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international international

“keywords for diplomatic communication:

respect, trust and discretion”

activity as an entrepreneur in decision to quit my diplomatic
Brazil, without forgetting either career was a result of different
my artistic hobbies or my activities circumstances more linked to my
as an Ambassador wife. own country than to my husband’s
Interview with I recall that in one of your career. My husband, whose work
as a diplomat I admire, is and has
mrs. Guadalupe previous participations at our been also a “colleague” (we first
art exhibition, you presented
met at the Brazilian Diplomatic
josefina romero silva original compositions using School) that understands perfectly
acrylic paints and clay. How
my professional situation, a friend
have the places where you that listened to and supported me,
Our conversation is set against the backdrop of the live our everyday life through the visible changes have lived as a diplomat’s wife when I had to change directions in
latest art exhibition by the Women’s Guild of the in nature following the four seasons of the year. influenced your artistic interests my career and start studying again
United Nations at the Palais des Nations. Guadalupe I cannot avoid being impressed by the beauty and the works you create? What triggers your for a Mastering in Sustainable Development, to face new professional
Romero presents 12 photographs capturing different of the different elements of each season and creative process? challenges, and more than that, he is a caring husband and father, so
moments of the four seasons. It is evident that she emotionally involved. Trying to capture in a When you are living in different countries and after 40 years of happily walking together I can only say that there is
has a refined sense of composition and light and click the beauty that surrounds us is my way to interacting with different cultures, sometimes no place for sacrifice.
shadow, designed to surprise the viewer. As always, present my respect and thanks to mother nature very far away from your own culture, you can’t
she is impeccably dressed in color combinations for all that is offered to us so freely. I hope these avoid the process of intrinsic learning that Yes, perhaps it is not sacrifices, but rather certain compromises and
that embody the classic understanding of an images can evoke the same feelings of love and becomes, through observation and practice, choices that we make, together with our partners. What are the places
ambassador’s wife, yet also convey the sophisticated respect for our natural environment wherever part of your subconscious knowledge. In my where you have been on diplomatic assignment? How did you manage
sensibility of an artist. we are. opinion, the creative process and the work of the to cope with all the related challenges and successfully adapt? And
artist are the concrete results of that process. In what about your children?
Dear Guadalupe, this is the sixth consecutive Sometimes, a hobby becomes a defining factor my case, the “incredible India”, a melting pot of So far, we have been assigned to different countries in Europe,
collective art exhibition in which we both in our lives, even more so than our professional people, cultures, colors, tastes etc. was the place (Geneva, where my husband initiated his Diplomatic Career), London
participate. Despite our roles as ambassadors’ obligations. Is that the case with your interest in that influenced me most, and spontaneously and Berlin, in Latin America in Ecuador (and Brazil of course), India
wives, we actually got to know each other and painting and photography? awakened my artistic interest, especially in and Bhutan, Russia and Uzbekistan, before coming to Geneva again.
interact more often as artists and admirers of I have been since my young age very attracted photography. The sculpture also flourished Serving as a Diplomat myself I worked in Brazil (twice) and France
arts. Art was the subject of our conversation to art in its different manifestations. Painting, there helped by the incentive that came from my and lived also in Peru and Brussels.
four years ago when we first met and discovered dance, photography but only recently did I mentor, a dear friend who invited me to create. I consider myself a person with a great capacity for adaptation to
our shared passion for it. Why did you choose have the opportunity to discover and consider Regarding the trigger for creativity, I think that different places and cultures, probably because one of my big dreams
to present photographs this time, and what myself as an “amateur artist”. Before that I was In my case, the only possible answer is the was always to travel a lot, meet different peoples etc. I left my country,
messages would you like to convey to the always dedicated to my professional endeavor, emotion and impression that are produced by Honduras, very young and this probably helped me to get used to
viewer? first as a diplomat myself, then working with people, nature, objects or materials that lead me different ways of life, cultures, languages etc.
Dear Radiona, it is always a pleasure meeting you some international organizations, being at the to capture and specific moment, expression or
and discussing our respective activities either in same time dedicated to the family and to the emotion in a photograph or freely follows and As for the Children, it is always a challenge to leave their friends and
the artistic or in the diplomatic sphere. satisfaction of accompanying my husband in developed the imaginary creative activity that to arrive in a completely new world, culturally different and to learn
his diplomatic assignments. Nowadays I try to comes at the encounter of an specific material, a new language. Sometimes the adaptation is difficult and it can’t be
Answering your question, I can tell you that combine all these different aspects of my life independent of methods or the rules attached to denied that they, like most of the children of diplomats, have suffered
photography has always been a part of my life. with my creative hobbies. an academic background. from the many changes that a diplomatic career imposes on us and
My father was a photographer and converting therefore they also suffered its consequences as the feeling of losing
black and white photographs into colored ones Sculpture and photography are very important You have been alongside your husband in his their roots, while living far away from the extensive family and friends
had an important place in my childhood’s activities for me, but they have not become, yet, long and impressive diplomatic career. Do you and moving from one country and culture to another. Sometimes
memories, in addition to the impression made a defining factor in my life, as both of them are ever feel that you have sacrificed your own the results of this life are devastating for the family. But seeing things
on my mind, as a child, by the images that were still amateur activities for me. Until last year I career for his? other way around we can say that maybe a positive thing is the broad
gradually being revealed in the photographic stood given more place to my professional activity In life there is always a time for taking decisions. knowledge acquired for this young person and the ability they develop
paper at the laboratory. Photography for me is working with an international organization and I was a diplomat myself, married to another to go around the world easily interacting with different cultures,
the concretization of a moment of emotion. to my duties as an Ambassador wife. This year diplomat, coming from different countries, speaking different languages and therefore developing a great capacity
In Geneva we are surrounded by nature, and we I’m taking a different direction towards a new building a life together with two children. My of observation and a broad critical mindset.

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