U.N. & U.S. Government Boot Camps for Students Around the World


HDI organizes Boot Camps for students from all over the world to learn more about the work of the United Nations system, the work of diplomats based in New York City and Washington, D.C. as well as the work of the U.S. government. These Boot Camps help inform the next generation of global leaders about critical international issues and connects students with current global leaders.


By the end of the Boot Camp students have gained first-hand knowledge of how global, multilateral and U.S. bilateral diplomacy is crafted and implemented, not from textbooks, but from the practitioners themselves. Key topics covered include peace and security, human rights, governance, refugees and migration, food security, counter terrorism, gender equality, global public health, environmental conservation, peacebuilding and peacekeeping, the role of intelligence in international diplomacy, inclusion of civil society, and legislative involvement in United States foreign policy. A significant amount of time is also devoted to discussion on international and national internships and career opportunities.


These Boot Camps normally consist of a week of briefings at the United Nations in New York where students learn about the workings of the U.N. system. This is followed by a week in Washington, D.C. where participants meet and interact with staff from the Department of State, Congress, and a wide array of NGOs and think tanks.