DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
The Culture and Institutions department aims to immerse students in the diplomatic world through visits to international organisations, both governmental and non-governmental institutions, think tanks, museums and cultural foundations. For example, we have visited the Museum of the Swiss people in the World, that highlights diplomatic relations between Switzerland and other countries, as well as the presence of Swiss people around the world. We have also visited the exhibition “War and Peace” at the Martin Bodmer foundation that featured numerous international treaties such as the Treaty of Fribourg (1516) and the treaty that brought the Thirty Years War to an end (Peace of Westphalia).
During these visits, the department helps students discover different actors who play a role in international affairs. Furthermore, the department highlights the relationship between culture and diplomacy.
Send an email to the Culture and Institutions Department
A WORD FROM THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENT
Julie Auzary Duvocelle
“Passionate about the world of diplomacy from an early age, and keen to learn more about how nations relate to each other, the SDSA presented itself to me as an opportunity to be seized. As a student of international relations, the SDSA offers me concrete and professional opportunities to discover and enter the fascinating world of diplomacy. The Culture and Institutions Department, of which I am now co-head, allows me to explore major international issues through visits to public and private organisations. Beyond this instructive and cultural aspect, the SDSA is an association where every member supports and enriches each other culturally. As such, I’m happy and grateful to be part of this association, which encourages me every day to become a better version of myself.”
Célia Mercier
“Guided by the desire to complement my university education in translation with various associative experiences, I joined the SDSA in March 2022 within this same department. The SDSA introduced me to the field of diplomacy, which at the time was still largely unknown to me, and in which I have since developed a growing interest: this is one of the greatest advantages of associative involvement, at the heart of the learning environment and intellectual emulation that I discovered. The Culture and Institutions department, whose mission is to help people discover the richness of international Geneva and its institutions, convinced me from the outset. The SDSA represents in my eyes an unparalleled opportunity for enrichment, enabling me to take part in a high-potential project while gaining access to a community in which I feel fully integrated and which never ceases to pleasantly surprise me.”
ACTIVE MEMBERS
Nicolas Cavadini
“I decided to join the SDSA as I am a student who is totally passionate about the world of diplomacy and international relations in general. This association therefore represents for me a concrete and professional possibility to enter into this world which seems to me often distant and exclusive. Moreover, I envisage for my professional future to take on, one day, a function in the field of Swiss diplomacy. I therefore strongly believe that the SDSA can give me a concrete foundation in this field.”
Wendy Da Moura Semedo
“The SDSA’s ambitions are in line with my reasons for coming to the University of Geneva. As a student of international relations, I joined this association to deepen my knowledge of diplomacy and the current issues it encompasses. The professionalism of the SDSA, which gives each of its members the opportunity to shape their respective professional careers, was a strong point for me.
Finally, being part of a student association with people who share the same interests as I do, is a great way to boost my academic career.”
Indiana Romero Rodriguez :
“Hello, my name is Indiana and I’m originally from the Dominican Republic. I have a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Geneva. I started a Master’s degree in Political Science in Autumn 2022. I’m a very sociable person, passionate about everything I do in general, and particularly about traveling, discovering new horizons, landscapes, cultures and different ways of doing things, which I immortalize through photography. I also enjoy exercising, particularly yoga, climbing, running and dancing. And I can’t wait to start a new adventure with the SDSA.”
Maximilian Gassmann :
“Since the founding of the SDSA in 2019, I have observed its activities from afar. I noticed that the organised events, the invited speakers, became more and more interesting, and that it came to represent a real link between the student body and international Geneva. It was in March 2023 that I finally decided to join the Culture and Institutions Department. On top of being impressed with its excellent organization and structure, I was amazed to see our department manage to organize a visit to the WTO and to the ICRC archives in the two months following my arrival alone.”