You might have a hard time finding Human Rights Policy Analyst Marianna — she spends her days running all around Paris, sometimes for meetings, sometimes because she feels like grabbing coffee in the 6th Arrondissement and then going to a café in the 18th. When she wants to slow down, you might find her in Belleville, the place that most reminds her of where she grew up, almost like a little village in the big city. We caught up with Marianna to talk about immigrating from Georgia to the Netherlands as a child, expanding her French vocabulary through 90s rap, and the role of fashion in diplomacy.
on her morning routine
I am always in a rush in the mornings. I'm a night owl. I like to read, I like to listen to podcasts, sometimes until 2 a.m. Working for the Permanent Delegation of the Netherlands to UNESCO, I couldn't just throw on jeans and sneakers. I had to make sure I looked presentable, so my morning routine often was rather hectic, and I was pretty much always in a rush.
I'm completely addicted to music. First thing every morning, I put on music. I love Ethiopian jazz. And Dinah Washington. I love her silky voice and I catch myself putting on her songs a lot. And I've always been obsessed with Aznavour and his music. His music helped me improve my French. I learned French in school, but my pronunciation and my vocabulary improved thanks to Aznavour and 90s French rap.
Lately, now that my mission has ended, I have a little bit more time in the mornings, which is nice. I try to work out a little bit. I work with a Dutch trainer via Zoom. I try to do a lot of strength training. Living in Paris, I walk a lot. I don't have a bike though. I know, strange for a Dutch person. I simply don't like the way people cycle here. Maybe I'm used to cyclists dominating the roads in the Netherlands, which is not the case here. There the infrastructure is perfectly designed.
I rarely make coffee at home. I don't want to create this habit where coffee is just something practical and quick for me. I want it to be a ritual, so I like to go somewhere that inspires me and grab my coffee there.
on art and law
I always wanted to study in Paris at some point. While pursuing my law degree, I did a Masters’ program at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne for six months. Then I went back to the Netherlands, but I knew I wanted to come back to Paris. So, I looked for ways to do that and managed to get an internship at the Dutch Embassy here. And that was how I got into the world of diplomacy. I always thought I'd become a lawyer after law school. I have always been incredibly inspired by Charles Garry, the Armenian-American lawyer for the Black Panthers. I never really thought about diplomacy.
I specialized in international private law, cyber law, and intellectual property law, because I wanted to work with artists, musicians, designers, and writers. I grew up in a musical family and art always played an important role in my life. Most of my father's side of the family are musicians. I danced for a long time. I did theater. But my parents, as immigrants, always felt that we had to secure our position in society with a ‘proper’ diploma and a ‘proper’ job as a doctor or lawyer. So, being an artist was not something I was going to do professionally.
““Every time we have a birthday celebration or wedding, my parents throw the best parties ever, and I look at the table and the food that is on the table really represents my identity. You have Georgian khachapuri, you have Armenian gata and lavash, you have something Dutch, you have Russian pelmeni. A table that feels like home.””
on coming to the netherlands as a refugee
My family is Armenian. My great-grandparents were from Van and Erzurum, which are both now in the eastern part of modern-day Turkey. Most of my relatives from both my mother’s side and my father’s side didn’t survive the Armenian genocide. My great-grandparents did. They managed to escape to Tbilisi, in Georgia, and that's where my parents were born and raised. I was born in Tbilisi as well and then when I was four years old, after the fall of the Soviet Union, we fled the country and ended up as refugees in the Netherlands.
We stayed in a refugee camp for an extended period. The four of us, my parents, my brother, and myself, lived in a space of just 10 square meters, and we shared the toilet and bathroom with some other families. The conditions were not great, but we were happy to be safe. We kept thinking we would get Dutch nationality, and everything would be fine within a couple of months, but it took two years. There was this constant fear of being deported. Eventually, we got Dutch nationality and moved to a very small town.
I experienced a lot of racism growing up there. It was a very small, monocultural, and conservative town, and nobody really looked like me. I mean, it was beautiful, calm, and really green. But very quickly, we realized that we didn't fit in at all. We were often treated as second-class citizens, and sometimes certain comments from neighbors and even teachers made us feel uncivilized and unwelcome.
At some point, there was another girl who moved to this little town. She was a Black Sudanese young girl, and I became very close friends with her. I finally felt fully accepted by someone. Her name is Doua. I'm not a Black woman, and I'd experienced racism there. Can you imagine what she experienced? I never understood why, based on the colors of our skin, or our hair, the shapes of our noses, we were treated differently in the streets, by kids, and even sometimes by teachers.
It sounds all very negative and hard, but at the same time, it taught me a lot. There’s a resilience that you build over time, which is something that you will never lose, and something that has helped me a lot in life. It also made me aware of the impact of racism, fueling my dedication to be an activist and fight against racism in every setting I'm in. As an Armenian born in Georgia, I grew up with lot of influences from Georgian culture, Armenian culture, and also Russian culture. I speak Dutch, Armenian, French, and Russian. My differences and multicultural background have sometimes put me in difficult positions, but they have also provided me with incredible richness. My background helps me to adapt quickly and it has been especially valuable in my work in diplomacy, where understanding and navigating different cultures is essential. It has also greatly enhanced my interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity.
on her parents as inspiration
When we came to the Netherlands, my mom was 26 with two little kids. It was tough. You study, you have a social life, you have your own habits, the places you go to, your community — and all of a sudden, you’re somewhere else and you lose all of that and you feel less than because of the way people treat you and you can't express yourself the way you want to, because of the language barrier. My parents had never listened to Dutch music, and they weren't familiar with the Dutch culture, which is very different from the Russian, Georgian, and Armenian ones they were familiar with.
Their story is incredibly inspiring. They basically started from scratch, with no network, and they learned the language and had to earn their diplomas again since the ones they got were no longer valid. My parents really showed me what resilience is, and how to build from nothing.
““Through representing my adoptive country abroad on such a prestigious world stage, I realized that I am just as Dutch as someone who was born in the Netherlands and who has Dutch parents. I am 100% Armenian, and I am 100% Dutch.””
on finding community
I like being with people. Having a community is incredibly important for me. I need some “me time,” but I don't need a lot of it, to be honest. Being surrounded by people I care about gives me energy. I started making friends in Paris when I was studying here because, as a student, you're often more flexible and you make friends more easily. I have the most incredible, open-minded, talented, kind group of friends here in Paris. I’m especially grateful for the Armenian women that I've met here. My friend Astrig Agopian for example is an incredible French-Armenian photojournalist. She introduced me to her group of Armenian friends. I realized that I had always felt like an outsider in the group of Armenians I grew up with because of my beliefs — being open-minded, being a feminist. I sometimes felt like I was too much in the community that I grew up in. So, meeting these women and realizing that their political beliefs, their activism, and their view on the world matched mine made me feel like I found my community.
Astrig and I are working on launching a platform called HAYATSK — which means ‘perspective, vision, view’ in Armenian — through which we will amplify Armenian art and perspectives. Our goal is to build an inclusive community through curation, exhibitions, initiatives, and digital content production. This is an idea that I’ve had for a while now and Astrig is a perfect partner to bring this idea to life. I consider this project as a form of activism. Armenians, to this day, have faced persecution and genocide, living in constant fear of our land and cultural heritage vanishing. I believe that we will not disappear as long as someone remembers us, our songs, language, history, culture, and art. Through HAYATSK, we want to ensure that our voices, stories, art, and cultural heritage continue to be heard and remembered.
on working in diplomacy
My internship at the Embassy was the first time I learned about what a diplomat does. Diplomats are liaisons sent abroad to represent their country, improving international relations — whether economic, political, cultural, or military — and fostering cooperation either bilaterally with one country or multilaterally with several. Working in diplomacy is incredibly fascinating, dynamic, and sometimes challenging, as it involves a wide range of responsibilities. These can include writing policy recommendations, lobbying, negotiating, and making interventions at official meetings like the Executive Board of UNESCO. Each day is different, and the opportunity to work on a global stage with professionals from around the world is wonderful.
After the internship, I got a job offer at a law firm that specialized in human rights, intellectual property law, and cyber law. I moved from Paris to the Hague to work there. But I missed diplomacy a lot. I missed working on human rights in an international setting, improving the diplomatic relations between countries. So, I called the Deputy Ambassador, who I had worked with, and asked him for advice. He mentioned there was an opening — they needed someone to temporarily replace the spokesperson at the Dutch Embassy. He advised me to apply, so I did. After they selected me, I left law, the Hague, and a stable job and moved back to Paris for my new adventure.
on culture and diplomacy
During that period, my job was incredibly dynamic, especially during the elections in France and the Netherlands. As the spokesperson, I had the opportunity to explore diplomacy from a completely different perspective. I worked closely with the former cultural attaché from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and together we organized a photo exhibition featuring works by various French and Dutch photographers, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, showcasing their views on Europe. We collaborated with Magnum Photos and the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. Since then, cultural diplomacy has held a special place in my heart. The exhibition was hosted in the Atelier Néerlandais.
I get the impression that a lot of people aren’t aware of the fact that many embassies here in Paris have some sort of cultural center where they organize incredible exhibitions and roundtables that are often open to the public. Atelier Néerlandais is a great example of that. It serves as a platform, created by the Dutch Embassy in France, to highlight Dutch entrepreneurs from the creative industry. Many innovative and inspiring exhibitions and events are hosted by the Atelier and the Dutch Embassy, and they are often open to the public. For those who love art and architecture, UNESCO is a great place to visit as well; it’s located in the 15th arrondissement. Although you cannot just walk in, there are organized visits and exhibitions open to the public. The permanent collection of artworks is mind-blowing. Miró, Giacometti, Picasso, and Karel Appel, one of my favorite Dutch painters from the CoBrA movement. Many member states have donated art to UNESCO, so you can see a variety of art pieces from all over the world. They also have a wonderful bookstore, which many people don’t know.
““It is still hard for me, but I think one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give is: don’t be afraid to take up space. Speak up, take the floor, even when your lips are shaking. There will always be people who will feel threatened by your presence. But if you speak with respect, integrity, and self-confidence, while staying close to yourself, I believe there will always be people who respect and admire you for that, and those are the people you need to focus on and stay close to.””
on diplomacy as dialogue
My last appointment was at the Delegation of the Netherlands to UNESCO, while the Netherlands was a member of UNESCO’s executive board. The executive board is a combination of a few member states that come together twice a year to deliberate on a wide range of issues: approving UNESCO’s different programs, allocating the budget, setting priorities with regard to matters that fall within UNESCO’s mandate, etc. The executive board also discusses the strategic direction of the organization. Reaching consensus with non-likeminded member states was sometimes a challenge, for example, with regard to gender equality and the safety of journalists. Executive board meetings were sometimes hard, with intense debates. Leading up to those meetings, I would co-write interventions together with my ministries on the many different subjects that would be discussed at the Board’s meeting. I would do some lobbying to make sure that the draft decisions being adopted by UNESCO align as much as possible with Dutch policies. You debate, you try to find consensus with many different countries, and so those weeks are very dynamic, and days are sometimes long and stressful. Some subjects could become very political and emotional, for example when discussing what UNESCO can do in certain critical situations, like in Ukraine and Palestine.
Outside of Executive Board meetings, my work sometimes involved organizing events to highlight Dutch policies, for example, regarding gender equality. One of the main priorities of Dutch foreign human rights policy is freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, especially women journalists. This is a subject I have worked on for the past four years. Unfortunately, many women journalists work in very difficult conditions and face harassment and threats, often from their own governments — just for doing their job. Just to silence them. On behalf of my delegation, together with Free Press Unlimited and Human Rights in the Picture, I organized a photo exhibition at UNESCO featuring portraits of women journalists that highlighted what they have experienced while doing their job and what they believe organizations like UNESCO can do to improve their working conditions and their safety. Collaboration with other Member States was crucial. For example, we had a journalist from India, so we collaborated with our Indian colleague, making clear why we believed it was important to highlight these stories, emphasizing that it was not intended as an attack on their government, but rather as a way to offer these women a platform and as a way to have an important conversation about the safety of journalists. It was extremely delicate. We of course would and could never censor the journalists participating, but at the same time, we had to maintain strong and constructive relationships with the countries in question. This is one example of how diplomacy works: through dialogue and initiatives that address sensitive subjects. I feel grateful to be able to experience how diplomacy plays a crucial role in creating a safer, more just, equitable, and peaceful world.
on diplomacy and politics
As a diplomat, the policies you represent and the strategies you implement might, of course, change based on changes in the government of the country you represent, like who gains the most seats in parliament. Recently the Netherlands has experienced a major shift to the right. The PVV party holds a couple of key ministries, including those related to asylum. This change might have an impact on the Netherlands’ position on the world stage, and maybe its relationship with certain other countries and international organizations. I like to stay hopeful that this will not have any negative consequences on our advocacy for gender equality, quality education, culture, and the safety of journalists.
When I first began working for the Delegation, the War in Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh had just started. Diplomatic discussions about that conflict were sometimes difficult to participate in. Since I was representing my adoptive country, the Netherlands, and not Armenia, I tried to emotionally disconnect as much as possible at work, to protect myself, even though it was hard since this issue was deeply personal to me. Working in diplomacy doesn't mean you lose your emotions, especially because human rights are often at stake. I never could really disconnect completely from work, because my job was very much about what was happening in the world. I never got used to seeing news articles about the decisions made by UNESCO and its Member States that I had participated in. I’d come home, watch the news, open Instagram or Twitter, and people were talking about what I’d been discussing at work and vice versa.
““As a refugee, an immigrant, an Armenian born in Tbilisi hearing stories about the genocide — which is still not recognized by Turkey — I didn’t have the privilege to not care about politics growing up. Not a lot of people know about the Armenian cause, so I’ve always felt obligated to speak about it. It trained me to talk about subjects that are not always easy to talk about, but that I think are important.””
on home
I don't know where home is, to be honest. I would say I feel at home when I’m in the Netherlands because I speak the language, I know the culture, I grew up there, my parents are there, and it’s where most of my family and friends are. But it never fully feels like home. There’s always something missing. It’s hard to describe this feeling.
I didn't grow up in a strong Armenian community and I've always felt that my Armenian-ness was not enough, and at the same time the amount of Armenian-ness that I had was a disadvantage because I looked different, the food I brought to school was different and ‘weird looking.’ Finding my Armenian community here in Paris helped me connect with my roots. When I visit a country, I always try to find where the Armenian community is. I go to an Armenian church or an Armenian restaurant. But at the same time, when I go to Armenia, I don't necessarily fully feel at home there either. The same goes for Tbilisi.
At the same time, I have learned that I can make any place feel like home as long as there’s a sense of security, freedom, and safety. A sense of acceptance of my cultural and personal background and the fact that I can be 100% Armenian and 100% Dutch. A place where I don’t have to hide my identity, where I can honor all the cultures I was raised with and speak all the languages I want to speak. The Netherlands gives me this sense of home. And yet, the answer to this question remains complex and slightly emotional. And that is actually fine because I got so much from being raised with so many cultural influences and identities.
on advice for women in diplomacy
There are a lot of women who work for UNESCO, but diplomacy and politics in general is still a man's world. As a young woman sitting there at that negotiation table, I've had people ask if I was the intern, or if someone from my delegation — as in someone higher up — is coming. It sometimes takes time for some people to realize you belong in that chair and at that table. I really appreciated how my ever-down-to-earth ambassador trusted me and put me forward during negotiations and official meetings.
For women who want to go into diplomacy, I would say that you need to really believe that you belong in that chair, at that decision-making table. You don’t always need to have one particular educational background. You don’t need to have studied International Relations. It might depend on the country you are representing of course, but at least at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they’re seeking diversity in terms of studies. I hope that young women, especially those with a non-western immigration background like myself, realize that their differences are their strengths, especially in the world of diplomacy. I also think networking is very important. Ask people questions. Most of the time, people love it when you're interested in their career path. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Be open, honest, and curious. I don’t remember anyone ever telling me they didn’t have the time to tell me about their career choices and to share their career advice with me. I feel fortunate to have had, and continue to have, so many great women as mentors, like Marry de Gaay Fortman. The empathy, sensitivity, and expressiveness I see in women around me are often considered weaknesses, but they’re not. They are strengths that we should use proudly.
It’s especially important to talk to other women about how they dealt with certain challenges. It doesn't matter which field we work in, women experience a lot of sexism, a lot of discrimination, to this day, in practically every field. We hear so much about how we dress, how much makeup we wear, and how we carry ourselves. We hear that we shouldn't do this, we should act like that. It’s something I still have to deal with myself. Every time I had my hair down with a little bit of makeup and a dress, I’d sit down at one of those negotiating tables and feel like I made the wrong decision that morning. Every time I would dress more masculine — wearing a suit with my hair up tight, and not a lot of makeup — I felt that it reinforced my credibility, which is so stupid if you think about it.
““I grew up in a very conservative, white, homogeneous community. A lot of girls had straight blonde hair. To fit in and look more European, I used to straighten my hair almost daily. My mom would tell me “You’re going to lose your hair, you have to stop doing that,” and she hid the straightener. So, then you know what I straightened my hair with? An iron. And then before I came home from school, I would put water in my hair to bring back the curls or I would just put it in a bun so my mom would not get mad at me. Thankfully, I have since embraced my hair and how I look.””
on her beauty routine
I grew up looking at Cher, thinking ‘Look at this Armenian beauty!’ And, especially as a teenager, I was confused about why that kind of beauty wasn’t accepted where I grew up. But I love how I look.
I think it’s very important to take care of yourself, and it’s also grounding in a way. In the morning, I use a very simple cleanser and then sunscreen – that's it. I use Korean sunscreen most of the time. At night, I use a serum. Sometimes I use a moisturizer. I have one from S.Nature and one from La Roche Posay, but since I have oily skin, I don't want to overdo it. And tretinoin from my dermatologist. I got lucky that my dermatologist prescribed it. And sometimes I’ll put on a mask.
I think what is most important for my skin is actually what I eat. There is this Dutch dermatologist, Dr. Jetske Ultee, with a fantastic skincare line, from which I use several products. She has been researching the connection between gut and skin health, so I'm being mindful about what I eat as much as I am mindful about what I put on my skin.
It’s so much easier to take care of curly hair nowadays, partly thanks to social media, which has allowed me to learn so much, especially from Black women who have so much knowledge to share about caring for curly hair. When I was growing up, I couldn't easily get products for curly hair, and I didn’t really know how to style my curls. One of my tips for curly hair is to use the right brush — I use a Denman comb, two combs from Officine Universelle Buly, and a hair pick. Before I wash my hair, I put oil on and leave it for an hour or two. I use coconut oil, which I learned about from Dr. Heleen Kibbelaar, or I mix jojoba oil with a couple of drops of rosemary extract for my scalp. And there's one brand that I really love using: Boucleme. It's owned by a Black British woman. And I would recommend a silk pillowcase.
For makeup, I like the NARS concealer, Bobbi Brown under eye corrector, Elizabeth Arden lipstick, Benefit clear eyebrow gel, and Valentino blush or Rare Beauty liquid blush.
on what she’s reading
I Want to Live is by Shushanik Kurghinian, an Armenian feminist poet I admire. It’s helping me improve my Armenian since it's a bilingual book. I also have a bilingual book of poems by Missak Manouchian, another Armenian poet. I love everything by James Baldwin. I have his Last Interview and Dark Days here. He was an incredible writer and activist. I did not grow up in the same circumstances as he did, but since I've also experienced a lot of racism, I really appreciate his writing. I’m rereading To Kill a Mockingbird. My favorite book is Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet. It helped me a lot with my career switch. I also love The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh. And I have Deborah Levy’s Things I Don’t Want to Know and Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers on my nightstand.
on fashion and diplomacy
Clothing plays an important role in diplomacy because of the level of professionalism and because with clothing, you can say a lot. Unspoken messages can be sent into the world. I dress very simply. I dress pretty modestly. I don't like to show a lot of skin, but I don’t mind when other people do. It's just the way that I feel comfortable dressing. Oversized clothing gives me a powerful feeling. And I love to buy secondhand clothing. I love vintage Ralph Lauren and early 90s Armani. One of my favorite vintage stores is Em Archives. It's in Belleville. She always has the most incredible pieces and her knowledge of clothing and fabrics is fascinating. Most of the good pieces I own are from my mom or my grandmother. They’re sometimes old clothes from the former Soviet Union, but the fabrics are really good. I pay a lot of attention to fabrics. For example, the pants I was wearing earlier are from Arket. They're a mix of wool and cotton, and I got them secondhand.
And then there’s the brand PARAMAZ, in the 1st arrondissement. I own a lot of leather items from this brand, owned by a Parisian-Armenian designer and leather craftsman from Beirut named Hagop Markarian. Apart from my current job working for a multilateral organization on equal access to justice, I am also further exploring my creative side as a photographer, while working on the rebranding, design, and partnerships for the new PARAMAZ space, which consists of a leather atelier, boutique, and coffee shop. The space will share Hagop’s cultural and family history rooted in craftsmanship and his incredible knowledge of leather. It will also be a space where we showcase the work of, and collaborate with, other artisans, artists, and photographers.
There is one designer, a friend of mine, named Sonya Avagyan. She's incredible. She lives between Armenia and Paris. And there's another brand that I really love called Jaquett. They made the green blouse that I was wearing. And I love Materiel Tbilisi. I own a dress from them, and the quality of the fabric is great. I also enjoy wearing clothes from Ceucle, a Parisian unisex brand using upcycled fabrics.
I love Maison du Pli in Belleville, one of the few remaining maîtres plisseurs; he works with a lot of fashion houses and his atelier is an incredible place to visit.
marianna’s favorite spots in paris
Restaurants: Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of Armenian restaurants here in Paris, something I might need to change in the near future. There's an Armenian canteen that is part of Maison de la Culture Arménienne. It's hidden in a courtyard in the 9th arrondissement, and the owner is an Armenian from Tbilisi as well, so you will also find khinkali, Georgian dumplings, on the menu. There’s Maison Noubar, a new Armenian restaurant in town. Colchide has the best khinkali and khachapuri — Georgian cheese bread. Loké has my favorite Kurdish sandwiches, and Kubri is my favorite Lebanese spot in Paris.
Other restaurants that are on my favorites list are Le Cornichon, AsianSoupe, Racines, Cravan, Tempête, and Le Grand Bain.
Coffee shops and bakeries: For coffee, I love Mardi in Belleville. The owners are kind, and the coffee and cake are fantastic. Pontochoux Café in Le Marais serves top-notch pastries and has great coffee as well. I love Yui from Dreamin’ Man. She bakes all the cookies and the cakes there. I like their location in The Broken Arm. Maison Aleph has my favorite pastries, and I like Norma Bakery — get take-away and sit in the small park across from the shop. I always recommend Télescope for coffee as well. Centre Culturel Franco-Iranien Pouya has the best Iranian tea and pastries. I am also excited to be part of this upcoming coffee shop, which will be part of the PARAMAZ atelier, on Rue Hérold.
Shopping: BEKA Flowers, Chikako Flowers, Sirane Ceramics, Ogata, Em Archives, CityPharma, all the hair shops in Château d’Eau and Chateau Rouge. Itris in Le Marais, the best tailors in town.
Relaxing: To read a book and disconnect I go to the garden of BNF Richelieu, Jardin du Palais Royal, or Gabriel Pierné Square. Or you’ll find me in one of the small independent cinemas in Quartier Latin. They often show classic Scorsese movies, like Goodfellas, which I’m a big fan of.
images by clémence polès, edited by meghan racklin