Culture Sector Internship at UNESCO

UNESCO Culture Sector Internship

The UNESCO Culture Sector aims to promote culture and the creative economy and safeguard cultural and natural heritage in response  to  the  global  challenges  addressed  by  the  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development,  as  well  as  conflicts, disasters and emergencies,  by  implementing  the  six  UNESCO  Culture  Conventions  and  the  recommendations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Age:

• You must be at least 20 years old to apply.

Communication skills:

• You should possess strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Computer skills:

You must have an excellent knowledge of computer systems and office-related software.

Academic qualifications:

• At the time of your application to the internship programme:
• You should be currently enrolled AND on the 3rd (third) year or final year of your Bachelor’s degree;

OR

• You should be currently enrolled in your second university degree, Master’s or PhD degree or equivalent;

OR

• You should have finished your Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree within the last 12 months (date of completion as indicated in diploma).

Applicants in technical/vocational assignments must be enrolled in a specialized technical/vocational institution and must have reached the last year of their studies, or have recently graduated (within the last 12 months) from their school or institution.  

Languages:

• You should have an excellent command, both written and spoken, of English or French. A working knowledge of the other language (English or French) is an asset, and may be required for internships in secretarial and assistantship assignments at the Headquarters.

Team player:

You should be able to work well in a team and adapt to an international working environment.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In this framework, we are looking for candidates to join the Culture Sector as interns to work under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Culture (ADG/CLT), and the general supervision of the Director/Chief of Entity, and the direct supervision of the Head of Unit/Programme Specialist to contribute to the work of the Unit/Entity, in particular to:

• Assist in conducting research, compiling data and carrying out analysis, drafting and preparing materials pertaining to the implementation of the UNESCO Culture Conventions.
• Participate and assist with upcoming meetings, training workshops, events, webinars and conferences organized by the Sector, taking notes and preparing minutes.
  
• Assist in the implementation and monitoring of Culture programmes and activities.
  
• Contribute to the preparation of documents, reports, work plans and communication content including briefings, talking points, speeches and online content for the Sector.
  
• Contribute to any additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the Unit/Entity within the Culture Sector.
• Assist in building and maintaining working relationships with other Sectors/Entities, donors/partners, relevant national and international organizations, etc.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This assignment is expected to provide the intern with the opportunity to develop skills in some of the following areas, depending on the needs of the team during the internship:

• Develop skills to elaborate internal and external written materials with diplomatic awareness and professional tone in an international context.
• Gain experience working in a multicultural team and for an international organization.
• Develop a fundamental understanding and overview of the mission and structure of the UNESCO Culture Sector in protecting and promoting cultural heritage and creativity.
• Acquire an understanding of the mandate of UNESCO as well as its role and functioning as an international organization of the United Nations System.
• Cultivate communication, social media and project management skills.

Core Competencies

• Innovation (C) 
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C).
• Communication (C) 
• Accountability (C) 
• Results focus (C) 
• Teamwork (C). 
• Professionalism (C) 

Type of contract : Internship
Duty Station : Headquarters, Field Offices, and Institutes
Duration of contract : 1 to 6 months
Application deadline (Midnight Multiple Time) : 31 December 2026

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT

• Candidates shall apply to this vacancy notice (or any of the available vacancy notices that match their expertise, domain, or interest). Please note that you are applying to become part of the pool of intern candidates, not to a specific internship opening.
• Candidates who successfully applied will stay in the intern talent pool and will be further assessed and selected by relevant hiring managers.  The candidature will be valid for 6 months. 
• Candidates who have been selected will be contacted directly by the relevant hiring manager. If the candidate does not receive any update from UNESCO within six months, it means that the application has not been successful.