June - August 2019, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research is pleased to have welcomed several groups of international students and young professionals to the United Nations Immersion Programme (UNIP) this summer. The UNIP is designed to give young people across the globe an insight into the United Nations and multilateral diplomacy, providing them a platform to network and further their career development. 

The UNIP has a special focus on the development of global youth, and with this mission, UNITAR collaborated with academic institutions and universities including the Looker Education Group and Tongji University to leverage the knowledge set of young talents.

Participants of UNIP spent between one to two weeks in Geneva attending expert lectures on various topics at a host of UN specialized agencies, including the World Trade Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), among others. During these lectures, participants had the chance to discuss specific topics with experts and diplomats, which was an enriching experience to their understanding of current international affairs. The UNIP also designed workshops on UN Protocol, Sustainable Development Goals and Negotiation Skills. Participants actively engaged in games and discussions and built close bonds with one another.

This summer’s UNIP served as a great platform for young people from all around the world to connect, to learn and to engage. Many of the participants expressed satisfaction and gratitude on being given the opportunity to get a closer look at the United Nations, to share their experiences and passions, and to get a head-start in their future careers.

UNITAR is pleased to continue such activities, especially collaborations with academia for the development of global young talents. For more information and collaboration queries, please contact julian.caletti@unitar.org or yue.wang@unitar.org