CW Day 2/Session 7 - Thriving Globally - The human side of relocation (OHCHR, United Nations Headquarters (DOS)

May
05
May 05, 2026
19:00 - 20:00 CEST


Register Here

Relocating for an international assignment can be enriching, but it also brings emotional, social, and psychological challenges that are often overlooked. This 60‑minute panel discussion, “Thriving Globally: The Human Side of Relocation,” brings together a staff counsellor, a psychologist, and a UN staff member with lived relocation experience to explore what it truly means to move across countries, cultures, and personal circumstances. Together, the panelists will shed light on the human dimension of global mobility—addressing common stressors, identity shifts, family considerations, and the realities faced by diverse staff groups, including first‑time movers, single staff, families, and LGBTQ+ colleagues. Through professional insights and personal stories, the conversation will help normalize the emotions that accompany relocation and highlight the opportunities such transitions can create for growth and resilience. Participants will gain practical coping strategies for adapting to new environments, tips for building supportive networks, and guidance on maintaining well‑being before, during, and after a relocation. The session aims to reduce uncertainty, set realistic expectations, and reinforce that the organization is committed to supporting staff throughout their mobility journey. By the end of the discussion, staff will feel more informed, supported, and empowered to navigate their own relocation paths—and to thrive globally, wherever their career takes them.

Registration Link
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tFoMA3pcTviWLiFUqaJhAg
Hosted By: 
OHCHR, United Nations Headquarters (DOS)

Emanuela Goerick

Emanuela Goerick is the Head of the UN OHCHR Talent Management and Career Support Unit. She holds a master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Trier, a Mediation certification from Harvard Law School, a professional coach accreditation from the Internation Coach Federation (ICF) and most recently a postgraduate certification in data science in Human Resources management from the University of Cambridge. 

Emanuela has more than 15 years of Human Resources management experience both in the public and private sectors in New York (USA), Munich (Germany), Budapest (Hungary), Bogota (Colombia), Nicosia (Cyprus) and Geneva (Switzerland). She focuses on providing strategic guidance to all her UN clients at headquarters and in the field. She facilitates retreats, internal and external outreach, manages in-house coaching groups to enhance excellence in management practices and supports innovation and change with internal and external stakeholders in talent management for OHCHR. In 2017 she won the Peacekeeper of the year award of the German Center for Peace Operations and in 2021 she won the Secretary-General award.
 

Paola Matarazzo

Paola Matarazzo is a seasoned UN learning leader with over 35 years of experience transforming how people learn and grow in complex operational environments. From her early work in mental health to leading global training for the Umoja ERP rollout, she has consistently shaped impactful, evidence-based learning solutions.
Today, as Chief of the Business Process and System Support Section in the Department of Operational Support, she leads strategic learning, change management and knowledge management initiatives, driving innovative, technology-enabled approaches to strengthen organisational capability and support the evolving needs of the UN workforce.

Annabelle Borg Kandeh

Annabelle Borg Kandeh is a warranted Counselling Psychologist who joined the UN over 20 years ago. She has worked in both HR and Staff Counselling domains, and has worked in Tanzania with ICTR, New York HQ, UNOG Geneva as well as in Burundi, Sierra Leone, and in Kinshasa and Goma in the DRC. She currently leads the UNOG Staff Counsellors Office which is also responsible for several other UN Entities with various mandates such as human rights, investigations, learning, trade etc. 

Gabriel Tuan

Gabriel Tuan is currently the Manager for Learning and Development for UN Women. His focus is on both creating collective leadership and team capacity to enable transformative systems change and providing holistic coaching and career coaching that integrates holistic learning, mindfulness, system thinking and participatory approaches.

He brings 25 years of experience with UN Women, UNICEF, UNRWA, OCHA, and DPKO across multiple duty stations helping staff, teams and senior leaders to operate effectively to deliver results in complex, emergency, protracted and post conflict settings.
 

Dr. Asia Cito

Dr. Asia Cito, PsyD is a postdoctoral psychology fellow and Third Culture Kid providing therapy for adults with a holistic approach that is aware of the systemic, cultural, and familial impact on individual well-being. As a Third Culture Kid herself, she grew up in Italy, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and the United States and enjoys working with individuals who have recently immigrated, who are experiencing life-cycle transitions, and acculturation difficulties. Her dissertation focused on the impact of the third culture experience on adulthood, and the potential advantages and disadvantages of a nomadic lifestyle during childhood development.

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