The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Opens the Door to Cooperation with Students

Updated: Jun 1

During his visit to New York, the Head of the Foreign Service met with representatives of the Polish Youth Association and student clubs operating at American universities. He talked with young people about diplomatic and consular applications and programs implemented by the diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other possibilities of work in the Polish foreign service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, as well as international organizations and institutions.

In the meeting, the youth/students were represented by representatives of the Board of the Polish Youth Association with the President Jakub Staniewski and the program director Natalia Ostapowicz at the head, and representatives of the Polish student Community from the university: Yale University (Julia Wojtkowski), Rutgers University (Veronica Tęcza, Anna Gutowska, Patryk Podgórny), Fordham University (Robert Cydzik), New York University (Zuzanna Skolimowska), Baruch College (Piotr Kadzielawski). The Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York Adrian Kubicki, Consul of the Republic of Poland in New York Mateusz GMura, KGRP trainee Nicole Nowak-Trojanowska, and assistant of the head of the foreign service Agata Supińska took part.

The head of the Foreign Service Arkady Rzegocki told the youth about the work in diplomacy, what role youth can expect to be expected, how can they become a consul, and what is associated with working in a foreign institution of the Republic of Poland. During the meeting, young people discovered that working in diplomacy is not only about issuing passports and official matters. Positions are available for people who have completed a variety of fields: From IT to accounting and economics. The Head of the Foreign Service invited students to consider the rich offer of opportunities available to young people in consulates, embassies and the UNThe participants also heard about scholarships available to students (such as those offered by the National Academic Exchange Action – NAWA). Students were invited to cooperate with Poland in the field of their career development, as well as to participate in Polish organizations.

In conclusion, the Consul General Adrian Kubicki stated that working in diplomacy does not necessarily have to be associated with tedious work in the office (or in the case of an intern/intern running for a coffee to a Consul General), but it allows people involved in it to gradually contribute to positive changes in the surrounding society and the opportunity to develop their own skills, meet new people and participates in interesting initiatives. He emphasized the openness of the Consulate General in New York regarding cooperation with young people and invited Polish student clubs to engage the Consulate General in their projects explaining the role of honorary patronage or the presence of the Consul at events.

The meeting ended with a joint photo and a declaration from representatives of student clubs about the dissemination of information provided by the Minister among a wider group of students during the next meetings of clubs.

Work in diplomacy is beneficial not only because you can enrich your resume, but also allows you to discover your skills, share your talents with others, and, in the case of people born outside Poland, allows you to get to know your homeland closely, it often contributes to the desire for a possible return to Poland. It is a great opportunity to represent Poland outside the country and be a true ambassador of Polishness. We encourage everyone to consider internships and possible professional work at the Consulate General, the local foreign institution of the Republic of Poland, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We always say that youth is the future of the world and of the nation – here below we present more information on how to translate it into reality.

Detailed information on practices at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is available at: https://www.gov.pl/web/dyplomacja/praktyki-wolontariat-i-staz. For people interested in internships/volunteering at individual foreign institutions (in a consulate or embassy), we recommend direct contact with representatives of individual foreign institutions.