Post by Veronica Wrobel

A few weeks ago, I joined the UN Biodiversity Secretariat as Social Media & Content Strategy Coordinator. From the very first day, I was welcomed with genuine warmth by people who have carried the mission of the Convention for years, and by others who, like me, are just beginning their journeys here. It’s rare to step into a team and feel an immediate sense of belonging, but somehow, I did. I joined at one of the busiest moments of the year, as everyone was preparing for #SBSTTA27. Yet there was no time to stand at the sidelines. My previous experience at GEO BON helped me quickly find my footing, but it was the collective energy, purpose, and kindness of the team that made me feel I was exactly where I needed to be. Working for the United Nations has been a quiet dream since my high school days, since that time when I nervously stood in front of a room full of strangers during my first Model UN, imagining what it would be like to contribute to something bigger than myself. I never followed a traditional path into communications. I learned by observing, by experimenting, by listening closely to what moves people, and by trying, in my own way, to make complexity feel human and alive. So to find myself here, now, feels profoundly meaningful. If this journey has taught me anything, it’s that there’s no single “right” way to get where you’re meant to be. You don’t have to tick every box. You don’t have to quiet your curiosity or your values to fit into a mold. Sometimes, it’s the very things that make your path uncertain that give it its purpose. I’m excited and grateful to grow, create, and contribute alongside people who care deeply about this planet we all share. If I can help even a few more people connect with the beauty of biodiversity — and the urgency to protect it — through my work, that will be enough. Shout-out to my new comms colleagues: Lis Mullin Bernhardt, Franca D'Amico, Jihed Ghannem, Macarena Figueroa de la Fuente, Júlia Gaspar