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My name is Meriem Hammami, I am 24 years old and a recent graduate. I have a bachelor's degree in International Communication, with a focus on the Middle East, from Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and a master's degree in Public Policy and Human Development from United Nations University and Maastricht University. Stimulated and inspired by the Arab Spring, which was in full swing after I finished high school, I chose my studies carefully. After graduating from university, I couldn't wait to put all my knowledge into practice and started looking for an internship. When I saw that Foundation Max van der Stoel offered an internship in the democracy department, I immediately applied, as it was a perfect match for my studies and passion. Would you also like to do an internship at the FMS? Then check out our vacancies here!
During the internship, I learnt an enormous amount. For instance, there were a number of countries that I didn't really know anything about before I started and now understand how the whole political system works. I also saw up close how international partnerships work and how meetings go. What is super about the FMS is that partners are asked what they need and work from that point. I have also written a lot for the European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity, which the FMS does the secretariat of, which made me better at creative writing. A big plus of the internship is that you keep up with the news intensively on a daily basis, so your general knowledge about the world grows a lot. Interns are also offered space to work on topics that interest them personally. The FMS team is small and the setting is informal, so I soon felt at home. If I couldn't figure something out, I could always turn to my colleagues and they would think along with me.
I would recommend this internship to anyone who finds democratisation and political developments on an international level interesting!
Come do an internship at the FMS! Apply for one of the three vacancies here before 9 December.
