Melissa Fleming

Melissa Ruth Fleming is an American journalist and UN official. Since September 1, 2019 she has been head of the United Nations Department of Global Communications.^[1]

Education

Fleming graduated in 1986 with a Bachelors degree in German Studies from Oberlin College, Ohio. In 1989 she gained a Masters' degree in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University, Massachusetts.

Career

Fleming started her career as a journalist. Between 1989 and 1994, Fleming worked as a Public Affairs Specialist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Munich. From September 1994 to January 2001 she was head of the Press and Public Information Team at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. In January 2001 Fleming took over as Spokesperson and Head of the Media and Outreach at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, a post she held until June 2009. During this time, the IAEA conducted inspections in Iran, Iraq and North Korea, and in 2005 received the Nobel Peace Prize.

From July 2009 to 2019, Fleming worked as Head of Global Communications for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva and as Spokesperson for the High Commissioner. Her comments on the 2015 European refugee crisis gained attention across the continent. At UNHCR, she led campaigns, social media engagement and a multimedia news service covering stories designed to generate empathy and stir action for refugees. Fleming is considered an important global voice in matters relating to refugees. Her book, "A Hope More Powerful than the Sea," tells the true story of a young Syrian woman who survived a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea. Business Insider included the book on its list of the 21 most captivating biographies of all time. ^[2]

In April 2016 she completed a residency as a policy fellow at the Rockerfeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center. In May 2017, she was awarded the Medal for Distinguished Service by Columbia University Teachers College for her work advocating for refugees. From 2016 to 2017, she served as Senior Advisor and Spokesperson on the incoming United Nations Secretary General’s Transition Team.

On September 1, 2019 she was appointed an Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, taking over from predecessor Alison Smale as head of the UN Department of Global Communications.

Publications

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival, New York 2017, Flatiron Books, ISBN 9781250105998

External links

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea (Flatiron Books)
[1] Melissa Fleming’s Medium Blog
[2] AWAKE AT NIGHT Podcast with Melissa Fleming
[3] Melissa Fleming and Jeremy Heimans on countering vaccine falsehoods
[4] Melissa Fleming and John Whyte on vaccine equity
[5] TEDGlobal, Let's help refugees thrive, not just survive, published October 2014
[6] TED, A boat carrying 500 refugees sunk at sea, The story of two survivors, published 2015.

References

[[Category:American people]] [[Category:Spokespersons]] [[Category:American journalists]] [[Category:Germanists]] [[Category:United Nations]]

[1] ttps://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/melissa-fleming accessed 5 June, 2022

[2] ttps://www.businessinsider.com/guides/learning/best-biographies?r=US&IR=T#the-emotional-biography-of-a-syrian-refugee-21

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