Historia Oral | Memories of Mariela Garabedian at ECLAC
Topic(s)
Mariela Garabedian joined ECLAC on 13 November 1978, although her connection with the institution began much earlier. As the daughter of Antonio Garabedian, an Armenian refugee who worked in the organization’s General Services, she became familiar with the site where ECLAC’s Headquarters now stands when it was still under construction. As a child, she spent time in the area while her father was involved in work related to the new building.
“I always say that I don’t know whether I belonged to ECLAC or ECLAC belonged to me,” she recalls.
Her formal entry into the institution came after her father’s death. At the time she was working at FAO, but she was contacted by ECLACand accepted a position in the Administration Division. Shortly afterwards, she moved to the personnel area, today Human Resources (HR) where she would develop her professional career for more than thirty years.
As an ECLAC Staff Member she experienced some of the most complex moments in the institution’s history, including the financial crises of the early 1980s, which led to significant staff reductions. For her, these processes had a strong human impact: close colleagues had to leave the organization, creating a climate of uncertainty and tension among those who remained.
Throughout her career she participated in several committees related to job classification, promotions and staff appointments. Looking back on her trajectory, however, she emphasizes above all the human dimension of her work.
“Human resources work is closely tied to the personal situations of each staff member,” she explains, highlighting the importance of listening to and guiding those facing professional or personal difficulties.
Her time at ECLAC was also shaped by the institution’s community life. She actively participated in the choir, which became an important part of her experience and left her with many memorable anecdotes.
Reflecting on her years at the institution, Garabedian describes its meaning in deeply personal terms: “ECLAC was my life, not only professionally but also personally.”