The Story

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