Editor's Note: This article was originally published in the 2020 CRES Annual Report.
Brittany Banna ’21, CRES and Community and Regional Planning concurrent student, interned in New York with the Control Arms Coalition, a global network of almost 200 NGOs working to reduce human suffering through regulation of the international arms trade.
Banna supported advocacy and outreach in the development and implementation of workshops and technical training and drafted meetings communications, including the 74th UN General Assembly First Committee on International Security and Disarmament. In addition, Banna completed preparations for the Arms Trade Treaty Academy in Southern Africa, a regional training on the implementation of the ATT for member countries of the Southern Africa Development Community, creating an analysis of arms exports and imports.
Learn about her experience in the first-hand account below.
My journey to New York started in winter quarter of 2019 when I enrolled in Professor Diane Baxter’s Israel-Palestine course. I shared with Professor Baxter my visions for a future career based on the premise of wanting to dynamically engage with local and global communities. She knew that I wanted to help transform the way we engage in politics and negotiation without violence.
Professor Baxter reached out to Palestinian activist Mubarak Awad, founder of Nonviolence International (NVI), on my behalf and organized a meeting for the three of us. I then made a formal request to be a part of any internship opportunity to engage in and contribute to a campaign actively working toward global nonviolence. Thankfully, he was a great resource and after a lengthy and in-depth application process, I began my work with the Control Arms Coalition (CAO).
The CAO is an international alliance of nongovernmental organizations working for strong international arms control. In 2013, after more than a decade of sustained advocacy and campaigning by the organization, the historic Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by overwhelming vote at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. It is the first global treaty to regulate the conventional arms trade and a momentous achievement by the Control Arms Coalition, so I was thrilled to begin my work with them.
As an international organization, the Control Arms Coalition has offices stationed in London, Geneva, and New York. I was based in the New York office–headquarters of the UN—from August through November of 2019.
I was assigned to play a role in supporting the Coalition’s advocacy and outreach, in the development and implementation of workshops and technical training, as well as drafting social media and communications campaigns around relevant international meetings, particularly the 74th UN General Assembly First Committee on International Security and Disarmament. This included logistical arrangements that enabled Control Arms members from the global south to attend this meeting. I also conducted research that contributed to the development of the advocacy strategy at First Committee.
Another main project I was privileged to work on included completing preparations for the ATT Academy in Southern Africa, a regional training on the implementation of the ATT for member countries of the Southern Africa Development Community. For this project, I conducted research to identify a venue for the training and cost-effective hotels in Windhoek, Namibia and prepared an analysis of arms exports and imports in this region based on official reports submitted by these governments to the ATT Secretariat, as well as the UN Registrar for Conventional Weapons.
My supervisor and our team-members’ unwavering commitment to our campaigns and devotion to improving the global condition of humanity inspired me to pause and reconsider how each of us has a responsibility to the world. I was among people who were present because they cared, sincerely, about fostering change for the betterment of others and the planet. The steadfastness I witnessed in my supervisor, who was the professional I spent most of my campaigning time with, was remarkable. Her endeavors to help end the flow of arms and ammunition that fuel conflict, poverty and human rights abuses on a global scale were inspiring.
For those with an interest in interning some day at the United Nations, here are my humble tips:
1. Have patience with the process.
Applying for a position like this can feel like a rigorous and lengthy process but perhaps this is only to be expected in seeking out a role you can play at the world’s most famous organization devoted to seeking peace on a global scale.
2. Use CRES career resources.
I am extremely grateful for the support and guidance of my thesis advisor and class professor who advocated for my capability and potential to function in my role with integrity and efficacy. The CRES team supported this effort unconditionally by compassionately helping me find mediums of financial assistance and planning ahead for my academic curriculum in order for me to participate in this endeavor.
3. Clarify your passion.
The successful candidate for an internship at the United Nations and/or for an NGO in the UN network should know what they’re passionate about, what drives their creativity, and organize their application process with thoughtfulness.
By Brittany Banna CRES/MCRP ’21