Outreach week in New York: PSIA at the United Nations – Part 3: Who is thinking about the ship?

09/05

Outreach week in New York: PSIA at the United Nations – Part 3: Who is thinking about the ship?

Ok, it was not difficult to guess who would have the capacity of implementing the instruments. But honestly, before visiting the ambassadors of the different countries we had to cool down a little bit, take a bath on the 27^th floor of the hotel, walk around Times Square, test some bars of the lower Eastside, discover Brooklyn by night and reenergize. Fortunately that was no problem thanks to the American culture. A 25 year old man needs about 2500kcal per day, a woman 1900kcal. According to the menu one good burger plus French fries with a little ice cream as dessert easily overmatches the barrier of 3000kcal. That leaves a little energy spill-over allowing us to walk to the U.S., the French and the Brazilian UN-embassy instead of taking one of the yellow cabs. The first welcomed us with a security control, the second with a beautiful view from the 44^th floor on the sundown over Manhattan and the third with Brazilian coffee and a snack.

The discussions showed us that the arguments and perceptions were as different as the three embassies. Everybody claimed to support the UN in the best possible way. One takes the overall financial payments as proof, the other the proportion between the respective GDP and the financial support. One emphasizes its diplomatic influence behind the scene, the other the actual work on the ground.

The United Nations are after all a union of independent countries with differing interests and capacities. Or as one of the UN-officials had said: “The UN is a huge ship made up of several states. It has several floors – the highest of those floors has the most influence and power. All states are very good at looking after their own cabins and seeing how he can get it bigger or move to a higher floor; whereas nobody is thinking about the ship or where it is going.

Walking around the UN: Ahead to the next conference!

Meanwhile, we all realized that although the UN did make a few wrong turns, it was still moving forward. This ship has not sunk because the UN is not only made of States but also out of individuals –people like Mr. Harland, Mrs. Hilde Johnson who played a pivotal role in the peace process in Sudan, or Prince al-Hussein. They effectively ensure that the ship continues to move forward even through the thickest of fogs.

Insight and look-out. PSIA students at the French representation to the UN.

Having observed the contradictory visions and the individual struggles behind the (normally) closed doors has contributed to greatest deal to the understanding of the challenges and possibilities of conflict resolution.

We have also learned some very practical things: First, if you have to give an answer that you do not want to give, lower your voice to a level that no one can hear you. Second, for men business casual is less casual, more business and definitely something with a tie; and it is suitable every day according to the evening announcement of Jacques De Champchesnel: “Tomorrow same dress code!” Violent disputes in the hotel rooms for the limited resource of ironed shirts could only be prevented thanks to our newly acquired conflict resolution skills. By the way, “women are always good looking” and therefore free in their under less heavy dress code constraint.

Diplomacy and hospitality: Sciences Po student Adriana chatting with Lakhdar Brahimi and the permanent representative of Brazil to the UN Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti.

The New York experience is promising. Adriana took the lead and hopefully she will be come back to the Brazilian embassy in summer. Others found their fortune elsewhere. “This is our trip!” screamed Augusto in a bar in Harlem. And yes, that was also part of the understanding. When we arrived the place was deadly empty; in the end everybody danced. The owner had told us: “The place will give back all the energy you put in.” With this hope for our future and peaceful conflict settlements we took the flight back to Paris. This time there was no upper deck; there was not much talking either. Too many things had to be reassessed; too much sleep had to be caught up. And then there is still the word – the one word which makes the difference. We keep searching.