What does it take to be a UNIS intern?

By Kathrin Brock*

The task of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna, as can be guessed by its name, is to provide up-to-date information on the United Nations to its client countries. In the case of UNIS Vienna, these are Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. UNIS Vienna is also responsible for the public relations and information work of the United Nations offices located in Vienna like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) or the United Nations Office for Outer Space affairs (OOSA) and for the Visitors Service.

As UNIS is an organization that does public relations and interacts a lot with the media, UNIS recommends that prospective interns study something which is related to UNIS area of work, such as Journalism, Public Relations or Media and Communications. Also students in Political Science, International Relations and other related subjects might qualify. Above all, it is necessary to be interested in the work of the United Nations.

A very good written and oral knowledge of the English language is a prerequisite for UNIS interns, as English is one of the working languages of the United Nations and all UNIS publications are in English. Additionally, knowledge of the languages spoken in the client countries of UNIS Vienna, namely German, Hungarian, Slovak or Slovene, are desirable. Interns are also asked to draft translations between English and the language of client country.

The assignments at UNIS are distributed according to the intern's skills and language capabilities. The routine assignment in English is to compile a daily international press review (IPR) for senior United Nations officials. The review is based on the press coverage on developments related to the United Nations, particularly those relevant to the work of Vienna-based programmes.

German-speaking interns are assigned to the Austrian desk. Daily tasks here include assisting in the daily compilation of the Austrian press review. That requires reading carefully through different daily and weekly Austrian newspapers and on-line editions and summarizing interesting news items on the work of the United Nations in English. The Austrian press review is sent to the Department of Public Information (DPI) in New York each day, where information officers make the various press reviews available on the United Nations official website and compile a world press review every week. The latter is provided to the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General and to other senior officials.

All UNIS interns are involved in writing press releases on various topics, as for example international days observed by the United Nations. Interns further assist in compiling folders and leaflets on the topics of the international years. Therefore, it would be an advantage to have good writing skills and the ability to research information online.

Interns are also asked to assist in the preparation of press briefings or special events organised by UNIS, such as the observance of the International Peace Day and United Nations Day or events on the occasion of the International Years (e.g. International Year of Sport and Physical Education 2005 or International Year of Micro-credit 2005). Tasks would include technical preparations, preparation of information materials, drafting of summary reports etc.

*(The author was an intern at UNIS Vienna between August and November 2005)