W-Women Globally

Caroline Jaine balances her busy life between diplomacy, painting, photography and journalism. And all her efforts have one goal: to give her input in preserving the peace in the world.

W-WomenGlobally: How did your life become so diverse: art, social entrepreneurship, diplomacy, writing, photography….when it all started? why?

Caroline Jaine: My life has always been diverse, I guess. As I child I was told “you can do anything you want to do” – someone should have told me that I don’t always NEED to do EVERYTHING I want to do!

W-WomenGlobally: If you would like to describe yourself, what is your profession at the moment?

Caroline Jaine: It has always been difficult to describe my profession. I would describe myself as a “communications advisor” who specialises in conflict, cohesion and community. I run imediate.org (together with to others) which specialises in this. But I am also a freelance writer and a portrait painter. Recently I have been using the term “citizen diplomat” to describe myself. I’m not keen on being described by my profession – we are a little obsessed with the whole “what do you do” thing, as if it is the only thing that defines us.

W-WG: What is your background, education?

Caroline Jaine: I was born and raised in the west of England. I studied and graduated in the Arts& Design. I have spent much of my working life abroad due to my 12 year diplomatic career with the Foreign& Commonwealth Office (FCO), which took me on substantive postings to Slovakia, Sri Lanka and Iraq and visits to 36 countries. In London I worked in Security Policy Department, Iraq Policy Unit, Finance Department and the FCO Press Office.

After spending a year gaining commercial experience as Head of Communications for an International Consultancy company, I now work for myself as a Communications Advisor supporting local, regional and national governments, international and multilateral organisations, social entreprise and charity in their engagement with the public – with the specific aim of reducing violence and promoting cohesion. I also run the media and communications organisation imediate.org which has recently won a research contract in Pakistan, written journalistic case studies for the Department for International Development and in February 2009 ran a UK media and events programme for a prominent American social entrepreneur. I am also a freelance writer, a portrait painter and I offer strategic advice and act as a co-ordinator for an All Party Parliamentary Group.

W-WG: what is the area of your your activity: local or global?

 Caroline Jaine: Two fold. I work at a local level, and I am more and more interested in working in my local community these days – in Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire areas in the UK, but when I say “working locally” I mean at a grass roots level – in schools and communities with real people. That said I also like the bigger picture stuff and to be able to influence broader policy – that might mean working with international organisans like the United Nations or with national government or in countries that take me out of the UK. imediate.org have been working in Pakistan for the early part of the year (although I didn’t visit), and we are currently developing a project in Afghanistan (where imediate have worked before).

W-WG: are your different activities connected with a ‘red line’? do you have some leading topics in your activity, art, life?

Caroline Jaine: Leading topics – desire to inspire people to desist from violence – so as above conflict transformation, community cohesion, and using the media, communications and the arts to do that.

W-WG: What is your source of inspiration? Who are your heroes, role models – if any?

Caroline Jaine: I find that I am inspired (some might say over-inspired) by everyone around me. In fact of late I have met so many inspiring people (especially women) that I am having to manage it better (by organising them in groups and networking them so I can get to them at once! – it’s called “going out for lunch”, but is really brining people together!) I am blessed to be working with two amazingly inspiring, knowledgable men (Nick Fielding and Emrys Schoemaker). My children inspire me. My soon-to-be husband inspires me. My mother’s art inspires me. I have enjoyed the work of Ashraff Ghani in Afghanistan in recent times (Fixing Failed States, written with Claire Lockheart). Obama is of course an inspiration to many. Someone like Derek Ashong lives and breaths inspiration (if you don’t know of him you should – google will reveal him to you!) Artisically many many artists inspire – as I have recent taken up portrait painting and find myself in Westminster, London very often, so I regularly refuel at the National Portrait Gallery. Sri Lankan artist Anoma Wijewardene  is a favourite (she was my mentor for a couple of years when I lived in Sri Lanka and in many ways still is)

W-WG: are you involved in any kind of charitable organization, foundation etc?

Caroline Jaine: I am hoping to establish imediate.org as a charitable trust in times to come. I offer support and advice to the Ministry for Peace in the UK, postcards of my portraits are sold to raise money for the Frontline Club Fixers Fund and I regularly give to Islamic Relief and Concern.

W-WG: what are your short and long term plans for the future?

Caroline Jaine: Short term plans are to find some real focus in all this diversity. Long term plans are to lose it again!