02.04.2020 - Interview with UPU's Aude Marmier, Transport Programme Assistant
Q1: Could you please tell us about your career path?
I have studied French literature and Chinese studies – which includes - Chinese history, literature, and language - at the University of Geneva. Having discovered a real interest in Chinese, I have never stopped studying this language and it has remained my passion ever since my university years. While still a student, I worked as an Administrative Assistant and, later, a French substitute teacher in a public school in Geneva. However, I realized that I wanted to choose a different professional path. Therefore, after graduating and obtaining my Master’s degree in Chinese studies, I applied for an internship at the Human Security Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. I found it very motivating to support the promotion of issues that interested me: human rights, peace, humanitarian affairs, and migration.
Over the last six years, I have been working at the UPU. I have gained valuable experience working for many programmes in the Postal Operations Directorate (DOP), such as Quality of Service, Postal Financial Services, Customs and Transport, as well as the Postal Operations Council Secretariat. It has been a great opportunity for me to learn about and understand the activities carried out by the DOP.
Q2: What is your current role at the UPU?
Currently, I work as a Transport Programme Assistant in the same directorate. My daily work duties mainly include helping with the organization of internal and external meetings, staff missions and conferences. I also support the coordination and preparation of documents and follow up on different correspondence. For example, I contributed to the organization of the UPU Global Conference on Cross-Border Cooperation in an E-commerce World held in Xiamen, China, at the end of November last year.
Recently, due to the coronavirus outbreak, my daily tasks have been switched to one main task: the publication of large numbers of EmIS (Emergency Information System) messages from Union member countries. Therefore, I have started working closely with the UPU’s language services, who revise and translate these messages. All of us work hard on the same issue and this has become an important teamwork, to which I am happy to contribute.
Q3: What do you like about your job at the UPU the most? What inspires you?
The most inspiring thing for me is communicating and working with people from around the world. My coworkers come from different cultures and backgrounds, and they speak so many foreign languages. I strongly believe there is always a lot to learn from each other. It has been a real privilege for me to work with my colleagues on a daily basis.
Q4: Are there any challenges at work you have to face sometimes?
When people have to collaborate efficiently, especially under time pressure and heavy workload, various challenges may arise from this intercultural environment. However, despite how different we are, I believe it is possible to reach consensus, find solutions and achieve success together if we are all willing to cooperate as colleagues and if we are aware of how important our work is.
Q5: What does work at the UPU mean to you?
It means a lot. When I come to work every day, I remind myself that I am at the service of people of the world without exception. I strongly believe in the need for international organizations and their significant influence in our time and in the future. I have always wished to work in an organization that helps address global challenges. Having the possibility to do so now, at my humble level, is a dream come true. I am very proud and happy to be part of the UPU staff and to work on something that is bigger than ourselves.
Q6: Is there any message you would like to pass to your colleagues to inspire them?
Despite the difficulties, notice the beauty of simple things and do not forget to focus on what really matters.
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