Naiyuan Zhou, China
Mundus MAPP candidate,
Class of 2017
Intern, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris
Zhou, eager to learn more about how international organizations function, is interning with UNESCO at the institution's Paris, France headquarters. "My daily work includes collecting data on the Silk Road, integrating information onto the website, organizing and editing relevant archives, and translating working documents of the project into Chinese," she explains.
The opportunity to work on the Silk Road Online Platform project in UNESCO's Division of Social Transformations and Intercultural Dialogue, Sector for Social and Human Sciences has given her valuable insight into the organizational structure of UNESCO, as well as the process of implementing and evaluating projects. "I have also learned a lot about the history of the Silk Roads, and also the ongoing initiatives by UNESCO and its member states to reduce conflicts in the region by promoting intercultural dialogues," she says. Zhou is especially proud of the contribution she made in coming up with the slogan (Promoting common cultural heritage: Reinforcing dialogue and interactions) for the Second Meeting of the International Network for the Silk Road Online Platform in Valencia on June 8-12, 2016.
"Working at UNESCO has also given me a lot of opportunities to talk with many interesting and intelligent people, such as my co-workers, visiting scholars I have met at the cafeteria, and fellow interns. It is inspiring to listen to their life and career stories."
During her time at UNESCO, Zhou has gained a new appreciation of the importance of cultural and social understanding in securing long-term international cooperation. "International cooperation will not last if it is based solely on political or economic concerns. There must be cultural and social understanding as well. I believe that what I have learned during this internship will be beneficial as I pursue a career in development policies in developing countries in the future," she says.
In her free time, Zhou has taken advantage of her proximity to "one of the best bouldering areas in the world" to go rock climbing. "I have made some friends here and we usually go climbing a few times a week together. Fontainebleau is one of the best bouldering areas in the world, and it is easily accessible from Paris," she explains. She has also enjoyed walking along La Seine and having coffee in the terraces with a good book.
Read more student internship profiles here.