This summer, over a period of 3 months, I interned with the Delegation of the European Union in Canada, under their political and public affairs section. As a U1 Arts student, studying honours International Development Studies, I was immediately drawn to the European Union’s posting with the AIO. My interest areas include forced displacement, human rights, and international cooperation (particularly the role that international organisations play in facilitating cooperation), which fit well with this internship given the ongoing War in Ukraine. In the context of the War in Ukraine, I was interested in learning more about the EU’s role in facilitating cooperation between member states (and non-MS allies such as Canada and the US), as well as the EU’s organisational capabilities in handling Ukrainian refugees. Building on this, I will be receiving academic credit for this internship and plan on writing a research paper on the EU’s role in handling Ukrainian refugees, which will be supervised by Professor Terri Givens. I was also drawn to the internship as I had previously had experience in on-the-groundwork at a refugee camp and was interested in gaining experience with more administrative and formal work in this field so I could make an informed decision on the direction I wanted to take my career in.
That being said, due to my previous focus in on-the-groundwork, I initially entered the internship with limited background knowledge on the European Union. I had conducted some preliminary research on the functions of the organisation, however, lacked formal academic training in this area as I had never taken a course on European politics or the European Union. Thankfully, my colleagues were incredibly understanding and patiently explained the daily operations of the Delegation. My host organisation, the Delegation of the European Union in Canada, operates as a branch of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Canadian location is situated in Ottawa, however there are similar delegations all around the globe. The Delegation acts as a point of contact between EU and Canadian authorities, conducting public diplomacy activities and reporting back to the EU headquarters in Brussels about significant developments in Canada. The Delegation is split into three sections: Political and Public Affairs (where I interned), Trade and Economic (where the second McGill student interned), and Administration.
As an intern for the Political and Public Affairs section, I worked primarily in foreign affairs, particularly in facilitating EU-Canada relations. Responsibilities during my internship included: researching, writing, and presenting a daily press review of significant developments in both Canada as well as the European region; writing reports to headquarters and EU Member States on various Canadian political developments (in these reports I would provide my own critical analysis of the situation and its implications for the EU and EU MS); drafting minutes for various meetings including but not limited to: HoMs (Heads of Mission), DHoMs (Deputy Heads of Mission), Political Counsellors, Global Affairs Canada, PICRS (Press, Information, and Culture), EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture), and Consular Cooperation meetings; assisting with social media tasks such as: creating graphics, taking pictures, editing videos, writing captions, etc.; as well as various miscellaneous tasks including: assisting with the EU Film Festival, researching and assisting in the preparation of public diplomacy projects in Vancouver (my hometown), assisting with the organisation of the European Security and Defence Symposium (including compiling a guest list, reaching out to various interlocutors in NATO, National Defence Canada, and Global Affairs Canada).
My three months at the Delegation were especially rewarding and memorable. I was able to learn from my incredibly talented supervisors and participate in once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as the European Security and Defense Symposium. Highlights of my internship included: participating in the aforementioned Defence Symposium, which allowed me to observe international cooperation and learn about defence strategies, it also gave me the opportunity to hear and speak to officials from NATO, GAC, and DND; giving a presentation at Global Affairs Canada, reporting on the state of European Defence in the context of the War in Ukraine; and finally, perhaps the greatest highlight, receiving rare praise from EU Headquarters in Brussels for a report I wrote on privacy legislation.
As for challenges, during the beginning of my internship I struggled with balancing my work expectations as I felt an obligation to put in extraordinary amounts of work in order to prove my appreciation for this role. On this front, the AIO positioning and “getting the most out of your internship” sessions helped me maintain a healthy commitment to my work.
Finally, this internship would not have been possible without the generous funding from the Undergraduate Experiential Learning Award. As a financially independent student, I would not have been able to afford unpaid opportunities, especially in new cities where I would have to pay for living costs. The funds from the donor allowed me to not only accept this internship, but also live and explore a new city—an experience I will be forever grateful for. This internship has given me a rare glimpse at the inner workings of international organisations and allowed me to experience the various work lives and schedules of diplomats, policy advisors, and press officials; something that has helped me clarify the direction I want to take my career and future studies in.
