Media Fellow Alan Seelinger: "A unique and exciting working environment"
During my time as a Media Fellow, I had the privilege of participating in the unique and exciting working environment at the ICOS. The work at ICOS is fluid and dynamic, and each new development in world events has the potential to serve as a catalyst for energetic idea-sharing, expert analysis, and innovative solutions.

As part of the media department, I was given the responsibility of updating the staff on all media coverage that was pertinent to ICOS policy analysis. I also had the opportunity to submit several opinion pieces and letters to the editor to some of the most prominent newspapers in the world. To my surprise, two letters actually ended up being published!

It was truly a very rewarding experience to work with ICOS, which is rapidly becoming a highly respected and influential voice in the arena of security, development, and counter-narcotics policy. I thoroughly enjoyed learning from and contributing to the groundbreaking work of the Council and I highly recommend it to anyone considering a career in international relations.

Alan Seelinger (media fellow from October to March 2008)

Policy Fellow Dylan Glover: "Research on complex social and economic issues"
During my Fellowship at ICOS I have been charged with a variety of interesting and often challenging projects. They range in discipline from researching and writing documents for our publications to working on the website to graphic design. Something that I liked about my first few months as an intern was the responsibility invested in me with important projects. I felt part of the team immediately and was given a certain amount of autonomy and flexibility to create and write as I was brought up to speed on logistics and the ICOS style.

The best thing about working within ICOS is the feeling that you are working on something meaningful that has an impact on the international policy that affects the lives of those in developing countries. With our work in Afghanistan I really feel that our organisation’s work is on the cutting edge of drug and development policy and that what we do will have a cascading effect on the socio-political and economic development of Afghanistan and, in turn, security for many more around the world.

ICOS has offered training and experience in a variety of subjects and mediums. I now see that getting the experience with programs like Excel, PowerPoint and Photoshop is going to serve me well in my future endeavors, but it is the drafting and research on complex social and economic issues that has made the Fellowship truly fulfilling.

Dylan Glover (policy fellow from February to August 2007)

Media Fellow Marie John: "A good cause"
“Working at ICOS was my favorite experience ever, because even though it is hard to wake up each morning to go to work, you know it is for a good cause. This is something I'm not sure I'll ever find again. As a Media

Fellow I gained in autonomy, initiative, reactivity and creativity. The internship helped me discover the power of communication and I was able to monitor the news regarding Afghanistan.

There were two challenging projects that I was particularly proud to have been a part of. The first was contacting the Canadian media for our first ever event there - from just 8 journalists confirming their presence at an ICOS conference, we started a genuine, national debate on Afghanistan in Canada! The second, and most difficult was going through more than a thousand pictures taken by the field team in Afghanistan to select those showing poverty, despair and in urgent need of development projects.”

Marie John (Media fellow June to September 2006)

Policy Fellow Arthur Segard: "Field research in Kandahar and Helmand provinces"
“Working as an intern at ICOS has been a fascinating experience. Working in an international team of talented people from various backgrounds who share a remarkable commitment to their job and a strong sense of common purpose fuelled my enthusiasm and proved a great opportunity to learn.

As part of the policy research team, I enjoyed the multidisciplinary work -encompassing economics, politics, sociology, military theory, and counter narcotic studies- implied by any attempt to address complex issues of international security and development. ICOS allowed me to develop my synthetic and analytic skills, and to enhance my English proficiency and my multitasking abilities in a highly reactive environment.

Although I spent most of the time working at the Paris office, which is set at the heart of the French capital, I also went to London for a couple of media events and even had the rare opportunity to join two month-long research expeditions in southern Afghanistan. Field research in the rugged Kandahar and Helmand provinces notably involved visiting remote refugee camps, conducting highly instructive and mind-opening interviews in full Afghan clothing, giving hand to food distribution, designing and administrating a province-wide survey and becoming friends with amazing young Afghans, while gaining an inspiring sense of usefulness.

I am confident this unique experience at ICOS will greatly benefit my future life and career.”

Arthur Segard (policy fellow November 2006 to February 2007)

Policy Fellow Johann Bihr: "A motivating and challenging atmosphere"
“I was an intern at ICOS last summer, I spent three exciting months in a motivating and challenging atmosphere. I had the opportunity to bear responsibilities very quickly in a wide range of tasks, from research to logistics or lobbying; in no place but ICOS you can so quickly get involved in the ongoing projects. In the research team you are working on primary information, in a multidisciplinary perspective, to create your own analysis and statistics. It has been a very enriching experience for me to be part of this sympathetic and multicultural team, sharing moments of hard work and more relaxing ones in a feeling of community.

This internship has allowed me to gain confidence in English writing. Further, it has made me discover in a concrete way various problematics I was not used to, such as in public health, counter-narcotics or military matters. The reality bites from Afghanistan I got everyday have made my view of the issues at stake there and in the wider region more accurate. Organizing an ICOS Symposium in Ottawa, I got the opportunity to investigate the specificity of Canadian foreign policy and I may be going there to work next year.

My experience at ICOS has greatly benefited me both personally and professionally. I am sure it has been a strong asset for my selection as an intern at the OSCE in Kyrgyzstan this summer.”

Johann Bihr (Policy fellow July to October 2006)