Marlene Luce Tremblay

Life & Friendship

Part 4

Geneva, Switzerland

From Thonon-les-Bains to Geneva, I visited my dear friend, Marian, who now works at the Palais des Nations, after having worked in Kenya and at UN Headquarters in New York. We met shortly after I returned to work at the United Nations when a position was available in the Africa Section where Marian was working at the time until she left for a higher post in Kenya. When she left, I took over her work searching images to illustrate articles for the magazine entitled ‘Africa Renewal’, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Working in the Africa Section was an amazing experience, especially with our new Chief, Masimba, who modernized the style of the magazine and was able to create a very dynamic team spirit. The Africa Section was well renowned for its lively parties, especially when our dear Kingsley came from Liberia to join the Africa Section.

To be a guest in Marian’s home is quite a treat for I had the impression of living in the clouds. She has an amazing view from her balcony to the Lac Léman, the mountains and the famous Mont Blanc. I was pleasantly surprised to see portraits of her family that I did for Marian before she left New York, as well as other images of my artwork all over her apartment. It’s quite nice to find my art across the Atlantic.

While in Geneva, I also met with my other of my friends whom I had not seen in long while. To my surprise, I found my friend, Amal, who was also in Geneva working as a journalist for Al Ahram, an important newspaper in Egypt. I met Amal in Cairo in 2004 while I was showing my series ‘Iconic Egypt & Beyond’ at the Al Ahram Art Gallery and at which time she interviewed me for the magazine, Al-Shabab, a two-page in-depth article. Needless to say, we remained friends ever since and Amal visited me in New York thereafter. I introduced her to Marian and I’m so pleased that they are now good friends.

Before I left on my trip, I contacted my friends, Florence & Hervé, so that we could arrange to meet during my stay in Geneva. I met Florence & Hervé in Paris during my show ‘L’Égypte à mes yeux’ at the Centre Culturel d’Égypte in 2005. Florence & Hervé are important art collectors and they purchased the piece ‘La danse de la lumière’, which is now hanging in their home in Geneva. Florence is the founder of a non-profit organization Asseda (Association Suisse de soutien aux enfants défavorisés ou abandonnés), consisting of four orphanages based in Colombia, Sierra Leone, DR Congo and Egypt. Florence is of a very altruistic nature and a humanitarian at heart, who I admire a great deal, and I believe this is as a result of the way she was raised as her father was a very important figure at the Red Cross.

Florence is organizing a silent auction in May next year to raise funds for Asseda and my heart called for me to donate three pieces of my ‘Love’ series for I know that all the funding goes to help children in need.

During my two-week stay at Marian’s home, I had the chance to visit Le Palais des Nations and Palais Wilson, home of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Although I never did work at Palais des Nations, it felt like home and the UN family is very dear to me, especially the friends I have made throughout the years who have a special place in my heart. Thanks to Marian, I was able to immerse myself, once again, in that international world.