Dev Diary #77: Introducing Marie!
Hello all! Its a new year, so that means a new dev diary!
It is a pleasure for me to be part of the Atlantic Forum since 1st November 2020. First, I would like to send my best regards not only to our members and patrons but also our partners and all people who read this DevDiary #77. My name is Marie Zamecnikova and I come from the Czech Republic, from a small city with a long name - Brandys nad Labem – Stara Boleslav but I currently live in Brussels, Belgium, where I do a traineeship at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), particularly Secretariat of the Worker's Group, where I have been nurturing my expertise in communication.
Alongside my traineeship and position as Community Manager in the Atlantic Forum, I am also pursuing to obtain Executive Diploma in the Art of Diplomacy in International Organisations programme at the European Academy of Diplomacy in Poland. I hold a master's degree with distinction in Political Development from the Royal Holloway, University of London as well as a bachelor's degree in International Relations and European Studies conducted at the Metropolitan University of Prague. During my BA studies, I was the first student conducting program Erasmus+ in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the International BURCH University in Sarajevo, where the Alliance has been committed to building long-term peace and stability since the early 1990s. This experience provided me with many conferences and subjects on international security, NATO, EU, transatlantic cooperation and values.
As a young Czech professional, I have a background as an intern in the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London, where I was responsible for organisation and coordination of the First Velvet Ball for more than 500 high-level guests and it took place to symbolise 40 years after the Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic. My major areas of interest include foreign and security policy in the Digital Age. My passion for the correlation between digitalisation and political affairs has begun with my master's dissertation "Afghan Diaspora in the Digital Age: A Grounded Theory", where I was interested in how has the internet shaped the behaviour of Afghan refugees both during the migration journey and upon arrival in the destination country, the United Kingdom. During my MA studies, I was also entitled as Political Communication intern as well as ESOL teacher in Afghan and Central Asian Association, where I was in direct contact with Afghan refugees and was responsible for communication with British authorities and organising events in, for example, House of Commons in London. The interest in digitalisation is also projected in my current research for the EESC's Worker's Group, called "Digitalisation, Employment and Covid-19", which will be published in January 2021.
With all the administrative, communication and organisational experiences, I can be fully committed to supporting the Atlantic Forum's development as a leading network of young professionals from around the world in fostering the values of democratic rule, peace and security alongside with values of North Atlantic Treaty. Besides my expertise, I am excited to make full use of my digital and creative skills as well as be challenged, take the responsibility, enhance my knowledge and earn new valuable skills in order to make sure that the Atlantic Forum is outstandingly spreading the awareness of its mission on both sides of the Atlantic.
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