I got into trouble at home recently for making a new friend on a train. She wanted to come and see us before she returned to Africa and it wasn't very convenient. I remember snapping petutantly "I have picked up hundreds of people on trains and this is the only one who has wanted to visit me!" - as some sort of explanation why they should be more considerate. But it is true. Travelling of any sort makes it easy to make best friends, exchanging emails and mobiles and vowing eternal contact, but those that follow through are rare. I, too, have often found soggy scraps of paper years later with half a phone number, jolting guilty recollections that I was going to send them some life enhancing piece of information....
So how refreshingly wonderful when people do turn back up in our lives, eg Sophia from the coach via Brussels delayed by Channel Tunnel iced-up trains and snow warnings and a young, very principled Danish Sufi called Robert who had my map!
Robert and I had had a brief intense conversation about policing and non-violence which had helped both of us progress our thinking and our resolve. We met again on the last night of the Summit outside the Bella Centre yelling ourselves hoarse with Avaaz - a motley band described by Ed Milliband as "young people who are going to make a difference" which felt nice (well, - and me). From our previous conversation Robert had decided to make a present to me of a commentary of the Bhagavad Gita by Gandhi, which he says is the best version he has come across. I was bowled over by this kindness and delighted as our son has been showing interest in finding out more about Hare Krishnas. We screamed some more chants and met a representative from the Bolivian delegacy and then about 3 am we wombled 'home', having almost certainly been the sole reason the official Summit failed to agree on anything significant. It turned out, not altogether surprisingly, that nobody was at home when we got there and it was locked. The previous night we had been allowed to sleep there but this time they had put up signs that they were shutting at midnight. However what had not been clear was whether people were staying over or not - something I had decided to wait to discover for certain till 3.30 am on a bitterly cold night!
So that meant going properly home - thankfully not quite all the way back to the UK - but out towards the edge of Copenhagen and with only a fairly vague idea of how the night transport would meet our needs. That is why my wonderful map suddenly leapt back into action - showing us most of the way back out by subway. thankfully those trains ran all the way through the night, with only a 20 or so minute walk back from the station.
Robert had needed to show the station staff my rag-eared map to find the correct route. We then dropped down to the platform to find a large group of young people arguing with one provocative older man who was very drunk and kept insulting them. They were fighting a little then withdrawing and then, after more insults, it would start up again. With his strong nonviolent beliefs behind him, Robert courageously tried to keep them apart and having failed to do so for long, ran off to get some help. He arrived back just in time to emulate Gwenneth Paltrow in that fate deciding moment in Sliding Doors on the London Underground!
It must have been past 4 am when we emerged from the station very cold and well ready to fall asleep, so it wasn't surprsing that neither of us remembered Robert still had my beloved map. It was some weeks later that the lovely email arrived asking whether, in the light of the complex hieroglyphics in various handwriting on the back of it, I might like him to send it back?
What a great surprise.
Thursday 4 February 2010
Friday 15 January 2010
Slumming it with Kevin McCloud - catch it!
If you have missed the past two evenings of Slumming It with Kevin McCloud in Dharavi in Mumbai (Channel 4) then I urge you to catch it on the internet. It's not easy television! I challenge you not to go through the entire rainbow of emotions and human angst and questioning with him and not to feel completely wrung out by it. But it raises the most important questions for the next few years.
On the last Friday of the Summit a representative from the Bolivian delegation came to Christiana (Bottom Summit) . He was pleased at the agreement that had been reached a short time previously at the Bella Centre on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD). Some young people asked him quite angrily for more detail and less rhetoric as this issue has extremely serious consequences for some indigenous peoples* and major implications for large-scale land re-use. He became quite angry briefly as well and challenged them to consider how much their ideas reflected white colonial thinking.
Dharavi is shocking in terms of sanitation, disease, health and safety and exploitation but the most heart-breaking thing is that sometime soon the whole square mile could be bulldozed. A proportion of the million or so people - those who live on the ground floor with proven 'tenancies' for 10 years, while there seem to be no plans for the remainder - will be rehoused in concrete boxes in densely packed high-rise flats. The contrast between the known problems of such estates over 5 decades and the colour, vibrancy, joy, resourcefulness and crime-free community of the many neighbourhoods, each with very unique characters that have evolved organically and that Kevin McCloud experienced first hand (complete with rats, industrial chemicals, syringes amongst hospital waste and chest infections) is poignant.
What is community? Who really understands civilised behaviour and co-existence? What leads to the greatest joys?
These are the challenges of the next 5 - 20 - 50 years, answering these questions together, listening to those who genuinely understand community and joy, learning from them and giving them small hands up in the basics of sanitation, clean water and to some extent but not too much our forms of education. But also taking taking taking from them what they know at every level about how to live this life, to be, to share, to care and then applying it in our own families, friendships and communities. Not to mention listening to our own older people.
* I have just discovered that the Forest Peoples' Programme is based 'down the road' in Moreton in the Marsh in Gloucester. Their newsletter does not contain updates from Copenhagen yet but the pre-Summit one is excellent:-
http://www.forestpeoples.org/documents/enews_dec09.shtml
On the last Friday of the Summit a representative from the Bolivian delegation came to Christiana (Bottom Summit) . He was pleased at the agreement that had been reached a short time previously at the Bella Centre on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD). Some young people asked him quite angrily for more detail and less rhetoric as this issue has extremely serious consequences for some indigenous peoples* and major implications for large-scale land re-use. He became quite angry briefly as well and challenged them to consider how much their ideas reflected white colonial thinking.
Dharavi is shocking in terms of sanitation, disease, health and safety and exploitation but the most heart-breaking thing is that sometime soon the whole square mile could be bulldozed. A proportion of the million or so people - those who live on the ground floor with proven 'tenancies' for 10 years, while there seem to be no plans for the remainder - will be rehoused in concrete boxes in densely packed high-rise flats. The contrast between the known problems of such estates over 5 decades and the colour, vibrancy, joy, resourcefulness and crime-free community of the many neighbourhoods, each with very unique characters that have evolved organically and that Kevin McCloud experienced first hand (complete with rats, industrial chemicals, syringes amongst hospital waste and chest infections) is poignant.
What is community? Who really understands civilised behaviour and co-existence? What leads to the greatest joys?
These are the challenges of the next 5 - 20 - 50 years, answering these questions together, listening to those who genuinely understand community and joy, learning from them and giving them small hands up in the basics of sanitation, clean water and to some extent but not too much our forms of education. But also taking taking taking from them what they know at every level about how to live this life, to be, to share, to care and then applying it in our own families, friendships and communities. Not to mention listening to our own older people.
* I have just discovered that the Forest Peoples' Programme is based 'down the road' in Moreton in the Marsh in Gloucester. Their newsletter does not contain updates from Copenhagen yet but the pre-Summit one is excellent:-
http://www.forestpeoples.org/documents/enews_dec09.shtml
The nights before leaving
The night before I left for Copenhagen, when everything I was taking was neatly packed in a tiny rucksack and everything I was leaving was ironed, folded and stored alphabetically in the freezer or the wardrobe, I was twiddling my thumbs wondering what on earth I could do to while away those last few hours (I may be mis-remembering one or two organisational details) when Mark calmly suggested I could spend a few minutes marking up the places I would arrive and where I was going to stay. Hah - that's just for sissies but I humoured him nonetheless and we printed out 3 overlapping sheets from google maps. I jigsawed them together with tape and annotated the key areas - the kitchens, the legal team, the warehouse accommodation...
Discovering fellow climate campers, I'd consulted it twice before we'd even left London Victoria Coach station and within the first couple of days it was rag-eared from frequent consultations to help others and myself because it turned out to cover a larger areas than most of the - otherwise very excellent - free maps. It was quite invaluable. Being always to hand and a good size, the back also got liberally scribbled on with addresses, emails, pieces of advice and recommendations ...
The night before I left Copenhagen for home I lost my map! I didn't discover this until part-way home and hoped I had put it into my packing but upon investigation realised it really had gone, along with all the emails so I was quite sad. But now it is on its way home!
Discovering fellow climate campers, I'd consulted it twice before we'd even left London Victoria Coach station and within the first couple of days it was rag-eared from frequent consultations to help others and myself because it turned out to cover a larger areas than most of the - otherwise very excellent - free maps. It was quite invaluable. Being always to hand and a good size, the back also got liberally scribbled on with addresses, emails, pieces of advice and recommendations ...
The night before I left Copenhagen for home I lost my map! I didn't discover this until part-way home and hoped I had put it into my packing but upon investigation realised it really had gone, along with all the emails so I was quite sad. But now it is on its way home!
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Friend article by Sunniva Taylor
I contacted the Quaker non-violence project Turning the Tide ( http://www.turning-the-tide.org/ ) to find out about other Quakers who had gone to Copenhagen. I particularly hope to discuss their own experiences of and reactions to the non-violent direct actions including the actions of the police.
Many thanks to Sunniva Taylor who used to work as a researcher for Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW) for giving me the details of her article for the Friend (the UK Quaker weekly paper) about her weekend in Copenhagen with Christian Aid (see link below).
During the march I had been very inspired when I ran into a small group of Christian Aid cyclists who had made much of the way to Copenhagen from Britain by bike. In the article she mentions that some of them were Quakers eg Gerald and Laura Conyngham from Exeter Meeting (see photo from Sunniva's article).
Many thanks to Sunniva Taylor who used to work as a researcher for Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW) for giving me the details of her article for the Friend (the UK Quaker weekly paper) about her weekend in Copenhagen with Christian Aid (see link below).
During the march I had been very inspired when I ran into a small group of Christian Aid cyclists who had made much of the way to Copenhagen from Britain by bike. In the article she mentions that some of them were Quakers eg Gerald and Laura Conyngham from Exeter Meeting (see photo from Sunniva's article).
Saturday 2 January 2010
The silent call from the arctic on the Cathedral steps
On a plinth beside the steps of Copenhagen Cathedral was a lifesize ice sculture of a polar bear. It was translucent and really beautiful. It's sculptor, Olaf Storo, and the singer, Berit Meland, who wrote the accompanying song (see below) stood below the bear as everyone arrived for the service officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday 13th December. Berit sang out in a loud, clear voice while people waited to go in and it was haunting. I have typed the song below as personally I think the words are gorgeous. There are other ice bear projects too, one was in a square in the centre of Copenhagen by the WWF exhibitions and another melted in Trafalgar Square over the same period. I've put the links below, partly because I am getting clever enough now with blogging to know how to - !
The Silent Call from the Arctic
For the first time ....
For the first time my eye beholds Your creation's wonder
Teach us to amend our ways before it goes asunder
Open up your heart so that our eyes can truly see
That earth is where we live, our only destiny
I hope, I trust, that you and I can find a cure
The answer lies close by your side, my heart is sure,
Here, all alone, I find the time to sit and ponder
That earth is where we live our lives of woe and wonder
Now is the time to act! Come, join the cause my friends
Our chosen home, the earth, on our help depends!
http://www.icebearproject.org/expedition.htm http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/melting-bear-square.php
Friday 1 January 2010
Chocolate, an arm, free soup, clothing and Samba ...
The Wednesday (16th) Reclaim Power march/demonstration and action was obviously smaller than the Saturday one and instead of sunshine it was dull and then snowed but there was a dynamic energy and cohesiveness throughout. Beginning at 8am at the subway station start right through to walking back together into Copenhagen at about 4.30 pm, it was irrepressible and inspiring. I'll write more later of the components: the crowd surge to 'reclaim power', the knock-back of pepper spray attacks, small successes to bridge the moat, the yellow block, the white group, the successful People's Assembly ... but for now it is the tiniest things that make me smile.
The man who for no reason turned to me near the end of the long day and said "chocolate?!" (his fingers should grow back). The dapper gentleman who had seen nothing of pepper spray, helicopters, dogs and mayhem but had joined us at the tail end of his university day, dressed superbly and with a jaunty walk. When we were told to 'chain up' (link arms) against police taking chosen people from the crowd (which had been happening) he offered his arm with a wonderful smile: "what a lovely day for a stroll" as we crossed one of the main bridges in gentle snow-fall. We caught up with eachother's days and after 15 or so minutes noticed no-one else was arm in arm any more but continued a while longer anyway.
The people I loved most of all were the ones who cycled round the crowd with large barrows on the front full of free warm clothing - hats, gloves, jumpers ... or huge turrines of free soup or tea which seemed to have a genuinely bottomless quality which suited the occasion. It was innovative, insightful and appreciated: God bless them.
And as for the Samba band, maybe they deserve their own blog later, I'll look up who they were and pass on the details but boy did they help us on that long trek back into town (could someone get the Mexico COP organised in the middle of the city please?!)
Did we reclaim power? No, obviously not. But then again, define 'we' 'reclaim' and 'power'. We: I doubt there was a person there who wasn't changed in some way and almost exclusively for the better by what they saw, experienced, did and felt, including many of the police. Reclaim, rediscover, redefine, internalise. Power: I certainly heard many people over the next few days talk of the powerful effect on them of the non-violent witness they had seen in those at the front who refused to retaliate. Also, representatives of poorer nations spoke of the impact of seeing so many people not only turn up but be willing to 'put themselves on the line' to support and care about their causes, to walk along side them, to give them a chance to speak and then to listen. I'll write soon about my friend from Ghana who was quite an extreme example, but I did pick up that many people ended the day feeling just a little more empowered: power embedded - wonderful.
The man who for no reason turned to me near the end of the long day and said "chocolate?!" (his fingers should grow back). The dapper gentleman who had seen nothing of pepper spray, helicopters, dogs and mayhem but had joined us at the tail end of his university day, dressed superbly and with a jaunty walk. When we were told to 'chain up' (link arms) against police taking chosen people from the crowd (which had been happening) he offered his arm with a wonderful smile: "what a lovely day for a stroll" as we crossed one of the main bridges in gentle snow-fall. We caught up with eachother's days and after 15 or so minutes noticed no-one else was arm in arm any more but continued a while longer anyway.
The people I loved most of all were the ones who cycled round the crowd with large barrows on the front full of free warm clothing - hats, gloves, jumpers ... or huge turrines of free soup or tea which seemed to have a genuinely bottomless quality which suited the occasion. It was innovative, insightful and appreciated: God bless them.
And as for the Samba band, maybe they deserve their own blog later, I'll look up who they were and pass on the details but boy did they help us on that long trek back into town (could someone get the Mexico COP organised in the middle of the city please?!)
Did we reclaim power? No, obviously not. But then again, define 'we' 'reclaim' and 'power'. We: I doubt there was a person there who wasn't changed in some way and almost exclusively for the better by what they saw, experienced, did and felt, including many of the police. Reclaim, rediscover, redefine, internalise. Power: I certainly heard many people over the next few days talk of the powerful effect on them of the non-violent witness they had seen in those at the front who refused to retaliate. Also, representatives of poorer nations spoke of the impact of seeing so many people not only turn up but be willing to 'put themselves on the line' to support and care about their causes, to walk along side them, to give them a chance to speak and then to listen. I'll write soon about my friend from Ghana who was quite an extreme example, but I did pick up that many people ended the day feeling just a little more empowered: power embedded - wonderful.
Thursday 31 December 2009
The truth about that warehouse floor
I went to the National Express office several times and they told me consistently I could only travel from Hereford on a Wednesday and Sunday. Looking back now, knowing that there appears to be a coach every day, I have no idea why! But thankfully it all worked out beautifully. It meant I arrived a day or so early with the very best of companions from Climate Camp Ireland who took me under their wing and helped me feel safe, hugged and included from the very first coach stop. It also meant - almost as good! - that we took first choice of the accommodation and were snuggly and warm throughout in the office block of the warehouse, complete with a wonderful shower and our own loo ... cushty.
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