Today and tomorrow only 300 of 46,000 (yes I wrote that correctly) who requested admittance get in. Those passes are predetermined by the constituencies. Yesterday our RINGO constituency said they’d be available by 9am (so there I am, dutifully at 9AM) and they weren’t given out until after 10PM. I can’t even get into the building today – along with 45,700 others who would like to!
Early this morning the city gave those of us with passes access to closed circuit of the proceedings at an event center one Metro stop from here – the Forum (there are NO press allowed in to the actual event either except as part of the entourage of heads of state – so effectively no independent press). I plan to go down there in the afternoon more to see whom I might meet than anything else. At this point it is all about serendipity. We may have a health meeting somewhere in the city but even that may evaporate for lack of meeting space.
I can watch the proceedings from here on my computer for that matter. It snowed heavily last night and I’m going to get out in it for awhile this morning to get a bag for all the paper I collected that will be useful for our consortium so I can pay excess baggage fees to KLM to and from Scotland.
Last Sunday’s walk seems a long time away – but here’s a little of the nicer side of Copenhagen! Maybe I’ll get some more in the snow today.
December 18, 2009 at 13:46
Thank you, Janet.
As the meetings draw to a close I will have further reflections. It is very instructive to work for this period of time literally elbow to elbow with all the world’s points of view.
There have been a few surprises. NGOs were not treated well; researchers were lumped in with activists and our particular contact point for RINGOS (research NGOs) was very aloof during the first week. She could have helped us know how to approach the process from a research perspective and add significant value which was lost from the process for lack of a vehicle through which to give it aside from one joint statement which says very little. Iknow you, as a fellow researcher, can appreciate my frustration.
I hope that you and others who have followed the process will help me sort through what I’ve learned so that each of us can be a more effective part of our uniquely American opportunity to be effective.
December 30, 2009 at 18:11
Lynn,
I’ve read through all your posts from start to end point of the moment. The idealistic hope giving way to frustration, dismay, disappointment and then rising again to understand what it is you did accomplish.
On the world stage — the scripts are carefully crafted, memorized and delivered — politically correct, rhetorically designed, well orchestrated not to offend. The “star power” of the few can indeed make “BIG waves” of the moment, but then they pass and the waters go back to what they were before.
But on the conference floor — in the lines — in the off-side meetings and yes, on the Metro to and fro — your impact (and other thinkers, researchers and informed activists like you) send hundreds of ripples across that water. They move out from one chance conversation or serendipitous encounter to another — hundreds of ripples – people to people — a NETWORK of ripples – churning the water in every direction. A Big Wave comes and goes… but churning waters persist, ripple generating ripple generating ripple and beyond.
We always have BIG EXPECTATIONS at conferences like this, and about mid-point reality hits that “it’s not going to happen here, it’s just not going to happen!”
I read your posts and shared with your this wonderful journey. I assure you Lynn… in that mighty big Conference “ocean” the well-decked out Big Boats got the shoreline observers “ooos and aaaahs” — and while they were all “waiting for something to happen” …. it was going on all around them — one chance connection at a time — the BIG RIPPLE of change comes from millions of little ripples.
Thanks for being there and sending out a LOT of ripples all around you. You are churning the waters…. keep on keeping on!
Thanks for sharing this excellent experience!
December 18, 2009 at 13:12
Lynn,
I am enjoying your excellent blog reports! Thank you for taking the time to post this on-the-scene unfolding story. Your observations bring the news to life.