Ekkehard Griep

When our son graduated from school in Geneva, the speaker said that no matter how reasoned and even cynical UN officials may act, underneath they are a very idealistic group with a firm belief that they are accomplishing something for 'World Peace'. This set of interviews with a wide assortment of Germans who have worked at the UN shows that this holds true for them.

The format is of interviews with very similar questions asked of each participant. This has the advantage of making it easy to compare, but after a while it can also get boring. But don't skim too fast, as there are lovely anecdotes hidden in many of the answers. The final question for most was, 'Would you recommend working at the UN to young people today?' Of course many people mentioned some of the difficulties, but even they tended to agree that for those who are interested in making a difference in the world, and are open to people from other cultures, work at the UN is an experience nothing else can match.

(Disclosure: My husband's career was in the UN in Vienna and Geneva, and I worked there before our children were born.)… (más)