Person – Page 3 – Career Meaning

First Person: Saving the Earth from space

Dr. Calvin advises NASA leadership on its science programmes and related strategic planning and investments. Also serving as its senior climate advisor, she provides insights and recommendations for related science, technology, and infrastructure projects for climate action, from developing a new instrument to track pollution hourly to launching a water-tracking satellite. NASA Chief Scientist and…

First Person: Why indigenous peoples can help save the planet

“For indigenous peoples, the land, the forest, water, is life. We depend on the natural environment, and we care for our surroundings. Managing natural resources is a strong part of our way of life. For example, the way we use rotational farming, avoiding monocultures by planting several different many different types of crops on our…

First Person: Aboriginal Australians suffer from ‘violent history’ and ongoing ‘institutional racism’

Hannah McGlade represents the Kurin Minang Noongar people, at the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Ms. McGlade spoke to UN News at UN Headquarters, during the 2023 session of the Forum, which takes place between 17 and 28 April. “I’ve been an activist in my community sine I was young. I decided to study law…

First Person: Keeping memories of Rwandan genocide victims alive

A toddler’s dress, and a five-year-old’s dress and sweater. Washed, cleaned, but still stained with blood. These are the personal items that Immaculée Songa donated to “Stories of Survival and Remembrance - A call to action for genocide prevention,” currently on show at UN Headquarters, along with a photo album, showing her daughters, Raissa and…

First Person: Passion to feed a healthier Gambia

At only 24 years of age, Alhadgie Faal has built a successful small business, by turning family land in Kanuma, which is in Gambia’s North Bank region, into a sizable plot, where he grows fruit and vegetables to sell to restaurants and hotels. He started his company after receiving training from a UN Capital Development…

First Person: Journeys of resilience in Ukraine

Manfred Profazi, who is based in Vienna, Austria, has been touring some of the regions in Ukraine which have been most seriously affected by over 13 months of conflict following Russia’s full-scale invasion. He has told UN News what he’s been seeing across the devastated country and how IOM has provided comfort to people forced…

First Person: ‘Simple dreams’ of Syrians following earthquake

Shirin Yaseen from the Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General visited northwestern Syria as part of an interagency mission to assess the situation there. “On the day we visited Jindairis in northern Syria, one of the areas most affected by the February earthquake, the weather conditions were very bad. A mobile medical clinic housed in…

First Person: The Indonesian power ranger

Known by her nickname, Ega was one of 15 women selected to participate in the UN Development Programme-supported Perempuan Inspiratif Mitra Polhut (Inspiring Women to Partner with Forest Rangers) initiative, which aims to protect the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park and provide opportunities to nearby communities. © Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park Authority/CIWT Project Indonesia…

First Person: Starting from zero – Gambian returning migrant counts cost of attempted Europe crossing

“I’m from Jarra, a rural area in the Lower River Region of The Gambia, in the middle of the country. I moved to the capital, Banjul, when I was 15, to live with my brother and go to high school. I didn’t graduate, though, because we couldn’t afford the fees. Around five years ago, when…

First Person: ‘Nepal is ready for its next chapter’

There are currently 46 so-called Least Developed Countries (LDCs), a United Nations designation. They have been participating in an international conference in Doha, Qatar, focused on how best to support their development and future graduation from the LDC group. Subharsh Nepali (left) and colleagues (file) “In the 1970s, when Nepal was first included in the…