This week we chatted to Ivana Jordanovska, an International Relations Expert and former Advisor to the North Macedonia Prime Minster. She studied and consulted in International Relations through Europe and North America, currently she is pursuing a PHD at University of Southern California. Ivana shared with us her motivation and how to make sure us , as women, are heard with her intelligence and determination.
We, as women, must fight for every inch of the space we get and the some more, because we have to think about other women as well.
1. Could you tell me a bit about yourself and your background?
I am born and raised in North Macedonia until the age of 16 when I left home to study at the United World College in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a school in the same family of schools as Li Po Chun in Hong Kong. After that, I obtained my BA in Transatlantic Relations at the Institute for Political Science in Paris and I went back to North Macedonia to work.
I worked with the Westminster Foundation on strengthening the oversight capacities of the parliaments in the Western Balkans. I then moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina again to work for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, after which I was offered the position of Advisor for cooperation with international organizations to the Prime Minister of North Macedonia. I was the youngest advisor in the office.
After this, I obtained my MA in International Relations at NYU as a Fulbright Fellow and I am currently pursuing my PhD in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California.
2. What sparks your interest in international relations?
I think what influenced me the most was the time I spent at the United World College. Since it was a boarding school, during the 2 years I was there, I had roommates from Bosnia, Spain, Denmark, Ethiopia and Hong Kong. Once I got a taste of living with people from all around the world, it became what I wanted to pursue and make it my career.
My curiosity and my early immersion in the International world made me well equipped to work with people from different cultures and sometimes even act as a cultural mediator: I truly enjoy using intercultural understanding to solve some of the pressing issues of today.
3. From an Advisor to a Prime Minster to a PHD Student , what motivates you to go on your path in such a competitive environment ?
I want to be the best I can be in what I do. I think there can never be enough knowledge and we must always strive for improving ourselves.
Working as an Advisor, I got a chance to work on some really important issues and gain first had experience. I participated in International negotiations and events, which showed me the mechanisms behind International Relations.
When I went back to school, I realized I could offer a fresh insight to academia that stems directly from my experience in the real world. At the same time, I always aim to make academic research useful for the policy world. I think the greatest benefit for both academia and the foreign affairs world is to learn from each other.
4. The political world is traditionally a male dominated field , how do you fight for and protect your rights and make sure your voice is heard as a woman ?
The International affairs world is, unfortunately, very much a man’s world. It can be truly demoralizing sometimes, and I’ll be honest, I have felt furious and sad about it more than just once.
What I’ve had to do to get my voice heard is, not only to offer the best arguments I could, but sometimes to even be the loudest person in the room. We, as women, must fight for every inch of the space we get and then some more, because we have to think about other women as well. My greatest allies in this world are Fellow women – because when one of us creates more space for one, it’s more space for all of us.
When you learn how to cook from your mother and grandmothers, but they all cooked for proper Eastern European families, this is your casual Tuesday lunch. For a single person. pic.twitter.com/XEOqRWF26T
— Ivana Jordanovska (@JordanIva) September 28, 2021
5. How do you make yourself happy and ritzy in life?
At the end of the day, I love the simple things in life. I enjoy spending time with my friends, having a quality conversation over dinner or drinks. I love exploring the world of wine and consider myself a bit of an amateur sommelier. And finally, I love to travel and explore new cultures. It’s kinda like working without feeling like you are working, which only shows me I have chosen the right profession for myself.
Ritzy Chat
There is a story behind every successful woman. Every week, we catch up and chat with incredible women doing incredible things shaping Hong Kong.
