What did you study before coming to Geneva and what brought you to the Institute for your master’s?
My background is in International Political Economy, with a focus on international trade. When I was 14, I discovered the world of Model United Nations, which sparked my interest in diplomacy and public service. Being born and raised in Lima, Peru, and having completed my bachelor’s in the United States, I’ve always been drawn to educational programmes that offer immersive experiences — opportunities that allow real exposure to deepen our understanding as global citizens.
Looking beyond my time in South and North America, I wanted to keep exploring the world and learn how other global actors engage with Latin America and beyond. Geneva seemed the perfect place for this. As the center of the United Nations in Europe, it offers constant exchanges of ideas across international, humanitarian, and scientific organisations. The Institute’s proximity to these spaces was a decisive factor, being just a short walk away from historic decision-making hubs is invaluable.
I was also attracted to the MINT programme for its interdisciplinarity and the opportunity to specialise in Sustainable Trade and Finance, aligning perfectly with my career interests.
What have been some of the highlights of your master’s so far?
I think the possibility of combining academic, pre-professional, and extracurricular activities altogether is something that stands out of my time at the Institute.
My Applied Research Project titled “Accelerating Fundraising Through AI Enhancing Matchmaking Between Impact Investors and Impact-Driven Enterprises to Help Achieve SDGs” was the perfect opportunity to blend teamwork and stakeholder engagement around a purpose-driven finance for sustainable development through technology.
Along the same lines, my internships at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have allowed me to transform knowledge into know-how, working with project managers in a variety of areas but mostly focused in digital transformation, circular economy, capacity building, and energy transition. These experiences have really helped me refine my interests and focus my thesis on the intersection of trade, technology, and the environment.
Being the Class Representative for my track, nonetheless, has been one of the most meaningful highlights. Whether organising our class apéros or professional visits, community building has always been central to me, and I find joy in bringing people together. I’m grateful my classmates trusted me with this role.
Learning about the Institute’s history, especially its link to Canton de Genève and its origins as a school for the first international civil servants in the UN, has been inspiring.
You are Co-President of the Latin American Network Initiative (LANI) at the Institute – how has your time with LANI added to your experience at the Institute?
LANI has been the perfect place for me to not only keep connected with my Latin American identity but also share what that identity means to our global community at the Institute. Every week we have a general body meeting, an open space for any student to discuss the current state of the region as well as share ideas for events or activities they would like to have. From organising panels with the UN Library of Geneva such as the Women in Latin American Diplomacy to collaborations with NGOs such as Peace Brigades International and Festival Filmar, LANI has shown me that our outreach goes beyond Maison de la Paix and that our network is one of the strongest in the city.
You are a “trade and environment intern” at the ITC. What has that experience been like, and do you hope to continue on working on environmental issues?
For someone with an interest in different things, sometimes picking just one is hard to accomplish. That’s why working at the intersection of trade and the environment has been so rewarding to me. At ITC, I’ve worked with Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) — the backbone of economies in low- and middle-income countries — on projects in Zambia, Eastern Africa, and Jordan. I’ve been able to contribute to the Green Performance Toolkit (GPT) to help MSMEs make informed business decisions to enhance environmental performance, and more recently, assist in the dissemination of our “Aligning Small Business and Trade with Nationally Determined Contributions: A guide for policymakers and stakeholders”. While I remain hopeful about a future in the world of IOs, my time in Geneva has definitely reinforced the care for our common home that we need to uphold in everything we do.
In your eyes, what sets Geneva apart as a student in the international world?
La Genève Internationale is a melting pot of cultures, careers, and traditions, but rooted in the very Swiss spirit of trust and diplomacy. I think Geneva is the perfect place if you want to gain exposure to the multilateral world and build a career in either the public or private sector that understands how pivotal it is to have a purpose beyond for-profit. What I love the most about Geneva, besides the wonderful Swiss transport system, is that whenever you hop into a bus or even just walking by the Vieille Ville, you can listen to different languages being spoken at the same time. For the food lovers, you can try cuisines from around the world; for the culture oriented, the Canton de Geneve has a lot of public (free) activities for residents and visitors; and for the nature fanatics, you can swim, hike, bike, run, all that in the same proximity.
As someone that puts love and care into language learning, the idea to learn and be immersed into French as part of my degree was a great plus. The possibility to easily study in such a multicultural atmosphere and be able to work in the United Nations system at the same time is something that only Geneva can really offer.
For me that’s the real meaning of le pouvoir de la Genève internationale.