Hello from NFGL Göteborg!
In this piece, you are welcomed to read two personal stories of our dear members of the network. First, Anita Mureithi narrates one of our top events last semester, our study visit to UN City, which is about to become a traditional event that we organize every year. Later, Mahmoud Hanafy tells us his experience in Sweden, particularly on his studies. Also remember to check up on the last part where Orhun Gündüz introduce our plans this term.
Gothenburg NFGL Trip to UN City in Copenhagen
By Anita Mureithi
On the 8th of December, 20 members of the Swedish Institute Network for Future Global Leaders (NFGL) Gothenburg took a trip to the United Nations (UN) City in Copenhagen.
We left Gothenburg early at 7:00 a.m. to travel to Copenhagen. The most interesting part for me was the journey across the Ǿresund bridge from Malmö to Copenhagen; luckily the clouds had cleared to give us a great view.
The visit to UN City included a great presentation given by Ms. Stine Junge the Private Sector and Secretariatat UNDP Denmark. The presentation provided insight on the United Nations framework, the various bodies and the mandate and activities of UNDP. Ms. Stine also went through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in depth and discussed which UN bodies relate to and deal with each goal. She also courteously answered questions from the NFGL members ranging from voting in developing countries to how the different are the previous MDGs to the current SDGs.
After the presentation, we went on a tour of the UN City complex led by Emma Nielsson, an intern working at the City.
The tour delved into details such as the thought-provoking architecture of the sustainable building. The roof of UN city is covered in solar panels that generate a large percentage of the buildings energy and the water used for sanitation is collected from rainwater. The panels surrounding the building are also placed so that they rotate to follow the suns course throughout the day.
Another interesting part of the building was the broken piano staircase, Named so as it connects each floor which houses various UN bodies as well as having the remarkable resemblance to a piano from all sides.
A favorite for the whole group was getting to take pictures in the room that is usually used for press briefings with the famous UN logo. All the members of the NFGL Gothenburg left UN City fascinated by how much thought had been put into its planning and the symbolism that had been depicted by individual facets such as the stairs.
This was a great first international trip for the Network for Future Global leaders Gothenburg. We are truly looking forward to the next one. A big thank you to the Swedish Institute for facilitating the trip.
From Differences to Cooperation
By Mahmoud Hanafy
From my very first moments at Chalmers, I met and discussed with more than 6 nationalities, and later I have gotten to know more, different cultures and different thoughts.
In my master programme, I am the only Egyptian. For me, the studying was very different from what I used to. At Chalmers, the studying pace is very high, with many lectures and lots of content in a very short period. I was struggling through my first weeks; it was hard – but in fact that was very beneficial.
In one course, we do not only learn the theory but also the application of it through laboratory sessions. Some courses have study visits to be in touch with the industry.
Time here is sacred, 8 AM means exactly 8 AM, there is no “Give or Take” concept here.
The teachers are very friendly, and you can call them with just their names without any titles; I was a bit worried about this at the beginning but I get am getting used to this.
Working in a team here is an important part of learning process, not only because you share your knowledge and cooperate to solve a problem, but also, you work with new students with different mind-sets, which in turn will make the journey and the experience richer.
In a nutshell, moving from a place to another will bring many differences, making use of these differences and turning them into positive points will make the whole experience to be unforgettable.
What is next?
Final word from Orhun Gündüz
As NFGL Göteborg, we have many more great activities to come in spring term, as well. Ranging from human rights issues to sustainability, we have these events to follow up: Workshop on LGBTI+ Myths and Stereotypes and Stories from India and Turkey, Study visits to companies, Visit to National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, Seminars on Personal Experiences by our network members, Contemporary Dance Workshop, Study Visit to Renova, Lecture by volunteers at Engineers Without Borders.
Last but not least, I thank SI and all contributing network members on any preparation steps of the events. Remember to like us on our page to keep in touch:
https://www.facebook.com/nfglgothenburg/
Anita Mureithi
Mahmoud Hanafy
Orhun Gündüz
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