Dan Kuhn takes on Human Rights - speech at the UN

Well, that was quite the day. I gave a speech on the floor of the Human Rights council, which NGOs didn't ever have the chance to do until a few years ago, let alone interns in their last year of college. How did it happen?

Well i walked in to the office after the morning session of the council, and Leon, the Director of Communications told me i was speaking. I didn't really acknowledge it nor did it register. He's a funny guy, quite the jokester, so i expect it from him. "So you don't want to speak?" "I absolutely want to speak!"

So i went in to see Hillel, the Executive Director, and i got a copy of the speech so i could practice a few times. He have me some tips, and said, "It's a mitzvah to use every second that the council gives you." So he said that if we have 3 minutes, we use those 3 minutes. The subject matter isn't the most eye popping, its a good speech with a good point, but my boss did tell me that he didn't want to have me give a speech that outright attacked somebody during my first time.

After I delivered it for him and it sounded okay, he said i should hurry to the UN to make sure i have enough time. So i headed over there, trying to breathe normally, trying to keep my cool, which i was doing a decent job at. I got there and paced for a minute, then assumed my seat behind the NGOs desk that speeches are given from. I had about 15 minutes to sit there, absorb the surroundings, and look over my speech a few times. Then after three member states spoke, i was called upon, i pressed the red button, and raised my hand for the camera to locate me.

http://www.unwatch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=bdKKISNqEmG&b=1313923&ct=5488773

The link above has a copy of my speech, in video and in text. It was quite the experience, and i'm very happy with how it turned out. At first i was really nervous, then i zoned out for the whole middle section, then i was very comfortable by the last parapgraph.

I was and still am very grateful for the opporunity.