Patrick van Weerelt and Paulyn Duman

Patrick van Weerelt

Patrick van Weerelt (the Netherlands) took up his assignment as Head of Office of the UNSSC Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development in October 2015. The Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development, based in Bonn, Germany, officially opened in March 2016 to respond to the comprehensive learning, training and knowledge management needs of UN staff and partners in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Patrick has extensive capacity development, policy and program experience in the field of sustainable development, democratic governance and human rights and has served at HQ, Regional and country level for the United Nations. Prior to joining the UN System Staff College in Turin in 2011, Patrick served as UNDP Practice Leader for Democratic Governance in West- and Central Africa (based in Dakar) covering 23 countries in the sub-region, and as Senior Human Rights Adviser at UNDP HQ in New York. He began his UN career at UN OHCHR in Geneva following which he moved to UNDP in South Africa. Patrick is a lawyer by training and also served (from 2006-2009) as Adjunct Professor at Washington College of Law, American University, Washington D.C. He is married with two children.

Paulyn Duman

Paulyn Duman is the Knowledge Management, Communications and Reporting Officer at the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development, where she has been working since 2014. At UNSSC, she coordinates the UN SDG:Learn initiative with 59 partner organizations, produces and hosts the SDG Learncast podcast,  and develops innovative learning products such as interactive 360-degree immersive learning experiences on sustainable development topics. She also designed and developed the online course on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development and worked as an advisor and facilitator for other learning offerings such as Paris Agreement on Climate Change as a Development Agenda and the annual UN Summer Academy.

Before working for the United Nations, she worked as a lawyer and supervising political affairs officer at the Philippine House of Representatives, where she worked on programmes related to education, transportation, and legislative franchises and implemented projects on energy efficiency, mitigation and adaptation. Before joining the public sector in 2010, she worked in companies such as JP Morgan Chase Bank and Energy Development Corporation from 2006 to 2009.

Paulyn holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and holds a Juris Doctor (Master’s) and a BA Psychology degree from the University of the Philippines.