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Hubertus Koebke, Security Coordination Officer, Pakistan
I was an army officer before joining the United Nations. I left Germany in 1997 to work with a non-governmental organization known as Caritas Internationalis in Macedonia, Kosovo, Columbia, and Albania. After five years of humanitarian work out in the field, I successfully applied for a position with UNHCR and subsequently to the Office of the United Nations Security Coordinator and later transitioning to UNDSS where I serve to date. My career with UNDSS has taken me to different parts of the world such as Afghanistan, Botswana, Iraq, Kurdish Region, Rwanda and Syria. I never imagined that I would ever visit these places. For several years I have been based in Lahore, which is the cultural capital of Pakistan; an amazing place to live and work if you love cinema, literature, music and good food. I also enjoy interacting with the Pakistani people, who are incredibly positive and welcoming. In fact, I wrote my second master¡¯s thesis about Pakistan, so it has become a passion. Operating in conflict zones has enabled me to grow significantly as a person. Besides, my colleagues from around the world have also taught me a great deal. As such, the exposure to different cultures and people is immeasurable. My time at UNDSS has been an awesome, incredible journey. There¡¯s simply no other way of putting it. |