thunderbird's Glendale campus February 8.

In the wake of the Iraq campaign, distrust by United States citizens of the UN has increased, she said.

"The US failed to persuade nine members of the 15-member council," she said of the UN security council vote to invade Iraq. "This does not mean the UN is against the United States."

Nevertheless, that's how an increasing number of Americans are seeing the relationship, which is a troubling trend, she said.

"There has always been a fringe in the United States that has an isolationist tendency or believes the UN is a threat to our sovereignty," she said. "In the last ten years or so the fringe has unfortunately moved to the center."

There are strong common values between the UN mission and the interests of the United States, including promoting democracy and rule of law, and protecting the world's natural resources, she said. The United States business sector, in particular, is a beneficiary of UN work, she said. The UN helps to create stable, safe, healthy and educated societies, which are apt to be more productive and to do more business.

Despite some of the recent political criticism, the UN does vast amounts of good in the world with a multi-lateral approach that fosters peace and cooperation, she said. The UN leads numerous non-political causes such as disaster relief, medical research, education and assisting the world's poor.

"Children's health and clean water are areas where even politically opposed countries can come to work together," she said.

Sorensen addressed Thunderbird MBA candidates specifically when she called on them counter balance negative attitudes and misinformation about the UN.

"You will have positions in your community and certainly in your company that will be very special," she said. "You are already so far ahead. You can see what the benefits of globalization and cooperation are. You have not just an obligation but also an opportunity to use your talents to help those who are far behind."