GLOBAL CIVILITY AMBASSADORS Up Close and Personal with
AMBASSADOR GRACE CHARRIER Interview by Jasmina Siderovski
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hat does it mean to be an ambassador? Is it the level of authority granted to serve your nation, or is it the gift to be a storyteller on behalf of civility of love, hope and faith? Deep within us all, we have a purpose. A passion and experiences that help us grow and give us core value for the truth we speak. Women in sciences have faced long, unfair prejudices and setbacks because of their gender. These obstacles deter our success. However, there are thousands of remarkable women that have triumphed, and their work has inspired globally. Amazing women have defied and broken away from perceptions and proved that with persistence, soul belief, purpose, knowledge and education are the ingredients and breakthrough for progress. Grace B. Charrier is an African, Nigerian Woman of preservation, greatness and value. A fighter part of a global network of organizations such as researchers, scientists, doctors, nurses, oncologists, cancer patients, survivors, patient leaders, pharmaceutical industries. Her fight against cancer is admirable, and Grace has continued to be a lifeline for thousands around the world, supporting patients, survivors and their families. A breast cancer survivor and global ambassador appointed Legislative Ambassador for the American Cancer Society and Global Leadership Panel Member for Fight Cancer Global, Grace continues to make shockwaves creating awareness and research through her voice. I had the pleasure of discovering Grace on LinkedIn almost a year now, and from the moment she caught my attention, I knew she was different. Her voice was warm through her messages of hope, and humble triumphs that have credited her an Ambassador for humanity and most recently the eYs Magazine 2020 International Women’s Day Ambassador. Grace, could you please tell me a little about yourself? My name is Grace B. Charrier. I am African, Nigerian to be precise, although I always mention that I am a global citizen as I do not believe in borders, in boxes, in confinements, or in labels. I believe that my country should 16 | eYs Magazine, Winter 2020
be yours, yours should be mine, regardless of what part of the world each of us may come from. I had my education in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and in the United States with core competences in Business Administration (Marketing), Project Management, in Nonprofit Leadership and Administration, Public Health Advocacy, and Peace, Conflict and Mediation. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria as a young girl, I attended top schools such as The Corona School, Victoria Island, St. Mary’s Private School, and Holy Child College, Lagos. I also attended St. Andrew’s Private Tutorial College, Cambridge in the United Kingdom for my ‘A’ levels. My parents, Bassey and Emilia of blessed memory were very well-respected and upright community leaders and distinguished civil servants. They served their fatherland honorably and meritoriously. My Dad was a Chartered Accountant and a career Diplomat and Mum was a Chartered Secretary and Public Administrator. They were a beautiful couple and made a fantastic team who supported each other throughout the years. I traveled the world with my parents and was exposed at an early age to etiquette, conversations, and different cultures. I could confidently hold a conversation in any subject my parents had tutored me in. My parents always maintained that it was not fair to leave all the work to teachers alone. Yes, they did have their own part to play, surely, but parents were responsible for putting the icing on the cake and this they did, of which I am extremely
grateful. Growing up in the mid-70’s was pure innocence and total fun. I had a lot of friends and dear cousins I bonded deeply with, even though as time passed, we all moved on with our lives, and I learned to enjoy my own company which is reflective of how I live as an adult today. My daughter calls me an ambivert. I believe. Could you share some of your greatest achievements and awards? United Nations Peace Ambassador 2011 (Universal Peace Federation) United Nations NGO Representative 2013 International Association of Applied Psychologists (IAAP) It was high impact advocacy with Member States, and we worked tirelessly with the former SecGen United Nations Ban Ki Moon and the
