As the United Nations prepared to open the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September, QUNO began a new chapter of its own. In both the New York and Geneva offices, the QUNO staff was excited to welcome new members of our team. In Geneva, we welcomed new Programme Assistants Johan Cavert and Kaya Van der Horst. In New York, we were joined by Programme Assistants Chelsea Comas and Ailih Weeldreyer, as well as a new UN Representative, Jessica Walker-Keleher.  

As part of QUNO’s revolving Programme Assistant cohorts, Ailih, Chelsea, Johan, and Kaya are young professionals who over the next year will have opportunities to hone their skills and help to implement Quaker principles in the field of international affairs. “I am excited to work within an organization that holds central my core values of justice and peace as I begin a career in international diplomacy and influencing U.S. foreign policy,” Ailih said, looking forward to expanding her experience.

PAs in New York will closely monitor activity at the United Nations and liaise between QUNO and the network of people involved in civil society work there. “QUNO’s dedication to peace advocacy and uplifting voices is admirable,” Chelsea said of what drew her to QUNO. “During my time as a Program assistant, I hope to build an advocacy skill set that centers people first and to gain exposure to UN mechanisms that interact with international law.” Both Chelsea and Ailih have since contributed personal reflections on events they monitored during UNGA, which can be read here and here, respectively.  

Likewise, PAs in Geneva will engage with international policies, with Kaya focused on human rights and refugees and Johan on climate change. “Prioritizing environmental justice as a means to further human rights and equality, I am inspired by QUNO’s model of diplomacy which seeks to address the underlying systemic problems that have contributed to the climate crisis,” Johan said of his outlook on the work to come at QUNO Geneva. To learn more about our Programme Assistants, visit our staff page here.

As QUNO New York’s new UN Representative, Jessica brings extensive experience in intersecting fields of conflict resolution and human rights. “After a career in peacebuilding, I was drawn to QUNO by its steady presence at the UN as well as its steadfast commitment to just and nonviolent international norms,” she said speaking of embarking on her new chapter at QUNO. As an attorney, she has advocated for humanitarian aid in places like Rwanda, Guinea, and Cuba, and has supported various groups of Indigenous Peoples in the United States in accessing education for their children.

 Please join the QUNO staff in welcoming these new faces to our team and watch this space for the latest updates on our work. Let us see what peace can do!