Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal spent his afternoon Monday 24^th March, 2014 interacting with students drawn from Kenyan universities on his first visit to Nairobi, sharing his experiences with an audience eager to understand better the communications strategies of the United Nations. Strathmore University’s Kenya Model United Nations Club was privileged to host Mr. Launsky-Tieffenthal, Mr. Nasser Ega Musa, Director, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), as well as their peers from Nairobi University, JKUAT, and Kenyatta University among others.

 

During this very interactive and informal session, Mr. Launsky-Tieffenthal shared his experiences at the UN and especially to do with his area of communications. He detailed how strategic communication, news and information as well as collaborations with institutions are handled in order to fulfill the mandate of the UN. He further educated the students that new goals were in the process of being formulated and would soon be communicated to all.

 

During the question & answer session, the students asked on a wide range of issues from conflict to world and humanitarian crisis among others exhibiting an impressive understanding of global issues, conflict, crisis as well as the scope of the UN mandate. Mr. Launsky-Tieffenthal was received by representatives from Strathmore’s KMUN as well as Mrs. Betty Ngala, Director in charge of

Communications & University Relations.   

 

 

(From Left) Mr Launsky-Tieffenthal, Michael Gathure (Student), Ms Irene Mwakesi (National

Information Office, UN) and Mrs Betty Ngala (Director, Strathmore University Relations &

Communications)

 

Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal’s profile

Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal is from Austria, and is the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. Prior to joining Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Senior Management Team, he was Spokesman and Head of the Department for Communication and Information of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

 

Mr. Launsky-Tieffenthal has vast experience within the Austrian Foreign Service, particularly in Asia, North America and the Middle East, with responsibilities ranging from public diplomacy and development cooperation to press and information. He has held senior leadership positions in which he was responsible for formulating overall communication strategies, including the extensive use of modern media tools, crisis management and negotiating international agreements. In his previous capacity, Mr. Launsky-Tieffenthal worked closely with approximately 100 national offices abroad to define, develop and implement an integrated and coherent message for the Foreign Service.