by Laurel Stone | Apr 8, 2013 | Graduate Students, Internship Experiences
An amazing opportunity came for me this week that was completely unexpected. I was invited as an intern of the World Policy Institute to attend a panel event at the United Nations discussing Hate Speech and Incitement to Genocide. This two-hour event featured a panel of diverse experts ranging from the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, to the current Ambassador of Norway to the UN, Geir Pedersen, to other practitioners in the field. The audience itself was diverse, with representation from several ambassadors, NGOs, and media groups. The discussion focused on what constitutes hate speech and how some forms of hate speech can catalyze mass violence and then turn into genocide. With views from journalists, humanitarian groups, and the United Nations staff, I was able to learn a great deal about a subject that directly corresponds with my own research interests. This opportunity showed me that this internship has and will continue to give me several advantages for advancing my career as I meet the key practitioners in the field.
by Laurel Stone | Apr 5, 2013 | Graduate Students, Internship Experiences
The past two weeks were a little stressful and hectic as I planned a luncheon for a VIP
discussion about Afghanistan Beyond 2014. After finding a venue and figuring out the
other logistics for the event, I was tasked with compiling a limited guest list and then
contacting each person individually. The most incredible aspect of this responsibility was
having the opportunity to contact the heads of several Permanent UN missions and
Departments. Ultimately, we had a full guest list and attendance for the luncheon. Three
Afghan civil society leaders came to NYC for the event, and the countries having
significant involvement in Afghanistan were all represented. Additionally, the UN
Department of Political Affairs, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UNDP,
UNICEF, and Secretariat were all represented as well. I was able to attend the
luncheon, and the discussion between these 30 policy makers and practitioners was
truly incredible. I was able to meet and network with several of those that attended, and
I also now have the opportunity to write an article for World Policy Institute about the
event. This was definitely an amazing opportunity to see people in the field finding
solutions to a very complex situation which will have great impact in the next couple
years.
Read the article Laurel published here: http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2013/02/22/afghanistan-beyond-2014
