Originally from France, Julie began her journey of exploration at age 19, when she moved abroad for the first time. By travelling and expatriating in several different countries, including Norway, Denmark, Canada and today, Ireland, she was rewarded with the privilege of expanding her mind and substantially broadening her perspectives about the different ways people live and show up in the world.
What was also brought to her attention is the growing divide among people displaying differences, especially in the Western countries she has lived in. Julie has been deeply affected by the loss of community she has experienced on a personal level, and she became keenly aware of the impact it was also having on both individuals and societies. For several years, she had been wondering what role she could take to enhance and strengthen community bonds. She moved from a different country, role, and sector to another, acquiring knowledge and deepening her understanding of the social issues at play, until she chose Ireland to settle in.
When she first heard of the SDG Advocate Training, Julie had an intuitive feeling that this was the structure she needed to finally begin implementing her and her partner’s ideas. Its big-picture approach, encouraging the system-thinking she had become familiar with over the years as well as the interconnectedness of all issues, was matching both her way of thinking and seeing the world.