East meets West!

My humble return to the blog after a year and a half, what a roller coaster!!!  My last blog took place at the peace work conference in Prague, and now I write to you live from Istanbul where East meets West!
Had someone told me that after someone stole my seat at the English National conference in 2011…that this would lead me to speaking with and asking the head of the world alliance questions in Istanbul I would have never believed it, but my friends I have done this! I’m living breathing evidence that the impact model works and I am indebted to those who have provided me that space so that I can transform myself and others and hopefully impact our movement somehow.

We are fresh off the world challenge and as the day finished in England I was still searching for a teapot to bring to Istanbul with me, after a long trip and a dash across London (something every northerner fears!) we arrived in Istanbul. I have been lucky enough to have represented England on a few occasions but I still had a culture shock, the fear of not knowing where you are or being unable to communicate well enough is frightening but at the same time exciting! I must confess as we arrived at the hotel and I took a glance at the Asian toilet I was struck with sheer panic! This really is where EAST meets WEST! Then there was the powdered milk along with trams and cars that can get very very close to you! There is something about being able to buy freshly squeezed juice for couple of lira on the street from a local vender that really puts into perspective how life works here.

What I always love about YMCA, and doesn’t matter if it’s on a local, national or international level is that it’s always like coming ‘home’ literally the entire conference met on the front street and there was hugs and handshakes… seeing old friends from countries far and wide and meeting new people, it’s just so inspiring.
Gerard and Johan led a session on the change agents, as we looked through the history of our sleeping giant, I felt privileged that plans and ideas were being discussed, I felt incredibly proud that the top man in our movement would thank me for my comment or contribution. There was some work done in our home groups about the roles and 'what is the change?' that agents should be making. A difficulty in my own home group was that we were so diverse and all came from different backgrounds and levels that everything was discussed from young trustees to visible young participation to waking up the giant! A difficult and at times daunting task… my own challenge to Johan was how was’ how do we choose these change agents?’ is someone wanting to be one enough? should leaders throughout Europe choose? or should we the youth nominate our peers or people who inspire us?… I will let you the readers make your own mind up on an answer. The one thing that was loud and clear from my home group was the need to ‘blend’ or ‘fuse’ together the experience of the older folk with the passion and belief of the younger guys.

We also had presentations from Africa on the subject to citizen project, from Canada on their work within the community and from YES about their changes and vision.

An inspiring and diverse day… this was topped off with the fact that at dinner I sat with friends from Kosovo, Holland, Russia, Iceland, Armenia, and Turkey just to name a few…. Inspired, challenged, excited… the world challenge may not have woke the giant completely but surely it’s a matter of time before he stops pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock!!!
Adi