You arrive in a strange city, tired from travel, your head full of impressions and street names you can hardly understand. You are looking for your hotel but somewhere you took a wrong turn. So, why not stop for a coffee and smell some of the atmosphere before you take up the background documents that you didn’t read yet.
This has been my experience at most conferences that I have been to so far, although the number is limited. The next day is usually when I lose myself in wonderfully interesting people and debates, but the day of arrival is a wonderful one as well, being in a new place and having the opportunity to dwell a little.
This time I’m on the other end, as the coordinator of WO=MEN, your host organisation to this years WIDE Annual Conference. It is me that gives you a warm welcome on behalf of my organisation and also on behalf of the city I live in. The city may not be big, but it is rich in history and in atmosphere, and I’m happy to live here. I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to talk to you about the global issues we commonly face, but let’s not get into that quite yet.
For the time being I hope you all feel welcome and at home. I hope you will leave this place not only enriched by ideas but also by pleasant memories that linger in your mind the next time you pay a visit to this city.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 09-10-2008
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