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International

“I have been truly overwhelmed that was the reason for your decision? Maybe you felt is not a secret, do you plan to build something
that it was a time to change? more?
by the inspiration for life I’ve found
You’re absolutely right, this is a fact I’ve been sensitive The poet Carl Sandburg once wrote “Time
through the countless individuals I’m to for many years. There’s certainly a number of cases is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you
so lucky to call my family, my friends out there that advise one should not be in high-pressure have, and only you can determine how it will be
positions for more than 5 years, for fear of a various list of spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend
and my colleagues.” potential mental and physical health issues in the future. it for you”.

I don’t disagree with this, at all. I believe that change,
how they think and operate. They need someone they can in any various form, can renew one’s perspectives and The most important fact I’ve learned working
trust. Someone they can speak with openly, whether on a energy for personal and professional life. for others over the years is, Only I am willing
good day or a bad day. The USG needs someone that will to chase my happiness! My wife and I agree on
tell them the truth, even if it’s not the desirable choice at In recent years, I have noticed that my mind and body this fact. After being together for nearly 2 and
the moment. This is what made them all the same. This aren’t what they used to be. I feel the fatigue of a day for half decades, we chose to continue our chase
is what I tried to provide every single day. This, I believe, a longer period, while it also takes me longer to recover. into the next 2 and a half decades!
is a big part of what we all need and want in our lives. These are definitely the thoughts that go through my
People we can trust and feel truly comfortable with. My head more often these days. Thoughts that I believe There are many things to come for my With Olga Algayerova, last days, farewell.
entire goal was simple; be a good person, to everyone, contributed to my decisions to leave the organization. wife and I in the years ahead. We intend on Courtesy Ryan Kennedy
no matter what, no matter why, just be a good human. changing our lives in the most overwhelming
I always considered myself lucky and unlucky all at once. and wonderful ways. But, please, I’ve
You had only one “gender” disbalance – despite the UN Lucky because I’ve had the honour and pleasure of serving already spoken too much as is. Perhaps,
gender politics, it so happened, that among your bosses, 4 consecutive USG’s. Each one provided an environment with some luck, I’ll be able to connect with
three were men and only one woman. and vision that was so different from the other. With the DIVA International Diplomat again and fill
I’m very happy you addressed this topic, it’s become a arrival of each USG, it was like starting a new position, you in on further details on our progress.
considerable highlight in my career thus far. Until the in a new organization, it was exhilarating in a way. This,
current UNECE Executive Secretary, H.E. Ms. Olga like many other reasons, are likely the reasons I stayed With pleasure. We think that our readers
Algayerova, arrived, I had never professionally worked for a dedicated to the Office of the Executive Secretary. In will be interested to learn what life outside or
woman. In fact, I had never even considered that fact until time, I felt personally responsible for its successes, and beyond the UN can be like.
Ms. Algayerova was appointed to the UNECE. Strangely, its failures. Still, no matter who was in office at the time,
the day I heard the news of her arrival I felt immediate I was always able to look back fondly, and feel I was able Post Scriptum: We do hope that his interview
relief, the kind you get when something familiar is executed to make a positive overall impact. On this high note, I will be of interest to us all, and perhaps we all
exactly as planned. I’ll explain. I was raised by a family full felt it was time that I gracefully bowed out and directed should also re-assess our roles and our usefulness
of very strong minded, intelligent, hard working women. my energy and attention to the next long-term focus. to the Organization too. Very often, we stick or
I even married a very strong minded, intelligent, and even grip to the position, sometimes bringing
hard-working woman. These women instilled in me the What personal memories will you take with you? value, but sometimes not even, just working With Sven Alkalaj. On the same photo from left to right:
foundational principals I live my life by today. The personal memories I’m taking with me are honestly for salary without high inspirations. the current and the former UN Secretaries-General
impossible to count. One of the best take-aways from my Maybe this act of Ryan will be a ringing bell for Antonio Guterres and the former UNOG Director-
Learning I was going to have the opportunity to work for a experience in the United Nations is the relationships I’ve a medium and young generation, especially for General Tokayev.
woman who was appointed by the United Nations Secretary- built over the years. I have been truly overwhelmed by those who have already contributed a lot, and
General was exactly what I was hoping for. Allow me to say the inspiration for life I’ve found through the countless who are often frustrated that there is not much With Christian Friis Bach. Courtesy Ryan Kennedy
here that working for H.E. Ms. Algayerova over the last 4 individuals I’m so lucky to call my family, my friends and left to do – maybe Ryan with his very courageous
and half years has been nothing short of exceptional. Don’t my colleagues. I’ve been able to learn and grow under example is showing us the way forward. Yes,
get me wrong, the 3 male USG’s I worked for left with me the most international roof in the world, through some undoubtedly, to work for the UN is a high
so many brilliant experiences and knowledge I will never of smartest, most robust people the planet has to offer. privilege, and maybe the highest privilege. But
forget. But, none of them were able to open my view to new Thanks to this experience, I now have thousands of once we have made our contribution, maybe
angles of thinking and a heightened sense of my personal personal memories that I will carry with me forever. there is also the time “to collect stones”. And
empathy and consideration. I now know this can only be yes, there is a life after UN too, and if a person
experienced when working for a strong minded, intelligent You are resigning from the UN, and your resignation, wants to make a contribution and to change
and hard-working woman. The experience has done after such successes, make many of us think and re- the life (or even the planet), there are ways and
nothing short of change my life for the better. asses our roles. When a person retires due to age factor, means to do it. We should not be “glued” to our
there is no other solution, but in the middle of the career positions, contracts, etc. If we feel that our time
They say that such an exigent job and the overexposure – when a person full of forces with many years ahead is up, there are other ways to consider where to
to stress require change, at least, after 5 years. Maybe – and capable to build something else or more... If this be useful (to people and/or to the society).

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