Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in the United Nations Graduate Study Programme (UNGSP 2009) organized around the theme "The United Nations: Working to Reduce the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Human Rights, Development and the Environment." The programme consisted of "an intensive three-week series of lectures and panel discussions focusing on United Nations activities and working groups to formulate conclusions and proposals." I met some truly amazing young people, had a wonderful time exploring Geneva and have no doubt made some friends for life. Yet, unexpectedly, the UNGSP challenged who I am (my morals, values and ideals) to the very core.
Most group programs I have been on (Washington Semester, Caux Scholars, Commonwealth Youth Leaders) have been quite different to the UNGSP. The former three programs all left me re-energized in spirit and determined to make a positive difference in this world. The UNGSP, on the other hand, left me fighting for my idealism. Held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the program fulfilled its objective of giving participants an insider's look into the inner workings of the UN. It did such a good job that I became lost in a world of politics that seemed so difficult to maneuver and that left me questioning the very values of truth, justice and equality, the UN was created to uphold. How can any institution spread morals and values that it fails to implement itself?
Retrospectively, I do still want to work for the UN, perhaps more than before, but my rationale has now changed. The work of the UN is not only about peacekeeping, human rights and conflict resolution, but rather it entails creating positive change on both individual and organizational levels. Trust, honesty, justice and equality must be upheld within any organization before these values can be perpetuated across the world.
Yet, perhaps I still have not learned the lesson and remain too idealistic. The UN after all is made up of country states which all have their own national agendas. Can global politics be more than a zero-sum game? Can national interest and global human interest coexist or work to reinforce each other? Many foreign policy analysts would say no. Yet I continue to dream, of a "real idealism" a world in which ideal values can be realistically implemented. UN staff members need to start by taking a deep introspective look within themselves. Are we being honest? Are we just? Or have we already accepted the rules of the game and do we seek our own advancement on these rules, without questioning whether these rules are right or not?
I am not sure how I can effectively work or compete in an environment filled with people who view global politics as self-interest instead of service. But perhaps my year spent at the LSE has prepared me for this. I knew this self-interested behavior existed in the corporate world, in governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations and in law firms, yet I never expected it would exist so blatantly and on so many different levels at an international organization, such as the UN, and all its subsidiary organizations. Perhaps, my expectations have shaped my reaction. I have now come to realize that human behavior is not something we can control or even anticipate and yet, it is the base unit upon which organizations are built.
On a more positive note, the UNGSP gave me an opportunity to meet with the President of the Human Rights Council and attend two meetings of the Human Rights Committee. These two bodies attempt to create enforcement mechanisms for international human rights law and perhaps represent a new start for the UN. These two experiences were greatly cherished in the midst of it all.
So where does this program leave me? Do I continue on my path to peace and try to encourage others to uphold their own morals and values despite the grave costs faced, or will I also fall victim to a system fraught by moral and ethical dilemmas that is the only hope for millions of people around the world? In Islam, one of the Hadiths urges us to always turn to the poor as a judge of our own lives. Hopefully, the day will never come when I feel removed from those I've always wanted to help. As I move on in life, my path to peace seems to be constantly filled with more and more challenges and obstacles. I was very grateful to return to London, where slowly my idealism has returned and where I still dream of a brighter day.
DISCLAIMER: these views are mine alone and are not representative of other participants of the program.
Most group programs I have been on (Washington Semester, Caux Scholars, Commonwealth Youth Leaders) have been quite different to the UNGSP. The former three programs all left me re-energized in spirit and determined to make a positive difference in this world. The UNGSP, on the other hand, left me fighting for my idealism. Held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the program fulfilled its objective of giving participants an insider's look into the inner workings of the UN. It did such a good job that I became lost in a world of politics that seemed so difficult to maneuver and that left me questioning the very values of truth, justice and equality, the UN was created to uphold. How can any institution spread morals and values that it fails to implement itself?
Retrospectively, I do still want to work for the UN, perhaps more than before, but my rationale has now changed. The work of the UN is not only about peacekeeping, human rights and conflict resolution, but rather it entails creating positive change on both individual and organizational levels. Trust, honesty, justice and equality must be upheld within any organization before these values can be perpetuated across the world.
Yet, perhaps I still have not learned the lesson and remain too idealistic. The UN after all is made up of country states which all have their own national agendas. Can global politics be more than a zero-sum game? Can national interest and global human interest coexist or work to reinforce each other? Many foreign policy analysts would say no. Yet I continue to dream, of a "real idealism" a world in which ideal values can be realistically implemented. UN staff members need to start by taking a deep introspective look within themselves. Are we being honest? Are we just? Or have we already accepted the rules of the game and do we seek our own advancement on these rules, without questioning whether these rules are right or not?
I am not sure how I can effectively work or compete in an environment filled with people who view global politics as self-interest instead of service. But perhaps my year spent at the LSE has prepared me for this. I knew this self-interested behavior existed in the corporate world, in governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations and in law firms, yet I never expected it would exist so blatantly and on so many different levels at an international organization, such as the UN, and all its subsidiary organizations. Perhaps, my expectations have shaped my reaction. I have now come to realize that human behavior is not something we can control or even anticipate and yet, it is the base unit upon which organizations are built.
On a more positive note, the UNGSP gave me an opportunity to meet with the President of the Human Rights Council and attend two meetings of the Human Rights Committee. These two bodies attempt to create enforcement mechanisms for international human rights law and perhaps represent a new start for the UN. These two experiences were greatly cherished in the midst of it all.
So where does this program leave me? Do I continue on my path to peace and try to encourage others to uphold their own morals and values despite the grave costs faced, or will I also fall victim to a system fraught by moral and ethical dilemmas that is the only hope for millions of people around the world? In Islam, one of the Hadiths urges us to always turn to the poor as a judge of our own lives. Hopefully, the day will never come when I feel removed from those I've always wanted to help. As I move on in life, my path to peace seems to be constantly filled with more and more challenges and obstacles. I was very grateful to return to London, where slowly my idealism has returned and where I still dream of a brighter day.
DISCLAIMER: these views are mine alone and are not representative of other participants of the program.
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