I am writing to thank you for funding my internship with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the International Organizations in Vienna. It is with great pleasure that I report on the highlights of this internship, following its completion.
I applied to be a Multilateral Intern with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the International Organizations in Vienna aiming to put my academic knowledge of international relations and simulated diplomacy skills into practice. I have competed in Model United Nations for four years, which fostered my interest in international affairs and conflict resolution, along with making me eager to gain real-world experience with diplomacy. Classes I have taken during my Joint Honors degree in Political Science and Environment have introduced me to Canadian foreign policy and Canada’s participation in various international bodies. The natural next step in this education was to step outside the classroom.
The Permanent Mission of Canada to the International Organization in Vienna, known in Global Affairs Canada as VPERM, manages Canada’s relationships with the multiple international organizations headquartered in Vienna. These include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the United Nations Agency for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
As one of two Multilateral Interns, VPERM assigned me to work with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Over the course of my internship, I attended various conferences, expert working group sessions, and panels in support of a Canadian diplomat or as our sole representative. I took notes and wrote reports on these meetings, which I distributed to relevant officers within VPERM and Global Affairs Canada to keep Canada up to date on developments in Vienna and inform our work. Events I attended include the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Conference, and the UNODC Working Groups on Technical Assistance, International Cooperation, Trafficking in Persons, and Migrant Smuggling. VPERM’s First Secretary, Angela Veitch, also tasked me with writing a report on environmental crime and coming up with recommendations for how Canada, represented by VPERM, can engage meaningfully on the issue within the UNODC.
Before starting this internship, I could not have imagined the extent to which the interpersonal relationships I built with VPERM’s team, officers from Global Affairs Canada, and fellow interns from McGill and other international missions would be the highlight of my experience. Whether I was learning from my supervisors about their career trajectories and how their work has evolved alongside emerging geopolitical tensions, or from other interns offering advice on writing reports or insight into the ways their embassies operate, it was those conversations and relationships that proved most insightful and rewarding.
Living in Vienna for three months, the longest I have ever been away from Montreal, was a transformative experience that has made me more self-assured as I prepare for the next phase of my education and life. I enter my final year at McGill and apply to graduate schools with a renewed commitment to a career in public service, inspired by the enthusiasm of my supervisors and mentors throughout this summer. While I cannot predict the exact shape of my career, I hope that I ultimately land in the Canadian Foreign Service.
The generous support of the Susan Casey Brown Fund made this incredible opportunity financially accessible to me. Financing from donors allowed me to afford the cost of living in Vienna and travel throughout Europe, making for a uniquely memorable summer.
Thank you to the McGill International Experience Awards founders, and M. Garvin Brown for making this experience possible!
