Work Location

Geneva, Switzerland

Expected duration

3-6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

This unpaid internship is located in the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva. The United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva is the voice of the United Nations Office at Geneva. Through the media and its own news and information products, UNIS keeps the world informed about Geneva’s unique role in multilateralism, diplomacy, and international relations. It also fosters a dialogue with key audiences, especially youth, through a range of outreach activities. UNIS conveys the official position of the United Nations on a wide range of subjects through press conferences and briefings, official statements, interviews, podcasts, social media, and outreach events. It provides both breaking news and in-depth material to international print and audiovisual media and serves the needs of close to 200 correspondents from the world’s major news agencies and foreign media outlets permanently accredited to the United Nations in Geneva. Duties and Responsibilities Under the primary supervision of the Chief of Press and External Relations Section, and with the support of other UNIS staff, the Public Information Intern's duties will include the following: Help with planning, organizing, conducting, and evaluating various outreach events in winter and spring 2025, including: Ferney-Voltaire Model UN (Fer MUN); the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust; the Rwanda Genocide Commemoration; the World Press Freedom Day; the International Day of UN Peacekeepers; and outreach activities across Switzerland; and planning and helping organize events in connection with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, including an open house event for International Geneva at Balexert shopping mall in Geneva; Contribute to daily media monitoring of Swiss newspapers (in German, French, and English), along with other UNIS interns; Use UNIS Trello Boards to plan, create and curate social media content for @UNGeneva platforms, maintain and update weekly editorial calendars, collect and collate multimedia information from different departments and organizations; Attend biweekly press briefings; and raft press briefing summaries (in English); Attend meetings and side events of the Human Rights Council, and other major events, and draft minutes (in English and/or in French); Draft stories and video scripts in English and in French, on events and developments at UN Geneva, to be reviewed, edited, and possibly published on the UN Geneva website; Carry out other tasks as requested by the United Nations Information Service.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met: (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent). Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. For this internship, studies in mass communications, journalism, digital media, political science, international relations, or programme management are required. Do you meet this criterion? Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet the above criterion? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that, if selected, you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

Fluency in both English and French, oral and written, is required for this position. Knowledge of German or Italian is an advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.