Young Diplomats: Why an Estonian Diplomat Is Optimistic

“The world is big. There are different parts of the world. We’re far from each other, and that’s the beauty of the United Nations—that we get to be together, closer, to understand each other’s way of thinking,” says Deivi-Paivi Jahami, an Estonian representative at the UN who specializes in human rights. 

As the world body faces intense criticism regarding its relevance to maintaining global peace and security, Jahami says that despite the challenges, the UN remains the only forum for discussing many life-and-death global issues.

In this interview with PassBlue, part of our new short-video series, “Young Diplomats,” Jahami highlights the UN’s role in fostering dialogue and collaboration among the world’s 193 countries, saying: “The work of the UN is so important because there is no other way that we can talk, all of us, the whole world, about what is happening in our view, in the world. We need to have a platform for all countries to sit together, have an equal voice in the room.”

One way she encouraged young people to get involved in diplomacy was by participating in model UN programs, as she did, or to be part of youth delegations to the UN. You could even write your own speech in the General Assembly!

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