Beatrice, 2 enfants et un prix Nobel de la Paix

Je suis fière de vous présenter Bea, une femme aussi inspirante qu’attachante. A la tête de la campagne anti-nucléaire ICAN qui a reçu le Prix Nobel de la Paix (rien que ça !), Bea est avant tout une super maman et une super épouse. Une coolitude SO scandinave.

Bea, peux-tu te présenter en quelques mots ?
I’m Swedish, work as the executive director of ICAN, the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize winner, and I live in Genève with my husband and two kids. 

ICAN : quoi, pourquoi, qui, comment ?
Nuclear weapons has been a forgotten issue, but so destructive and could end the entire world. ICAN wanted to mobilize a new movement against nuclear weapons, different from the demonstrations and movements of the Cold War. We base our work on respect for human rights, the laws of war and the need to protect civilians in warfare. The campaign consist of over 500 non-governmental organisations in 100 countries. Last year, we convinced over 120 governments to negotiate a treaty that prohibits all nuclear weapons. Now we are working to get states to sign this treaty. 

Comment concilier vie de famille et vie médiatique post Prix Nobel ?
It’s been both amazing and pretty tough for the family. Personally, I’m actually a bit shy and don’t really want a lot of attention, but at the same time it’s been so great to get this recognition for the campaign and our work, so I do enjoy it. But it has put a lot of pressure on our family life. Campaigning is a lot about taking every opportunity you come across to make an impact, so there’s a lot of last minute travels and urgent situations that needs my attention all the time. I’ve travelled a lot this last year, which is tough on the family. My husband has supported me so much by spending a lot of time alone with the kids, which is exhausting. And when I don’t travel, I try to pick up the kids early and spend as much time with them as I can, which means I don’t spend much time at the office at all. Like many parents, I often feel that I’m not doing enough of anything, neither work, nor the family. But I try to stay kind to myself, and remember that I’m doing the best I can, and sometimes « good enough » really is good enough.

Est-ce que Holly et Henry réalisent ce que fait leur maman ? Comment leur avez-vous expliqué ?
They know it’s a big, important price (although Henry was disappointed because he thought the medal was going be much bigger in size). Holly is very proud, she knows its special and a big honour. Although, she read in a book that Marie Curie got to nobel prices, so now she’s not that impressed anymore. 

T’accompagnent-ils parfois dans tes déplacements ?
They both (and Will of course) came with me to Oslo for the nobel price ceremony. It was very special to have them there, to get to share those special days with them. I think Henry might still have been too young, but Holly will remember that experience. 

I have brought them both with me to work trips when they were babies. It was great to be able to bring them with me because it helped me manage some work travels, but it’s also stressful to have kids along at work trip. You feel torn between the kids and the work you are there to do, like you’re not doing any of the two things well. So most of the time I find it easier to leave them home, and focus on work 100% when I’m away, and on the family fully when I’m home. 

But my daughter came with me to one trip recently and we had such a great time together. She also loves being with me or my husband at work, I think she just enjoys being a part of the things we do outside the home. 

 

« Good enough is good enough. Perfection is a waste of time! »

 

Quelles valeurs fondamentales souhaites-tu leur transmettre ?
I really want them to accept themselves and others, in whatever way they are. Equality is very important to me, wether it’s class, gender, race, etc. I try to teach my kids that no one is better or more important than they are, but also that they are not better or more important than anyone else. 

Es-tu pour l’éducation positive ?
I’m not sure what that concept is about. But I really believe in letting kids develop at their own pace and enjoy learning. I don’t think education should be forced, because not all kids are ready at the same time. 

T’arrive-t-il de culpabiliser de ne pas les voir assez ?
Yes, always! But I’ve never met a mother who isn’t feeling guilty about something. It’s too easy to focus on the few things we worry about and we often ignore the hundred and hundred of things we’re doing really well at. 

Depuis le début d’ICAN, quel a été le moment le plus marquant ?
For me, the most memorable moment was the start of the work. When a small group of people got together with a great idea and started planning. We knew what we wanted to do, and now, 5 years later it feels almost like a dream that we actually made it here. 

Quelles sont les 3 personnalités qui t’inspire le plus ?

  1. the Pope, i find it incredible how much power he has just from people believing in him.

  2. Nelson Mandela. He is just such an important symbol for fighting for equality and freedom.

  3. Beyoncé. I love how she controls her image and business. She is the most popular artist in the world, and with all social media and paparazzi around, she manages to record album and videos secretly without any single leak. That’s cool!

Féministe ?
Yes, of course! 

Si tu devais définir la maternité en 1 mot ?
Boring!

Et le couple ?
I felt time was just standing still, that my life almost stopped and everything was suddenly about a baby. I felt a bit lost in myself, that there wasn’t anything else in my life than my pregnancy. I didn’t like how much focus I and others around me put on my body and what was growing in it. I had two easy pregnancies but I never liked brig pregnant. 

Te sens-tu soutenue par Will au quotidien ?
Oh yes! He is my rock. 

Comment se passe une journée type chez vous ? Qui gère quoi ?
Usually we’ll go up together, getnsone breakfast and then I’ll go to work, while Will drops holly off at the local school in Jonction, and Henry at the creche. 

I’ll pick up Holly and Henry at 4, cook food and eat at around 6 when Will comes home, one of us will put the kids to bed around 8, and then either ill do some more work from home or go to the gym. 

Tes bons plans pour :

  • Un dîner en amoureux :
    When we go out, we’ll try to test any new restaurants in Geneva.

  • Une après-midi avec les enfants :
    In the summer, we love to go to genève plage, or the piscine de carouse for swimming and playing. In the winter, skiing. Henry tried skiing for the first time this past winter and I’m really looking forward to us all being able to ski together.

  • Une soirée entre filles :
    Cocktails at a few different bars in eaux-vives!

  • Un moment rien que pour toi :
    Sometimes when I’ve travelled a lot, I love dropping off the kids at the school and creche and then work from home. I’ll go to Birdie, Paradiso or another cafe in Jonction, order some coffee and just get trough emails quietly without no one disturbing me.

Pour relâcher la pression que fais-tu ?
The best way to disconnect is to do something physical, like an intensive workout or going skiing. Nothing makes me appreciate life and nature as much as standing on the top of a ski slope, it’s the best! 

Qui réunirais-tu pour un dîner parfait ?
Maybe it’s boring, but I really just want to hang out with my friends! At work, I attend a lot of social events and dinners with so called « important » people. They’re never that much fun. I prefer to hang out with people I know and love. 

Que mangeriez-vous ?
Lots of small dishes to share and lots of wine on the table.  

Les prochaines vacances ?
We’re taking a train through Italy for two weeks this summer. We’ll stop at Milan, Verona, Pisa, Rome and Napoli, and stay on Ischia for some beach time for a few days. 

Te sens-tu genevoise ? En quoi cette ville t’a séduite ?
I love Genève, despite my rubbish french. It’s such a comfortable life here, small but international. And lots of really interesting people. The only thing I’m missing is the sea! 

Quels conseils donnerais-tu à une famille qui vient d’y emménager, ne connaît personne et ne parle pas français ?
Learn french! I didn’t at the beginning and it has made life less easy here. And then start doing different things that you enjoy, theater, sports, etc. You’ll find people immediately there. And of course, any kids-related activities is great for finding people with kids in the same age. Sometimes all you need is someone who complains about kids together with you. 

Le next step pour ICAN ? 
We’re trying to use the attention around the nobel peace prize to get more countries to join the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons, and to raise awareness around our work. 

Bea, que peut-on te souhaiter aujourd’hui pour demain ?
I’m worried about the rise of racism, hate-speech, facism, anti-democracy and nationalism around the world. I hope we will gather together as people to fight for human rights, democracy, tolerance and equality. 

Campagne internationale pour l’abolition des armes nucléaires
ICAN international & ICAN Suisse