This article was submitted by Ashil Savoy, Outreach and Social Media Coordinator for the Bureau of International Organization Affairs at the US Department of State.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton address Global Classrooms Washington, DC Conference at the US Department of State in 2009. State Department Photo.
If you are passionate about Model United Nations, then you should get to know the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, commonly called the ‘IO-Bureau’, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. Here are a few reasons why:
International Organizations Are Our Specialty: We are the U.S. Government’s primary interlocutor with the United Nations and a host of international agencies and organizations. Through our work and the work of our colleagues in our seven diplomatic missions to the UN, we are working hard every day to advance U.S. foreign policy priorities through multilateral engagement on a range of important global issues, including peace and security, nuclear nonproliferation, human rights, economic development, climate change, global health, and much more.
We are the U.S. Department of States Focal Point for all things Model UN: For the past eleven years we have partnered with the United Nations Association of the USA to host an annual Model UN Conference at the U.S. Department of State and we are often engage in Model UN activities across the country, regularly sending experts to participate in many conferences, simulations, and training exercises annually. We are always aiming to increase our level of engagement; keep us in mind when planning your upcoming Model UN activities.
We Can Send Experts/Speakers to Your Conference: Each year there are hundreds of Model UN conferences worldwide and delegates can participate as early as middle school. We send speakers to many of those conferences in the United States, and are always looking to expand our engagement with Model UN conferences and become more involved.
If you have an upcoming conference and are interested in potential State Department participation, contact SavoyAL@state.gov, 6-8 weeks prior to your conference to discuss the possibilities.
We Think Youth Voices Are Really Important: Each year we engage with thousands youth through various outreach events as we aim to be mindful of the global interests of young people when making foreign policy. To help us in that effort, each year we select a young person from the U.S. to serve as a youth representative at the United Nations. The U.S. Youth Observer Program is in its second year, and highlights our commitment to elevating the voices of youth on the many issues that will affect their futures. Follow Tiffany Taylor, this year’s U.S. Youth Observer, on twitter @USYouthObserver to keep up with her activities at the UN.
We Manage An Impressive Careers Website: We manage an International Organization Careers Website that includes a database of information about career opportunities at the United Nations and International organizations worldwide. There is a section dedicated to information about internships and another on youth and young professional programs. We encourage you to follow-us on twitter for the latest updates on career opportunities and to visit the website and sign-up for job alerts.
We’re Online & Very Social: With diplomatic missions to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, Montreal, Nairobi, New York, Paris, Rome and Vienna our missions are staffed with personnel who are keen to engage youth on their day to day work and career experiences. We’re on twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest…you name it! Check out this complete list of all of our social media properties and keep up with U.S. engagement with international organizations.
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Heather Higginbottom poses with UNA-NCA President Donald Bliss and Global Classrooms DC Secretary-General Kenneth Bryant after the opening ceremony at the U.S. Department of State. State Department Photo. April 29, 2014.
Photos from the State Department Twitter (@State_IO)
“#DiplomacyMoment: @JohnKerry met w/ heads of international humanitarian orgs at #StateDept” (Credit- State Dept)
