ANCA Internship at UN Armenia Mission Kicks off

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Eastern Region-sponsored internship at the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN kicked off last week. This unique, highly competitive, and multifaceted internship program—now in its second year—has brought in some of the best and brightest from the world to New York, where they will gain valuable experience while having a direct impact on urgent Armenian issues, such as the safety and security of Nagorno-Karabagh.

The ANCA-ER sponsored interns to the Armenian Mission to the UN for 2011 are Christine Maydossian, Andre Arzoo, Garineh Ashjian, Nathalie Demirjian, Narine Atamian and Sosse Beugekian.  These six interns prevailed in a highly competitive application process based on their levels of experience in the field of international relations, their outstanding academic achievements and involvement in the Armenian community.  “This year’s group of interns is particularly talented and knowledgeable,” said Ani Tchaghlasian, the chair of the ANCA-ER UN Internship Committee. “We are confident that they will prove to be incredibly helpful to the Mission and gain invaluable experience for their future careers.”

The first three weeks of the internship will give the interns an opportunity to acquire hands-on experience at the United Nations, working directly with the Armenian delegation at the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN. The last week of the internship will include a series of intensive lectures and workshops on the most pressing issues facing Armenia and the Armenian nation today.

At the Armenian Mission, the interns will apply their professional and volunteer experience to prepare diplomatic reports and conduct research on UN activity as it relates to Armenia, its neighbors, and other nations in the region. They will assist the Mission in its efforts to build relations with other countries and educate diplomats on Armenian issues, and with its long-term and day-to-day projects.

The last week of the internship will include a series of intensive lectures and workshops on the most pressing issues confronting Armenia and the Armenian Nation.  These topics include human rights in the Caucusus, the geopolitics of the region, reparations, women’s rights, public health and education in Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Javakhk, Hamshin Armenians,  and Armeno-Turkish relations. Organizations and speakers for these topics include Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Robert Avetisyan, the representative of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic to the U.S.; and Khatchig Mouradian from the Armenian Weekly.