The Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is inviting graduate and recent post-graduate students to apply for its fellowships at the United Nations, a  program of its Faith-based Diplomacy and Advocacy Initiative launched in 2015 with $300,000 in funding from Leadership 100. Since then, a total of three fellowships have been granted.

Our programs at the U.N. have been growing every year and continue to effectively represent the Church in civil society,” said the Rev. Dr. Nathanael Symeonides, Director of the Department. “We want to continue bringing Orthodox Christians into these fellowships to empower them as future professionals, diplomats, policy-makers and advocates.”

Two applicants will be selected for yearlong stipend fellowships that will begin in the fall of 2017. The fellows will work in New York City in the department’s office at the Church Center for the United Nations.

Fellows will focus their work at the U.N. in three main areas: human rights, environment, or humanitarianism.

Among other activities, fellows will have the opportunity to join and participate in the work of nongovernmental organization committees at the U.N., assist in formulating oral and written statements and interventions, plan and host events during U.N. Economic and Social Council functional commissions, and participate in panel discussions at future biennial national Clergy-Laity Congresses.

For more information about the program and to apply for a fellowship, visit un.goarch.org/fellowship.

The deadline for submitting an application for a 2017-2018 fellowship is May 15, 2017.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is accredited as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Council (GOAC) through the United Nations Department of Public Information and has General Consultative Status under the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It has been actively engaged at the UN for more than 35 years.