The Holy See Welcomes Our
Spring 2018 Interns
Spring 2018 Interns from left to right: Crisostomo "Sunny" Ala, Aaron Salvan, Michelle Perez, Kathleen Mullally, Michelle Rioux, Kathleen "Kit" Driscoll, Giulia Maniezzi, Koreen Cueto, Nalisha "Mena" Men, Not Pictured: Camille Mascarinas and Marco Bachmann
The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN happily welcomed its interns and fellows for the Winter-Spring of 2018 Session. Seven new interns began on January 15 to accompany the three interns who remain from the Fall. Another intern will be arriving at the end of February. The interns and fellows will cover events and commissions like the Commission on the Status of Women, the Statistical Commission, the Commission for Social Development, and the Commission for Population and Development; the ongoing discussions and negotiations toward a Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) negotiations and much more.
In the past two years, the Mission has enhanced its training program for interns and set up programs with various Catholic universities to sponsor fellowships for students or graduates to serve. The Mission has seen a growing number of applicants since strengthening the application and interview process, making the selection process increasingly arduous and creating a nice problem for the Mission to have to solve. Applications are now being received for the Fall 2018 Session (September through December 2018). Information on applying can be found here.
Hear from Our New Interns
Above, Father Roger Landry of the Mission leads the new interns and fellows in a three-day boot camp, which consists in studying the history of the United Nations and of Holy See Diplomacy, explaining the structure of the United Nations and diplomatic protocols, practicing the report writing that will be an important part of their daily work, forming a team spirit and sharing many laughs.
"For me, being able to help others through my faith is truly rewarding, as is the ability to fulfill a dream of mine to work at the United Nations in serving the poor, the sick, the marginalized, and the most vulnerable through the influential platform that the Holy See has."
- Kathleen "Kit" Driscoll, graduate from Notre Dame University
"Perhaps the thing that excites me most is that I will be an intern assisting the work of the Holy See serving one of the most beloved and relatable Popes of my generation. As a Latina laywoman and aspiring diplomat, I am proud to serve Pope Francis in serving the Church in its diplomatic relations. Church and Diplomacy are two sides of a distinct, yet similar, coin, and I am both honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve the international community and the Church at the same time."
- Michelle Perez, Colombian-American and recipient of the John Paul II Fellowship from the Seton Hall School of Diplomacy
"What most excites me most about my internship is the opportunity to have a first-hand experience of meetings being conducted at the UN and being involved in various diplomatic events and activities. It is an honor and a privilege to serve the Holy See in this way."
- Crisostomo "Sunny" Ala, Filipino native and graduate of Ateneo de Manila and Fordham University
I am excited about my internship because it gives me the incredible chance to serve the Holy See, meet amazing people from all over the world, and to see how the UN really works."
- Guilia Maniezzi, Italian fellow with a PhD from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan
"What most excites me about my internship is the opportunity to help the Holy See Mission bring the light of Catholic social teaching, especially the truth about man, to the world forum."
- Kathleen Mullally, Third Year Law student at Ave Maria School of Law
"In this internship, I am most excited to bring the voice and light of the Catholic faith to discussions on an international level."
- Aaron Salvan, Filipino graduate from Ateneo de Manila
"This internship is exciting because it allows me to live out my faith in such a real and practical way, making a direct impact to the world."
- Koreen Cueto, Australian native and student at the University of Technology in Sydney
Upcoming Events
Connecting Development and Human Rights in the Eradication of Poverty:
Strategies for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda
11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.| January 30 | UNHQ Conference Room D
The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See is co-sponsoring this event together with the Congregations of St. Joseph and eight other faith-based NGOs at the UN. To register, please email csjunngo@gmail.com by Friday, January 26, at noon. Everyone will need a UN pass. If you will not have a pass to the CSocD conference, please note in your email that you will need a special event pass (which will have to be picked up at 11 am outside the 46th Street Main Entrance of the UN by an organizer).
Reconciliation and Peace in Colombia:
Developments and Continuing Challenges
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | February 2 | UNHQ Conference Room 6
RSVP by January 30 at holyseemission.org/rsvp2February2018
Dimensions of Dialogue: Expanding Social Media as a
Space for Constructive Encounter for Young People
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | February 8 | Conference Room 12
The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See is co-sponsoring this event together with the KAICIID Dialogue Center, UNICEF, and the Permanent Missions of Austria, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Jordan to the United Nations.
To register, please click here.
Best Interest Alternatives to the Detention of Child Migrants
1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | February 21 | UNHQ Conference Room 12
RSVP by February 18 at holyseemission.org/rsvp21February2018
Preventing the Trafficking of Rural Women and Girls
1:15 - 2:30 p.m. | March 13 | UNHQ Conference Room 1
RSVP by March 7 at holyseemission.org/rsvp13March2018
Holistic Education of Rural Women and Girls
3 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. | March 15 | UNHQ Conference Room 11
RSVP by March 7 at holyseemission.org/rsvp15March2018
Promoting the Integral Development of African Women and Girls
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | March 19 | UNHQ Conference Room 4
RSVP by March 13 at holyseemission.org/RSVP19March2018
Fostering Fertility Awareness and Better Health among Rural Women and Girls
1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | March 20 | UNHQ Conference Room 12
RSVP by March 13 at holyseemission.org/rsvp20March2018
** Please adhere to the RSVP deadlines for Holy See side events during the Commission on the Status of Women. The deadline to RSVP for events during week one will be March 7, the deadline to RSVP for events during week two is March 13. Please note that because rooms during CSW tend to quickly reach capacity, registration for events may close sooner than the listed deadline so it is best to RSVP as early as possible to ensure your spot in the room.
RSVP at holyseemission.org/rsvpPathtoPeaceGala2018