Summer internship at the un

This summer, I’m interning at the United Nations under the Marshall Islands Mission. This past May, Marshall Islands served as Chair for the United Nations AsiaPacific Group which is a group composed of more than a quarter of the UN member states at 27.5 percent. Under their chairmanship, I had the luxury of observing first hand the international system of voting in selecting candidates to represent the Asia-Pacific group in the various committees at the United Nations. More importantly, I had the opportunity to learn of the plaguing issues receiving priority, such as climate change, from the various country statements made within the AsiaPacific group. In a surprising set of events as is so rare given her busy schedule, the Asia-Pacific group, chaired by the Marshall Islands, was graced by the presence of the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Amina J. Mohhamed. I had the luxury of observing the UN Deputy Secretary General Ms. Amina Mohhamed in action who came to update the Asia-Pacific group on the current international system’s need in mobilizing resources and to hear their concerns on issues needing attention that are unique to each country. It was nice to observe a powerful woman such as herself reminding the audience of more female leadership to properly implement UN Sustainable Development Goal #5 (Gender Equality).

My internship was perfectly positioned as the following month of June kicked off with the United Nations Ocean Conference aimed at implementing Sustainable Development Goal #14. I was fortunate enough to be a presenter at a UN Ocean Conference side event hosted by a Japanese based non-government organization called Peace Boat. The event centered around the importance of civil society and youth in mobilizing communities. I spoke at the event as a youth representative from the Marshall Islands discussing my career highlights in mainstreaming climate change and humanitarian initiatives via youth mobilization by using the two non government organizations I co-founded called Jo-JiKuM and REACH-MI. Following the UN Ocean Conference in late June and early July was the Nuclear Ban Treaty negotiation talks. Again, I was very fortunate enough to have attended a side event hosted again by Peace Boat focused on the humanitarian consequences surrounding nuclear weapons which was co-sponsored by the Marshall Islands Mission where I had the opportunity to help edit the Marshallese Ambassador’s official statement. It was a unique opportunity also to hear first hand survivor testimonies from Asia, Japanese Hibakusha from Nagasaki and Hiroshima in particular. It was also an honor for me to hear and learn from Pacific nuclear victims from Tahiti and Australia but most importantly it was indeed a privilege to hear medical expert testimony from Dr. Masao Tomonaga, the former Director of Nagasaki Red Cross Atomic Bomb Hospital. It is ironic that I helped set up this Peace Boat partnership with the Marshall Islands government when I served as a guest educator on Peace Boat’s 90th Global Peace Voyage only to have it serve my educational needs after being properly prepared by the Masters in Asia Pacific Studies Program at USF undergoing research trainings that helped prepare me for all these humanitarian internship responsibilities that is coincidently in line with the Jesuit tradition, vision, and mission. I guess what I’m saying is, sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned out but are merely gone with the flow of humanity’s human right clock through random acts of kindness by setting global partnerships for the betterment of human kind.