In
January 2014, resident Drew Gibbons is heading for Geneva, Switzerland to
take
up an Internship with ERI - Edmund Rice International - visit website - at the
United
Nations. This is part of Leo’s Outreach and UQ Advantage Award
programs.
Drew
tells his story:
In
Year 12 I had a ten to fifteen year plan that would eventually lead me all
the
way
to working in the United Nations in Geneva. This plan involved a number of
overseas
trips to third world countries to gauge what/who I believed to be the most
in
need and direct me to a career focal point. Three years, four continents, and
half
a
degree in International Relations later, I was given the opportunity to apply
for an
internship
in Geneva with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) called Edmund
Rice
International (ERI).They are an organisation, recognised by the United
Nations,
who
promote the goals of the UN Charter andare committed towards working for
children
and
young people who are marginalised because of poverty, lack of access to
education,
legal
status, environmental degradation or involvement in armed conflict. ERI
brings issues
and
situations that affect the lives of the most vulnerable people on our planet
to the
attention
of the international community at the United Nations in both New York and
Geneva.
I
have a particular interest in refugees and internally displaced persons
(IDPs)
in
Sudan, South Sudan and more recently Syria.
As
you are reading this, there are now over 2 million refugees who have fled
Syria and
sought
protection in neighbouring countries of Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. While
this
is
an atrocious statistic and a clear violation of human rights, it is only more
motivation and
incentive
for me to really immerse myself in the UN culture and learn as much as I can
while
on my internship to further my own knowledge and personal development.
I
also have an interest in genocidal research - what causes genocide,
preventative
measures
and case studies (Rwanda 1994). The opportunity to travel to Geneva and be
surrounded
by like-minded people who all have varying degrees of human compassion
and
empathy, and be able to undertake research and sit in on United Nation
discussions
and
conferences will be something that I can’t even begin to comprehend.
“Have
your heart in your life's work, and be stout-hearted. Do something, act
always,
and
do it now. Don't be afraid. Many a man has been defeated by his doubts - lack
of
confidence.
Take your risks – you cannot eliminate them, you cannot escape them.
You
can diminish them by dominating them.” - Batten's Wedge
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