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Diya Narayan ‘27 was first inspired to apply to Lehigh University because of its strong ties to the United Nations.

Through the Lehigh University/United Nations Partnership, Narayan became an LU/UN Youth Representative. She represented the International Public Relations Association (IPRA). At the U.N., attending conferences about such topics like child labor, child disarmament, and sustainability. She also got the chance to personally meet the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations.

“The fact that we're able to go to the United Nations at least once a month is incredible,” Narayan said. “Other schools don’t have opportunities like this. To have the United Nations even on my resume is something I’m amazed by, let alone the fact I was able to get this position as a freshman.”

Narayan was among those in attendance at the LU/UN Partnership 20th Anniversary Fair on Oct. 24 at the Business Innovation Building. It was one of a handful of events held in recognition of United Nations Day, continuing the Partnership’s year-long celebration of its 20th anniversary.

In addition to the fair, the Partnership hosted an interactive panel discussion with U.N. officials called "How to get the U.N. on Your Résumé.”

The speakers included Malgorzata Juszczak, Director of U.N. Academic Impact; Robert Skinner, Deputy Director and Chief of Partnerships & Global Engagement at the U.N.; and Jayashri Wyatt, Chief of Education Outreach at U.N. Academic Impact.

“Whatever you are passionate about, you can find a job in the United Nations working on it, whether it’s the environment, gender equality, fighting poverty, or fighting racism,” Skinner said. “No matter what it is, there’s someone somewhere in the U.N. working in an area related to your passion.

Wyatt spoke about the different types of jobs at the U.N., resources for finding job openings, and the importance of internships at the United Nations. She also encouraged students to take advantage of everything the LU/UN Partnership offers.

“What you have here at Lehigh is unique,” she said. “Most other universities don’t have something like this.”

The 20th Anniversary Fair featured opportunities for students to learn about the LU/UN Youth Representative Program, the launch of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals Pathway, and a chance to meet United Nations diplomats and staff. It also offered food, music, prizes, and chances to win free trips to the United Nations headquarters  in New York City.

Several Lehigh organizations and partner institutions had information tables at the fair, including Lehigh’s College of Health, the American Association of University Women, the Center for Women Studies and Intervention, the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India, the Medical Women’s International Association, and Nor Luyce.

Ariana Bond ‘28 attended the fair to represent Lehigh’s Center for Gender Equity. She highlighted that nations with both high and low GDPs — like Afghanistan, Somalia, and Papua New Guinea — struggle with gender inequality, particularly in terms of career progression and opportunities for women.

“Gender equality is a global issue, not limited to any one nation,” Bond said. “It’s a complex issue and there’s no one single cause or solution, and I think the LU/UN Partnership helps students understand gender inequality in a global context.”

The fair also introduced the world’s first U.N. Youth Representative Journal, titled Voices of the UNfolding Future. This journal provides accredited Youth Representatives with a platform to share their research and the advocacy work they have undertaken with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The LU/UN Partnership 20th anniversary year-long celebration kicked off last month with a visit from Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N., who offered candid insights about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Despite the limitations of the United Nations, Kyslytsya emphasized the importance of continued diplomatic efforts and global engagement.

Both Oct. 24 events marked United Nations Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the U.N. Charter’s ratification. The U.N. Charter, the organization's foundational treaty, came into effect on Oct. 24, 1945, following its ratification by the majority of signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council.

The LU/UN Partnership provides opportunities for all Lehigh students, faculty, and staff to gain skills necessary to become successful global future makers by engaging with the U.N. via curricular and co-curricular initiatives.

“The Lehigh University/United Nations Partnership is our gateway to the U.N., providing opportunities for faculty, staff, and students alike to directly engage in U.N. conferences, briefings, workshops and meetings with Ambassadors,” Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ‘82 previously said. “It’s been a deeply engaged partnership throughout its history.”

Each year, more than 1,000 Lehigh faculty, staff, and students attend U.N. conferences, high-level briefings, and private meetings with ambassadors and other U.N. officials in New York City and on campus. This year, the partnership placed its 60th student intern in a row at the United Nations.

The LU/UN Partnership offers myriad ways to engage the U.N., including the Youth Representatives Program, internships, class trips, faculty research presentations, the UNA-Lehigh Student Club, and more.