Suggestions for high school students and college undergraduates

Start early!

• Master the principal language of your higher education. The major requirement for a language professional at the United Nations is a perfect command of one's active language. Explore your cultural heritage, enjoy the beauty of your national literature and get to know a variety of literary styles and genres. Study various means of expression and learn to navigate the intricate labyrinth of meanings and connotations. Listen to the speeches of prominent public figures and examine the major constitutional and legal documents of your country. Join a debate team and learn how to communicate your thoughts and ideas and how to introduce and defend your opinions and arguments. Participate in writing competitions. Learn about other countries and regions of the world in which your native language is spoken, and familiarize yourself with its regional variations.

• Learn about the world’s nations and peoples and study their languages. Remember that a language professional at the United Nations must have a perfect command of his or her main language, which must be one of the official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish), and an excellent knowledge of at least two other official languages. It is not enough for a language professional merely to have studied a foreign language. In-depth knowledge is required, as well as an extensive vocabulary, a comprehensive understanding of grammatical structure and familiarity with cultural and social distinguishing features. This kind of command of a foreign language takes years to acquire. Seek out opportunities for immersion in specific language environments; communicate with native speakers and study the history, culture and political system of a country or region in which the language is spoken.

Studying foreign languages will expand your horizons, enrich your overall educational background, introduce you to new concepts and teach you to be tolerant and respectful of the values of others and to better appreciate your own cultural heritage. It will build your learning skills, cognitive ability and concentration, train your memory and, in the long term, enhance your study of all other disciplines.

Acquiring a foreign language helps you gain new friends and win their confidence. Above all, it will improve your chances to fulfil your career aspirations, to become a mediator between cultures and countries, helping to promote communication among peoples, and improving relations among nations.

• Read, read, and read! Language professionals have to be painstaking, voracious readers. Reading enriches the background knowledge which is so essential for a language professional.

Read newspapers and other information sources regularly, and do not limit yourself to local publications. A wide variety of major newspapers is currently available for the global readership. Take advantage of modern technology and compare coverage of the same events from different national and political perspectives.

• Stay informed about the global social, political and economic situation, follow the major political and social developments in your own country and elsewhere, and pay attention to the language used by politicians, government officials and political analysts.

The more knowledgeable you are about political and international affairs and the more curious and inquisitive you are about such areas as human rights, peace and security, economic and social development, humanitarian affairs and international law, the better prepared you will be for a career as a language professional in an international organization.