Interns, Music, Soccer, and Fun!

Hi Everyone!

       I realized that I have been updating you all on all of the work that I am doing but have not written very much about what I am doing for fun while in Geneva! I decided to share a few pictures of the city and my adventures so everyone can get a full perspective of my experience! 

       These pictures are from the Catacombs under Cathedral St. Pierre, the Cathedral that I am living directly across from. Seeing the history of the Cathedral was incredible and it was very interesting to learn about the various steps in the building process, eventually leading up to building the incredible Cathedral! 

I loved that you can see the different layers of rock! 

Creepy! 

John Calvin Preached here! 

BEAUTIFUL ORGAN!

        These next pictures are all taken out of the window of my room! I can't believe how lucky I am to have such an amazing view of the Cathedral! It is also impossible for me to get lost because I can see the Cathedral from everywhere in the city. If I ever don't know where I am, I find the top of the Cathedral and head in that direction!

       I took these pictures at the United Nations! The ceiling of the Human Rights Council meeting room is absolutely beautiful but we are not supposed to take pictures of it so I snuck this one!  

        This picture was taken on Lake Geneva. The little yellow boat is a transportation alternative to the bus! It takes a little bit longer but I have ridden it a few times because the views of the Lake are great! 

        These two pictures are from a music festival that was going on this weekend in Geneva. I went to the festival Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! It was taking place all over the city, I couldn't turn around without hearing music coming from somewhere! There were also many booths set up with different types of food from all over the world! It was very exciting to have something so fun to do over the weekend and I loved being able to see how many people from the city came to the concert! The weather was beautiful and I had a great time!

Mooey!

This band was great and the children were having so much fun in the fountain! 

        I have also been going to a number of soccer (football) games in the city because the Eurocup is going on right now! Since Geneva is such an international city, there are fans here from all over Europe and people are pretty excited about the games! The city set up a HUGE TV in a square where people have been going to watch. It is so interesting to see families, adults, children, and even some dogs who come to watch the game! I have not encountered anything like this in the USA so I love going there to watch the games and see how excited everyone is to support their home team! After the games they have different bands perform on the state too so it is always very fun!

I took this picture at the England-Italy Game! 

            I have been meeting a number of interns while in Geneva and have been thoroughly enjoying learning about the diverse backgrounds of everyone I am interacting with! There are interns here from all over the world who are working at numerous different delegations so it has been very interesting to learn about so many different cultures and organizations! I was slightly intimidated at first while meeting all of these other interns because many of them are older than I am. The majority of UN interns are pursuing either a Masters or PhD, or have already earned these degrees. As a student who does not even have a Bachelor’s degree yet, this made me nervous at first, but I think ultimately working with a more mature and educated group has only pushed me to work harder and learn absolutely as much as I can! This age difference has made me even more grateful for the experience of working with the UN through the Fr. Smith Fellowship Program because were it not for the program, I would have never been given this opportunity as an undergraduate student! I have been having an incredible time and learning a great deal that I am very excited to come back and share with the PC Community and can’t even imagine having to wait years before finally having the opportunity to work with the UN.

            I have met other interns who know about the Dominican Order but for the most part, people I have been interacting with have not heard about the Dominicans! I have really enjoyed my role as a spokesperson (or delegate!) for the Dominican Order because I have had the opportunity to explain the Order, its Mission, and its role at the Human Rights Council! I am so glad to have been given the chance to explain the order that I have come to value so much to others!  

            I am just finishing up my lunch break and am on my way to a side event in a little while! I will update later this week about my work during Week 2! 

I pass this sign everyday on my way to work :) I thought it
was very indicative of my Smith Fellowship Experience!

Week 1 of the Human Rights Council!

Hi Everyone!

            Sorry it took me so long to write another post! I have had such a crazy week learning about the UN, the Dominican Order, and exploring Geneva! J I have been having a GREAT time and am really enjoying my experience thus far! Here is what I did last week:

Tuesday

            Tuesday was my first full day at the UN! Fr. Olivier took me on a tour of the grounds and refreshed my memory from the day before about where exactly I will be working and the best ways to get around. It was slightly overwhelming but a week later, I definitely feel that I am getting more comfortable here!

            One of the most incredible things I learned on the tour is that there are entire meeting rooms here named after Francisco de Vitoria, a Dominican Friar who lived in the 1400s and is known as the father of international relations! There is a plaque on the wall with his picture and a description of his contributions to the field of international relations. The Dominicans really are everywhere! J Although the Dominican Delegation at the UN is very small, the impact that the Order has made here is undeniable!

Religion in the UN! The Francisco de Vitoria Room is right below this.

            After the tour, I attended the Human Rights Council for the rest of the day. Currently, there are Special Rapporteurs (SRs) presenting their research on a specific issue to the council. These SRs were appointed by the UN to investigate a certain topic, such as health care, education, and the right to freedom of expression, for example, and then return to the Human Rights Council with a comprehensive report about the topic. After they present their research, members of the UN have the opportunity to comment on the findings. Many states appreciated the work of the SRs, some agreed with the findings while others took issue with what was discovered. These sessions can get a little long with delegate after delegate sharing their thoughts, but it is definitely interesting to see the different ways member states and NGOs respond and to see which members agree on certain issues.

Maybe I will be a Delegate! 

I LOVE walking down this road :)

In one of the large meeting rooms! This is where the very
 important UN guests will come to speak (Presidents of Countries!)

           

Wednesday

            Wednesday was a very exciting day because I was able to determine what I was going to do for myself! I came to the UN in the morning and went to the Human Rights Council meeting and then a side event discussing Cultural Rights. The side event was essentially a panel discussion with the Special Rapporteur for Cultural Rights speaking, along with some other specialists, and then allowed some time for questions. The panel discussion revolved around the question of what cultural rights are and how they relate to human rights. For example, some countries have traditions ingrained in their societies that clearly violate human rights. The panelists discussed the ways in which cultural rights can be altered to align with current day standards of human rights without disrupting the culture and causing unrest among the citizens of these areas. It was very interesting to see what the SR had learned on this topic and I was very impressed by her wealth of knowledge on such a large and potentially controversial issue.

I am finding it very exciting that I have been given a great deal of autonomy in this placement thus far. I was able to come into the Council by myself and choose what side event I thought would most relate to Human Rights and then attend that as well. It is still a little surreal that I come to the UN everyday and am able to explore and attend events as I wish! I can’t believe how lucky I am and am truly grateful for this experience each day!

           

Thursday

            I had a very busy but also very rewarding day on Thursday. First, I attended a Side Event sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union on the United States and targeted killings. The main concerns brought up by the panelists relating to this issue were the precedent they believe the US is setting and the lack of both transparency and accountability by the US as it relates to this issue. Obviously, this is a very controversial issue and I am not completely sure where I stand on it at this point. I thought it was very interesting to be on the outside of the US looking in with a number if specialists discussing a huge issue that relates to my country. I feel that I received a different picture of the situation than I did when I was in the US and am curious which one is the correct one. However, it seems that I may not ever know.

            There is an article below discussing the UN’s inquiries to the US about drone attacks and other targeted killings that I discovered online during the session. I found it extremely interesting that I was in the same room as Christof Heyns, the UN’s independent investigator on extrajudicial killings, while my newspaper at home was posting about him and is work at the UN! I found his comments extremely enlightening.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2012/06/21/us_government_challenged_on_drone_tactics/

            After the session, Fr. Olivier and I discussed the issue of Human Rights as it relates to targeted killings. We spoke about whether the individuals that the US is allegedly killing should be entitled to the same rights that US citizens are entitled to, for example, a fair trial. I began to wonder about the issue of believing human rights are really correct, because if the US believes that the way it treats its citizens is the correct way to treat humans, shouldn’t they treat humans everywhere that way? Isn’t there only one correct way to treat a human being, with justice and dignity? Or do some individuals forfeit their human rights based on their actions and an inability to treat others with justice? I am in no way trying to start any controversy or debate, just sharing my thoughts on the issue! I am planning to attend more side events of this sort and am hoping to gain some more perspective and information in the next few weeks on this issue.

            After attending the rather controversial Targeted Killings event, I attended a less controversial side event on the right to education. The most interesting aspect of the side event for me was the fact that if focused on the quality of education, rather than just access to education. The panelists talked about the way that many nations around the world have some sort of educational system in place but that the goal needs to be providing effective and quality education that is going to benefit all students. Panelists discussed both access to better resources as well as increased teacher training. This event was co-sponsored by the Dominican Delegation so it was interesting for me to learn more about a topic that the Dominicans so strongly support.

            Finally, on Thursday, I had the privilege of meeting Fr. Carlos and Sister Anne, two Dominicans who were visiting the UN for a few days. Fr. Carlos is actually the reason that I decided to pursue this Fellowship (I mentioned him in my first post) so it was amazing to get to meet him! We all walked around the UN for a little while and then I had the opportunity to interview them both and learn more about their lives and stories! They are both incredible, inspirational people and I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to them. I going to do a formal write up of both the interviews and will post them when I complete them!

Sr. Anne, Fr. Carlos, and I!

Interviewing Sr. Anne in the office!

Friday

            Friday was probably the most difficult day of my work in Geneva thus far. The Dominican delegation had a religious youth group from Lyon, France visiting and Fr. Olivier and I gave them a tour of the UN. I was very excited to meet this tour group but became a little discouraged when I discovered that even though most of them spoke some English, they were nervous to communicate in that language and much preferred French. As a result, the entire day was conducted in French and I found myself an observer on a tour and a guest at a lunch that I did not understand at all. I was able to speak about my experiences at the UN thus far in English at a few points, but Fr. Olivier conducted the majority of the tour. I was very disappointed in myself that I had not made more of an effort to learn French prior to arriving in Geneva and wished that I could have participated more in the day. However, I was grateful that after a week here in Geneva, that was my first frustrating experience with a language barrier! In that sense, I am certainly lucky!

            On the tour, Fr. Olivier and I spoke with the youth group about the way that the Dominicans are able to preach without mentioning the Gospel. Additionally, the group plans a number of debates on religious and theological issues and they were very interested to learn about the ways that discussion and debate at the UN works. Overall, even though it was frustrating, I was very glad to meet the group and enjoyed their visit!

Fr. Olivier explaining the structure of the UN to the group from Lyon.

With the group in front of the UN!

            So there you have it! My first week! I have been having an incredible experience thus far and am getting very excited about the opportunities the next few weeks hold! Until my next post!

(All photos copyright OP)

Human Rights Council Day 2

     Here is a link to the live stream of the Human Rights Council Session that I am watching right now! Today, the council is discussing Item 3 of the Council Agenda which consists of a number of Special Reports that delegates are then given the opportunity to engage in a dialogue on. The topics today are:
- The Right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- The Right to education
- The promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions

I am sitting in a section with other NGOs and am taking notes on the session which I will later send to the office of the Dominican Delegation.

http://webtv.un.org/live-now/watch/20th-regular-session-of-the-human-rights-council-18-june-6-july-2012/1677986782001

Becoming a Member of the Delegation

            Today was my first day of work and I could not be more excited about what I am going to be doing during my time in Geneva!

            My morning began with breakfast in Home St Pierre. I ate with a few girls who have been here long term and I am very excited that I have already started to meet people in the house! After that, I left for my commute to work! I have about a 5-10 minute walk to the bus stop and then the bus ride takes around 20 minutes depending on traffic. I was a little nervous about finding my way across the city by myself but luckily I did it, and had enough time to spare to stop and grab a sandwich for lunch! J

            When I arrived at the office where the Dominican Delegation works (which is right across the street from the UN) I was finally able to meet Fr. Olivier, who I have been communicating with for months! He was able to explain a little bit to me about the Dominican Delegation and what exactly my role will be in it! One of the things that really struck me was him saying that I am now considered a member of the Dominican Delegation. I knew that I was going to be working with the Dominican Delegation but had no idea that I was going to be considered a member of it! As a result, everything that I do and say while at the United Nations will be considered the official position of the Dominican Delegation and as a result, I have to be very careful about everything I say and do. Fr. Olivier and I also went over my goals for my time with the Delegation as well as his goals and expectations for me.

            What I considered one of the most enlightening parts of the day, was the discussion Fr. Olivier and I had regarding the goals of the Dominican Delegation. He explained to me that the main goal of the Delegation is human rights. Since humans are created in the image of God, the Delegation is striving to put humans at the center of policies in nations around the world. He explained their role as trying to influence the law making process of states in the way of the Gospel, without explicitly mentioning it. This statement reminded me of the quote that is traditionally attributed to St. Francis, “preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.” Although the Delegation is using words in the form of the statements that they release, I think that this quote really relates to the work that the Delegation is doing in trying to educate others in the Gospel, specifically about issues of human rights, without having to overtly quote the Bible. As a result of this single goal of promoting human rights, the Delegation will work with other groups that are completely different from themself if they share in the common goal of promoting human rights. Fr. Olivier mentioned that I would be surprised when I saw come country or non-governmental organization alliances but that I should keep in mind that groups may be aligned on only one single and important issue.

            After meeting with Fr. Olivier, Evelyn and I went to the United Nations where I got a badge with my picture on it, very exciting! After that, I was given the opportunity to visit the room where the Human Rights Council is meeting. Just as we walked into the room, Evelyn saw the representative to the UN from the Vatican and I was able to meet him! It was very exciting! The council was in session and I was able to sit in the area where I will be able to observe the council meetings from and take notes to bring back to the Delegation. I am not allowed to take pictures inside the meeting room but found a picture of the room online! The section that I sit in is to the left of the tv on the left between the 1^st and 2^nd columns (counting from right to left!). While I am sitting in on the meetings of the Human Rights Council, I listen to the proceedings on a headset that translates into a number of languages and will be taking notes on what the different Delegations are saying.

(The UN Human Rights Council)

            After sitting in on a little bit of the council meeting. Evelyn gave me a tour of the United Nations buildings that I will be working in! There are a number of different libraries located within the two main buildings that I am very excited to explore! Finally, we went to a brief meeting about an event that a few NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are planning for next week!

            As the day was winding down, Evelyn and I returned back to the office of our Delegation and I met with Fr. Olivier again. We spoke more about the Dominican Delegation as well at the Order of Preachers. What struck me most about this conversation was his mention of the goal of preaching. He explained to me that Dominicans, as the Order of Preachers, are given the role of preaching the Gospel. However, he explained to me that this preaching can take many different forms. I have encountered Dominicans preaching in the classroom and he told me that the preaching that he and other Dominicans are doing at the UN is no different. I was very excited to learn this because one of my main objectives in traveling to Geneva was to learn more about the role of the Dominicans at the UN and I was intrigued to learn that it is not much different from their role at Providence College!

Finally, Fr. Olivier and I finished discussing the specific roles that I will play while with the Delegation. One of the jobs I am going to have is creating a database of the members of the Dominican Order. Fr. Olivier explained that the Dominican Delegation is like the Embassy for the Dominican Order. But, since positions (Provincial, for example), change so often, it is very difficult to keep in touch with everyone. As a result, he wants to combine multiple databases and create a comprehensive database of all of the Dominicans across the world, which will be one of my main tasks. Another task I am given is sitting in on the meetings of the Human Rights Council and preparing small briefs of what exactly is going on and what different member states are saying. If I am not able to go to the meeting because I have something else scheduled, I will use the minutes of the meeting to summarize the proceedings. Finally, I am going to be writing at least one article weekly about what I am seeing and experiencing at the United Nations for the Delegation to post on its blog and facebook page. My main objective in doing this is to educate those who are unfamiliar with the United Nations and the Dominican Delegation as to what we are doing and what we are trying to accomplish. There are definitely going to be other tasks that pop up but those are the main ones for now! J

            I had an incredible first day at the UN and am very excited for the remainder of my time here! I am also very glad that at the end of the day I have a much more clear definition of the work that I will be doing and I cannot wait to get started! 

Arriving in Geneva!

It is hard to believe that after endless months of preparation, I am finally here! I arrived in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday and have been thoroughly enjoying my time here so far!

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend a few days in Geneva with my mom before I began work at the United Nations as a little “mini-vacation” for the both of us! J We arrived early Friday morning and were greeted by Evelyn of the Dominican Delegation at the airport. She took us on a driving tour of the city and I was able to see the UN, the office where I will be working, my housing, and the gorgeous sites of the city, including Lake Geneva! Friday evening, my mom and I spent a little time figuring out the bus system because it is the main method of transportation in Geneva (that and bikes!) and then we both went to bed very early- the 6 hour time difference is exhausting!

On Saturday, we took a day trip to France and were able to go to the top of Mont Blanc, one of the tallest mountains in the Alps! It is 12 Eiffel Towers high! The views from the top of the mountain were incredible and it was amazing to see the mountain covered with snow while nothing else around it was! After coming down from the mountain, we had lunch in the small town of Chamonix and then went to visit a large glacier that lies between two smaller mountains. We were lucky enough that the tunnel into the glacier had just opened that day so we were able to go inside the glacier, which was absolutely unreal! For dinner that evening, we went to a restaurant modeled after a Swiss Chalet. The waiters and waitresses were dressed in traditional Swiss clothing and there was even a man yodeling for entertainment! It was a little cheesy but also delicious! (We had fondue for dinner, which was also cheesy…hahaha!)

(The views from Mont Blanc and my mom and I inside a glacier! )

Sunday was a BIG day for me! First, my mom and I went to visit the UN early in the morning and were lucky enough that no one else was there yet! We got some great pictures of the entrance and of the main sign for the UN! Also, I had been staying in the hotel with my mom but on Sunday made the trek across Geneva to the Old City, which will be my home for the next month! The Old City is incredibly beautiful and I definitely prefer it to the more modern parts of the city where the UN is mentioned. I was very pleasantly surprised by Home St. Pierre and by the amazing view of Cathedral St. Pierre, which is right across a small square, from my room! The Cathedral bells that chime every fifteen minutes were a bit difficult to sleep through but I am sure I will get used to it in time! I am also fortunate enough to have a beautiful terrace on top of the Home where I am writing this blog post now! The views of the city are absolutely incredible!

(In front of the UN!)

(The view from my window!!)

(My view right now!)

After moving in on Sunday, I spent some time exploring the Old City with my mom and some friends that we met up with and then went to bed early in preparation for my first day of work on Monday! 

In Preparation...

Hello Everyone!

            At last, here it is: My Smith Fellowship Blog! It seems quite surreal that I am leaving in a week to embark on my journey to Geneva, Switzerland, but its true! While in Geneva, I am going to be working with the Dominican Delegation to the United Nations and attending two different sessions of the United Nations, one on Human Rights and one on Indigenous Peoples! I am still not entirely sure what exactly my role at the United Nations is going to be just yet but I believe I will assist in communicating the mission of the Dominican Delegation to a younger audience. The Dominican Delegation has both a webpage (http://un.op.org/en) and a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ordo-Prædicatorum-Delegation-to-the-United-Nations/155124921233975) and I may be working with these pages in order to provide the perspective of a college student on the issues discussed at the UN! However, I am ready for anything and am looking forward to learning through observation and involvement in the Dominican Delegation and having the opportunity to offer my gifts and talents to the Dominican Delegation. I am hoping to have the opportunity to learn from both the members of the Dominican Delegation, other interns at the UN and also from other Non-Governmental Organizations I may work with! I feel so privileged to be included in these ranks and am looking forward to discovering where exactly I am going to fit in!

            The idea for this Fellowship first came to my attention after Fr. Carlos Rodrigues Linera, O.P., the Dominican Order’s International Co-Promoter General for Justice and Peace, visited the Providence College Campus in October. I was extremely intrigued by the fact that the Dominican Friars have a permanent delegation to the United Nations and that they are able to give their opinions on issues affecting persons across the globe. This fascination with discovering the voice of the Dominicans in the world on international justice and peace inspired the title of this blog, “Discovering the Dominican Voice in the World.” I am excited to see the ways in which this religious order interacts with different governmental organizations and hope that I can use my new knowledge of the intersection between religion and politics in my future career as a lawyer. I am very excited about this direct exposure to these larger issues and I hope that I am able to relate my experiences to not only my life, but also the lives of my peers!

After speaking with Fr. Carlos, he put me in touch with Fr. Olivier, a Permanent Delegate of the Order to the United Nations and the Director of Dominicans for Justice and Peace (Order of Preachers). I worked with Fr. Olivier to determine what sessions I would be attending, and what exactly I would be experiencing in Geneva. Then, I was put in touch with Evelyn, a Lay OP and member of the Dominicans for Justice and Peace. She has been extremely helpful in aiding me in finalizing the details of my trip, such as housing and transportation. I have found everyone whom I have corresponded with to be extremely helpful and I am very excited that in a week I will finally be meeting the people with whom I have only corresponded via-email thus far! I am also looking forward to finally being able to see the plan for my Fellowship, that to this point I have only seen on paper, become a lived reality! I have put a great deal of time into preparing this Fellowship conceptually and I am very excited that in a week I will finally see it come to life.

            While in Geneva, I am going to be staying in Home St. Pierre (http://www.homestpierre.ch/en/acc.htm) a dormitory for young women. I am very grateful to have found this housing placement because considering Geneva is such a crowded city, it was very challenging finding somewhere to stay. Home St. Pierre is located in the Historic District of the City and is right across from St. Pierre Cathedral, which is said to have incredible views of the city! I am looking forward to having the opportunity to explore this incredible landmark and city!

            This is going to be it for my first post! I have to get back to a LOT of packing and also studying for the LSAT, which I am taking on Monday (great timing, right?) Please feel free to comment with any questions at all and thank you for visiting my blog! I will update soon with more details about my travel preparations!

Until next time J

Emily