IGLYO's new dream team

Back home I try to look back on the last week. Four years suddenly feel like four months, or four weeks. I'm parting from something that shaped me so much - I'm happy, sad and proud at the same time.

A dream came true. IGLYO members adopted documents that will guide IGLYO into the future. A solid strategic plan, fresh statutes and new internal regulations and strong workplans for the coming three years were adopted on impressive consensus basis and with much support.

The educational guidelines were finished and debated. Representatives of COLEGAS, Fransesco de la Torre (mayor of Malaga) and Michael Cashman (chair of the LGBT intergroup in the European Parliament) came to opent he meeting.

And most important: a dream team was elected. I am confident that they will guide IGLYO further into its future.

Augustus, Bruno, Claire, Ilke, Lucy, Nanna and Simon: wishing you good luck!

So long IGLYO!

Dear friends,

A little bit more than four years ago I traveled to Lisbon. For the first time in my life I went to a real conference, for the first time in my life somebody paid my ticket. I didn’t really know what to expect, except that I understood the topic of the conference was ‘pride’. We slept the whole week in a hostel and the conference took place in a small community centre in Lisbon. For me it was to become the most special week of my life. Back home I tried to explain what IGLYO had done with me – but it was so hard to explain. One week of spending time with like minded people – one week of full dedication and energy.

Now, four years later I stand in front of you here in Malaga to say goodbye. To say goodbye from an organization that has played such an important part of my life. I had the privilege to work for an organization that is very unique. Like many other people: I became a bit of IGLYO…and slowly IGLYO became also a little bit of me. After these days I have the full confidence, that IGLYO will continue to become a bit of you – and that is what the truth strength of IGLYO is: a youth organization that knows what it works for.

It was a conviction that I should do this work, that I should take on the challenge of supporting an organization which does not know much of it equals. The conviction however did not come from inside. It came from you. It came from stories of exclusion, stories of injustice, spoken by brave, courageous people – people whom when they got together develop magic amounts of energy.

Four years have passed away now – they feel like a few months. Many challenges we have faced, and many challenges will also remain. Our belief and your inspiration helped us reconstructing the organization to what we are today: a well respected partner in the field of European Youth affairs.

IGLYO can not do without its volunteers. In the past years I had the lucky opportunity to work with many. Too many to thank all in person, but a few I want to thank. In particular the people that I started working with: Ruth, Jasna and Jelena. Those who started with me in this board: Maxence and Beverley. Those who work with me now, and still bear with my endless demands: Fabio, Darren, Lucy and Bruno. For you I have a little present to remember this meeting.

But also I thank people from outside, whom helped me reflect and have given me assistance and inspiration when I needed that. Evelyne, Judit, Bettina and Dennis: without you this work would very likely not have been possible.

I believe there is a future for IGLYO. Many of the numerous activists that once were part of IGLYO are now part of other important human rights organizations. The strategic plans and the commitment that have been show during this meeting gives me hope for considerable work to be carried out in the coming years. The confidence and trust that are given to the new board are an important asset in that, and I hope that the new board will continue building partnerships and encourage cooperation with youth organizations, and other organizations. Together we stand strong.

But dear friends, it is also my duty to share with you also my concerns. The work pressure on a small group of volunteers is enormous. This small group of people is too often characterized by their Western-European citizenships. Activists from other regions of Europe are extremely occupied by running their local and national movements – often already as volunteers. This creates a geographical power imbalance which needs to be challenged. We can not continue letting go the great contributions that young people from all regions in Europe can make.

At the same time there continues to be a lack of resources. The potential opening of an office next year will slightly improve the work conditions of the preceeding board. But let’s not create an air bubble: one person will not be able to run the complete administration and carry out the organization of events. The amount of work continues to increase, and this needs to be tackled. You all have an important role in this. I believe that only by showing vision, unity and true leadership we can expect this support to increase in the coming years.

Many efforts have been made to raise IGLYO’s profile in the past years – to position IGLYO in such way that both the number of activities engaging members can grow, the policy development can improve and extend, as well the capacity to accept an increasing amount of important partnerships can be developed. This work has to continue. We have to react on the policy developments in the EU, the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the UN, in order to create better standards for the realities of young people. We need to target our actions, and I am convinced that the new board will be helped by the existence of a strategic plan that will allos them to focus and target their energies.

But foremost, let’s not forget why we do this work. Our meetings have demonstrated repeatedly the unacceptable situation in which young LGBT people still find themselves daily. Why is the 14-year old Danny, living in a small village of the Netherlands, being criticized for being gay? Because many people in the Netherlands feel that at this age he can’t be sure about his sexual orientation yet. Self-determination is an important aspect of human rights principles that we need to advocate for.
Why is 19-year old Denise in Bulgaria forced to work and leave home? Because her parents wouldn’t take care of her anymore after she came out. We need to build project around intercultural and inter-religious dialogue – to ensure a better understanding of whom we are.
Why are numerous schools still refusing to discuss LGBT issues in their curricula, herewith contributing to social exclusion of LGBT young people? And when can these schools be kept accountable for the mental damage that they herewith cause? When can these schools be kept accountable for the isolation that they cause, isolation sometimes leading to suicide?

And then I do not speak even about the situation of young people elsewhere in the world. IGLYO is the only international LGBTQ Youth organization of this seize world wide. Why? Because we have it relatively good. Let’s not forget that. Let’s not forget that we carry a responsibility towards the situation of LGBTQ young people elsewhere in the world.


Dear friends, I must say that saying goodbye hurts. It helps to know that there is a new competent and enthusiastic board waiting to take over. I want to wish the new board a lot of luck with their work, I am confident that they will further guide IGLYO in the directions that we are needed to go. I have two little presents that should give some luck to the next board. I hope they will stay with IGLYO, and that the new board will give these presents to the new board.

One present is from Darren, Fabio and me. It’s a mirror for the new office, so that we can always remember whom we are working for. \

The other present is something more personal. It is a piece of the homo-monument in Amsterdam. A place where I often go to eat a sandwich for lunch. The triangle next to the Westerchurch in Amsterdam represents past, present and future. It commemorates those that became victim of who they are. In the summer tourists rest on the monument without knowing what the monument is – it makes it just a part of the environment. There is a text on the monument which still is a dream to so many young lgbt people in the world, it reads ‘to friendship, such an endless longing’.

It provided me with much inspiration, hope and perspective. I hope this piece of stone will bring the same to you.

Dear friends, thank you for all the great work and experiences in the past years. I wish you all the best for your future work and hope to be able to continue working with many of you.


So long, IGLYO!

Something inside so strong

The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The further you take my rights away
The faster I will run

You can deny me
You can decide to turn your face away
No matter 'cause there's ...
Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it

Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone... oh noT
here's something inside so strong
Something inside so strong

The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly it will blind you

Because there's ...

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
Well, we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway ...

because there's...

To change

These weeks are a bit awkward. Friday the General Meeting of Members start - for IGLYO a next step into a promising future. A considerable amount of members will gather to discuss on the future directions of the organisation. An exciting moment.... and I'm quite confident that the future of IGLYO will look well, looking at the candidates that stand for elections.

For me it's the end of an important but crazy ride in my life. Being involved with IGLYO did change my life a lot... and working towards this meeting feels like going to leave something of myself behind. I will do considerably less youth work, and that will feel strange. But foremost I will miss working with all these great people that I've met in the past years.

But it will also bring positive changes to me. Time to spend more time with friends in the Netherlands, time to go to the gym, time to study French and time to be lazy.

Statutes

A while ago I and Cristian visited the Museum Beelden aan Zee in Scheveningen. Tom Otterness has a fixed exhibition at the sea side, called Miracles at Sea. The displayed statutes are adorable -which represent fairy tales. Scheveningen beach is already a nice place to be (I spent many wonderful years working at the Northern part of the beach) - but this exhibition makes it an even better experience.

Back to school

A few weeks ago I attended a reunion at my high school in Amersfoort. My high-school period was a time of mixed feelings: experiencing nasty treats of freaked pupils during my first year, but meeting many friends in consecutive years. Looking back my time at the Farel college overall was very nice.

Schools are strange places to be, they take such a decissive role in shaping our lives. During the first year I sometimes had sink in my shoes when entering the schoolyard. I looked up to the popular groups of smoking and swearing young people, often terrorizing the environment for those who did not fit their vision on reality. They led to a seperation of groups of young people, the popular and the not so popular. And so it turned that my best friend from primary school ended up in the popular club, and I ended up in the impopular club. To keep up his own reputation he then had to kick me during the terribly ritual week openings (I attended a Christian school), pretending that he did that as I reaction to me beating him. It made me want to stay at home.

In the second year it seemed that people gave up their ideas on belonging to a certain group. Their identies became increasingly constructed on rather individual characteristics, moving away from common group values which made it necessary to harass individuals that they could not identify with. It removed my fears and opened space for me to develop myself, while sticking to my own identity and not having to act cool anymore.

Slowly I started enjoying school. Slowly those who had been popular once, started to become impopular. I became secure, they remained uncertain. Then I started participating in school bodies, participating in a Bertolt Brecht play and organising school parties. All was I think very perfect than, except from one thing: I did not dare to come out. Where others started responding to their puberty needs, I was confused about my own feelings. There was no possible way of me coming out the closet, I did not experience school as a place to do so.

At the reunion I saw a lot of people that I didn't see for a long time. It was somehow a bit strange. It was nice to see some people again, but it was strange to experience that teachers -whom I experienced as having played an important role in my development - did not even remember your name anymore.

Below a picture with Kees - whom I see way too little!

Morning dew

When the streets are still empty and dew is covering the fields. I have always enjoyed the morning silence. The morning can be like a little secret - a state-of-art that you do not have to share with all those people that are still sleeping. The nature awakes a bit earlier than I tend to do - but is in such beautiful peace at morning.

The last days I woke up early naturally - probably as a result of changing my clock a few times throughout the past week.

Reflection

The last weeks are extremely busy - little time for reflections! But I have enjoyed these weeks extremely... they've been inspiring and charged me for the last weeks of the year to come. Some Cypriotic reflection I captured that I can't stop looking at below!

If I were a poet

I would live my life with words
Rephrase the sense of being
Understand vocabular of love
Listen songs of sadness
I would live my life with words
Just
If I were a poet

Street lights

The past week I've attended the ILGA-Europe annual conference in Vilnius. It was a good conference, with interesting speakers and a lot of useful new contacts. Smoke bombs in a bar next to the conference venue late at night were less nice. But, unfortunately for the perpetrators, less impressive. A bit of smoke does not spoil the evening of group of activists that knows what its working for. The protest outside of the conference venue was also not very impressive compared to the discussions that were going on at the same time inside of the venue.

After Vilnius I traveled to Kyrgyzstan. I visited our (COC's)partner organisation Labrys - which is doing an incredible deal of work in Bishkek. With a taxi we moved on to Talas, a city with 40.000 inhabitants, no street ligths available - and poor sanitary conditions. Work is only seasonal - leaving many people in the winter to alcohol only. Charactarized by a very strong family tradition the youngest child of each family is expected to take care of the parents. A society in which it is terribly difficult for LGBT people to live.

It took as a flat tire to reach Talas - getting to Almaty afterwards resulted in a broken engine, leaving us at the highway. Fortunately two Kazakhs were friendly enough to drop us of at our hotel - reaching comfort which suddenly made me feel spoiled.

So here I sit - in the lobby of the Kazakhstan hotel, updating my blog. Another day before going home. Tonight it's time to explore some of the local scene, which -yes- does exist.

Málaga

I am in the beautiful city of Málaga - after a productive board meeting I today spend here my last day finalising some work. Overwhelming is the friendliness of the people here. It is the hairdresser that really took time to do my hair and have a nice chat, not letting me leave the hairshop without a present (which was very welcome considering that my luggage still hasn't arrived...). Also the hotel staff that does everything to make you feel at home, and the local people we are working with to prepare our General Meeting of Members make me look forward to returning here in December. . Probably it has to do something with the climate: it feels like spring weather.... The idea of travelling to the North of Europe tomorrow doesn't help a lot in getting ready to leave this nice city.

Earlier this year: Minsk

"Only in Belarus will you feel as if the Cold War never ended. Although getting a visa isn’t a problem, the government isn’t crazy about foreign influences and encourages xenophobia with all-pervasive propaganda,” writes Lonely Planet about the country. I could have better left the book at home. Reading it in the airplane in order to truly appear as a tourist – and not an IGLYO board member – the last sentence didn’t ease me: “Hide this book.” Information is extremely controlled in Belarus; each publication has to be tested by the Ministry of Information. And custom officers do not hesitate to take away your Lonely Planet if they want so.

Last August IGLYO board met in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, for its quarterly board meeting. Our mission was to touch base with the live of young LGBT activists in Belarus, the last dictatorship in Europe. One of the very few countries in the region which is not a member of the Council of Europe as it still practices death punishment. Not many organizations choose to gather in this country, but choose to support civil society in Belarus in another way. Understandable, since several youth workers and political representatives have been rejected entrance to the country in the past years. Our fears were needless. All of us were granted visas without any problems. Passing the boarders happened probably smoother than in any other country I have visited.

Suddenly we found ourselves in Minsk. As agreed there was Slava Sementsov, from our member organization TEMA in Gomel waiting for us. Slava proved to be the perfect host throughout the rest of the weekend, sharing with us the invisible aspects of the country.

We were prepared for grey streets, gloomy post-Sovjet squares, cheerless people, little welfare end a regime being somehow visible at every corner of every street. But the Minsk we saw had nothing of that at all. The contrast seemed big. Prosperity, welfare, happy looking people walking on wide avenues surrounded by stylish classical buildings. The ruling suppression not being visible at all. Solely stories of people would tell you the truth behind the big mask covering this country.

We did not expect to see any public LGBT life. But again it wasn’t what we expected. Contrary. Whereas Lonely Planet writes about a public governmental repression of LGBT people, Belarusian activists talk about their country as being one of the most tolerant in post-Sovjet space and a slow but nevertheless sensible change in regards to LGBT acceptance and visibility. There is no active repression of LGBT groups, the government even has opened dialogue with community representatives in the framework of an HIV/Aids project. At the same time: gay prides were organized in Minsk in 2000 and 2001, without any significant problems. And indeed, Minsk knows a gay-club and some LGBT meeting spaces. Well, LGBT is not the accurate expression, since the LGBT community consists mostly of G and less L.

(with thanks to IGLYO board)

Art time

My absolute number one favourite museum is the Joán Miro museum in Parc de Montjuïc, Barcelona. Foremost I admire the architecture of the building which has been built on one of the most beautiful areas of the city. I have visited the museum three times now, and it always makes me calm and brings me in an ecstastic mood. The grand white spaces breathe an athmosphere of purity and calmness. Opposite of many other museums where I always want to hurry myself through exhibitions, the Miro museum makes me want to be there for many hours.

Currently there are two special exhibitions which are both fascinating. A broad variety of Sean Scully's work is shown. Scully is an Irish artist who works with oil paintings, pastels, watercolours, prints and photographs, all abstract work with a fascinating combination of colours and lines.

The other fascinating project was the rather more moder work of Qubo Gas. Colourful landscapes which are created through a group process of three French artists. Visit their website!

Holiday heroes therarpy

This morning I woke up in the quietness of an idyllic fisherman village looking out over the Adriatic sea. I finished the biography of Nelson Mandela, after reading Gandhi during my previous holidays yet another humble servant of women and men to a nation that went through so much sacrifice for achieving only equality. It was here where my holiday also came to an end. Would I have known before that the works of these men have a revatilising power then earlier holidays would have looked differently.

Having spent two wonderful weeks with wonderful friends both in Barcelona (Sant Feliu de Llobregat to be more precisely) and Ljubljana I now have returned to Amsterdam to resume my duties with new energy.

A few hectic weeks behind me. I attended the massive Euro pride in Madrid, together with almost 2 million other people. The Cologne pride also was very impressive, not only for its political message, but moreover for the merge of local citizens with the LGBT community whom were partying together. This afternoon I got a glimpse of the EuroGames, parallel to this big LGBT sport event Wel Jong Niet Hetero organised a very good youth conference. Powerful events - and they are organised in solidarity with prides as those held in Istanbul and Budapest (where numerous people severely have been beaten up).

In between much work at the office. Colleagues abroad, sick or on holidays, whilst we're already undermanned. A team-building session - which of course are never meant to be peaceful and silent.

And then stories out the lives of many dear friends, which make the every day office hectics so irrelevant. Just those few things in life we would like to control mostly - we cannot control.

Tonight I am finishing some last work before my break to Barcelona and Slovenia.

A letter of a friend

"The pride week which was organised by Lambda Istanbul came to the end with a magnificant final. Istiklal street was painted colours of rainbow flag. it was the biggest march in Turkey with the most participation we have ever seen. Some people watched as with bewildered eyes, some didn't want to be contended with watching but also applauded and some joined our slogans as well. t was a honour to be in Istiklal street, holding the big rainbow flag and to be able to scream that we shouldn't be silent. t was a day which already took the part in the LGBT history in Turkey. I've been in Gay Pride Marches in european countries several times, it made me feel free to be there but something was missing for me. But Istanbul... Istiklal Street... it had something more sense to be there and also was emotional as much as meaningful. In our country, with our language, we were telling our people that we are here and we won't be silent anymore. At the beginning, while we were preparing for the march there were some people from us watching us from far but then I realized that they joined the march in few minutes. Was it possible not to impress the scene? was it possible be indifferent to this athmosphere? and not to wish to be a part of this magnificent event! Our feelings met in a common point and we became a unique heart in Istiklal Street. I really felt what the Pride's meaning! We were just 1.000 people there, I know it's nothing comparing with the march in European countries, but I felt that we, all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Turkey were there. We all felt so strong ourselves while we were screaming as "don't be silent, scream, we are here"

Ismail

Lost in administration and the big human rights quiz

A hectic day. It started at the office where I together with the administrator worked on finances. I learned two lessons in the past years about bookkeeping. 1: always make the administrator your best friend, becuase you can't do without them. 2: every administrator has a completely own way of working and want to administer everything in a completely different way.
The Netherlands doesn't have a lunch-culture, mostly we eat a sandwich behind our desk. But I went for a quick lunch with Juul (great bagels!) and we talked about her experiences with the OSCE - an organisation that still is rather exclusive to certain discrimination grounds. Interesting input and I will discuss this further tomorrow with another civil society representative.

In the afternoon I visited the farewell reception of the Dutch Human Rights embassador. For his farewell the quiz 1 against 100 was organised, I didn't bring it far as I didn't know whether 4 or 10 country rapporteurs had been appointed in the UN council since June 19th.... (10 is the right answer!). An interesting ocassion to learn more about the UN work on Human Rights and the importance of Special Procedures, and of course about the work of our embassador.

A European Treaty and the Teletubbies

During the negotations last weekend on the EU-treaty some countries managed to drop issues out of their own EU shopping trolley. The Fundamental Right Charter, which for cosmetic reason was already thrown out of the Treaty and only referred to, became subject to undressing by member states. Despite Tony Blair was probably already busy with the preparations of his visit to the Pope right after the gathering, he still managed to position UK laws on Union rights being binding before EU legislation in this field, in the UK.

Poland then realised that exceptions can also be created for areas that are important for them. They proposed something that informally was called the Teletubby-proposal; it wanted binding legislation saying that the Fundamental Rights Charter could not affect the right of member states to legislate in the sphere of public morality and family law, as well as the protection of human dignity and respect for human physical and moral integrity. For some strange reason other member states cynically rejected this idea, hence it became a unilateral declaration, which happily will have little legal power.

Happy Sunday

Boris van der Ham (Member of the Democrat Party of the Dutch Parliament -D66) was honoured 'EuroNetherlander' of the year last Sunday, I was honoured young Dutch European citizen of the year. The elections were a nice initiative to promote Europe in a positive way. Besides that I'm of course happy that this election is a recognition of the need for LGBT youth issues to be on the centre of the European agenda - and for this sake I will also use the title.

I am very grateful to Rogier Elshout - the EU representative of the Dutch Youth council, who not only nominated me, but also lobbied for me, despite he was nominated himself. His work bring Europe to the core of the lives of Young Dutch Citizens should also be honoured!
Photo: www.pitchit.nl

EUrophobia or EUrogloria

EU leaders are currently still strugling in Brussels to find the way forward for the European Union. Some say: we shouldn't have a flag or an anthem; the Fundamental Rights charter shouldn't be legally binding; we shouldn't have a new (democratic) voting system; we shouldn't have one Foreign Minister.

The Netherlands doesn't want that the document will be called 'constitution', there shouldn't be a flag or anthem and there shouldn't be a reference to the primacy of EU law. This makes our demands purely cosmetic. Just because political leaders haven't been able to convey the need of a strong EU a few years ago, they now bring a deceptive message to their own constituency.

I believe that a strong EU is needed not only to safeguard economic growth, moreover to guarantee a healthy, wealthy and prosperous society with a equal place for each citizen and with respect to the world that we live in. It is needed to work on such endeauvours together, not in the last place because single member states' capacity to have a healthy and competitive place in the world economy lack any potential for success. We need to build together, and building together requires a clear common understanding of values. Albeit social, cultural or economic values, albeit human rights values or foreign policy values. A legal framework in which such values can be established is therefore essential. Creating common values is not established at EU-top, it is a journey that shall continue as long as our Union will exist.

Today I was elected Young Dutch European Citizen of the Year, and I'm very proud of that. Working with young people in Europe inspires me because young people have such tremendous energy in trying to understand each other, in building on the common project of the European Union.

Hate crime

I Amsterdam?

Tonight I learned that Amsterdam is the biggest internet hub in the world, holds the 9th place on the list of cities with biggest airports in the world, is the fastest growing city where cruise-ships board new passengers, but has the lowest possible ambition when it comes to developing itself into a metropole. That's at least what the deputy-director of the city council's town planning office thinks. And now he is trying to move politicans in more visionary metropole development policies.

It is true that the current development plans do not meet the needs for fast-growing economy, nor that there's a good enough vision in general in the Netherlands to challenge the fast growing economies in the world that soon will become competitors for our service-based, mainport-based and distribution oriented country. Such vision also lacks at the European level. We want to be the most knowledgeable and competetive economy in the world, at least that's what they say. I also want it, but I miss sufficient tools to realise this.

Our Dutch Cabinet is foremost concerned with the lack of support to EU, and instead of promoting it it tries to negotiate a weaker EU, with less competence to be competetive, and with less competence to promote human rights. When our little country would look into the mirror it would soon see that this country is too little to carry responsibilities that we are nowadays facing all alone. But mirrors can be frightening.

Back to Amsterdam. It is so nice to see politics at a local level every now and then, maybe becuase things get concrete much easier. It concerns the environment which you see every day. I hope that the city council is a bit more visionary and tries to take up some leadership. The plans I heard tonight are good for the city's development as well for the environment in general (though I didn't like the idea of having an enourmous amount of ferries bringing people accross the city - all development needs to be sustainable!).

No time to waste

Sometimes I feel like being a weak compromise between being ultimate lazy, and being super-active. After I came back from Central-Asia I planned my agenda full enough not to be able to recover from a small jetlag (which I thought I wouldn't have). Consequense was that I have been a bit grumpy during the last week whilst being in Brussel and London. This morning I slept until PM - and now I feel ready to face the business this week again.

My business is caused by a feeling of 'no time to waste', the feeling that I need to get everything possible out of life, not tomorrow but now. At the same time I'm actually a very lazy person. Anyhow, consequence is that time flies. Via facebook I met an old friend from Australia, she send this picture which was made seven years ago in London (Kees, Julie and Danielle are on it). I just love facebook!

Thunder!

Yesterday I arrived in Bishkek after a three hour drive from Almaty. It was a beautiful ride through mountains and fields. The air here is a little bit less filthy, hence I can breathe fresh air again and the terrible cold that has pestered me is now slowly dissapearing. The visit to Kazakhstan was very inspiring - met many nice and couregeous people taking good initatives.

Today we had a free day and I went for lunch with a colleague from a Dutch development cooperation whom I very coincidentally bumped into at the reception of my previous hotel...it's a small world after all. After sun-bathing this morning next to the swimming-pool, suddenly clouds surrended us and it started to rain and thunder. We sat down to have a lunch outside under a covered terrace when the lightning struck right beside us in a metal pole... this made a lot of noise and made us jump from our seats...

Kazakhstan

I am on my way to Almaty, on my way to a country of which existence I almost was not aware until a few years ago. A country in which the electorate yesterday decided that its president will be president for life – a country in which the its president faces almost no resistance. A country in which horse-head can be tabled, a country which still practices death-penalty and a country with the biggest amount of nuclear waste in the world. But Kazakhstan also has the fastest growing economy in the region (9-10% per year), ecologic-programs, and is aiming to chair the OSCE from 2009 onwards.
I am happy that I didn't see Borat yet, just not to have a completely subjective view on the country. And I’m looking forward to learn about the country!

The discourse of energy supplies and human rights

Being Dutch and probably exemplary for what poldering is myself I am a great believer of silent advocacy. However – there is one thing that is greatly frustrating about silent advocacy: that it’s silent. West-European’s dependency on energy suppliers such as for instance Russia or resources in the Middle East are in many cases creating an obvious vacuum to social and human rights which we strive for. It is clear that countries want to become less depending from such suppliers, but which steps are they actually taking in this regard?

Next week I will be visiting Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The first country is increasingly an independent energy supplier, which for obvious geographical reasons is still depending on Russia for distribution. Kazakhstan is aiming at chairing the OSCE (Organization for Security Cooperation Europe) from 2009 onwards. Several EU member states are supportive to this, merely for economical reasons. Others are not, obviously for more social reasons. Netherlands is supportive, and is currently the second biggest investor in the country, having setup a variety of trade-missions. Through a long-term empowerment program we have in addition been enabled to build-up LGBT organizations to fight against the rising hiv/aids epidemic and strive for better social rights.

Now I do believe that economical opportunities seize chances to combine profitable economic projects with demands for better social rights. Let’s call it social-economic synergy. But it is frustrating how invisible such processes are – as they make it difficult to call for additional measures, or even set certain conditions. Of course, human rights can never only be the change that a country gives for economic profits – as I believe that a true implementation of social rights and human rights needs a sincere believe and understanding of their applicable discourses. But incentives do open doors, raise awareness and demonstrate respect to the principles and values of social and human rights that we ought to consider minimal to each person in this world.

As an ideologist I do believe that maybe next to the daily stock rates we should measure our wellbeing with daily ‘happiness’ indexes. As a pragmatist I do also believe that different sets of indicators will increase the willingness to start working on political change that is socially need based instead of power policy driven. Another interesting barometer would of course be understandable and challenging emission indexes – but that's another story.

Future

This weekend we are visiting Skeiv Ungdom, an IGLYO member organisation in Norway. At the board meeting that we organise here we are discussing how the future of IGLYO can be developed, a process we have recently started. For the first time members will have a major role in the development of a strategic plan, which will be organised through a membership consultation process. For me it feels strange but also good. On one side I know that I will not be involved in this future as I shall be leaving IGLYO the end of this year, on the other hand I have the full confidence that IGLYO shall further develop in the coming years.

Oslo is a beautiful city I can judge from the little we saw of it. After two days of hard working, and a crazy week in Istanbul and Amsterdam, we're now preparing for a dinner in the city and discovering Oslo a little bit at night.

Bloody May Day

Hundreds of Turks aimed to assemble today at Taksim (the main city square) to commemorate the deaths that fell thirty year ago when during a same protest the police killed 34 of them. Civil society largely gathered, but didn't succeed in a holding a peaceful manifestation as the police dispersed them. This didn't happen in a friendly way: water canons and tear gas were used through the thousands and thousands of police men that gathered. According to the protesters also peper spray was used.

Currently I am in Turkey for a meeting and hence experienced how the civil society was opressed by the police in their strive for better working conditions. The current political tensions in the country apparently made the authorities afraid that the protest (of mostly politically left demonstrants) could evoke in a violent meeting. For this reason the demonstration was forbidden - a legal demonstration took place at the other side of Istanbul (and also in Ankara).

Whilst heading to the headquarters of LambdaIstanbul I had to cross Taksim square. My first attempt failed immediately as I inhaled tear gas and was therefore forced to leave the square. The second attempt was succesful - but whilst we head into the main road protesters gathered exactly in the street where our meeting was supposed to be. Standing in between the crowd we had to run for the police and again inhaled tear gas. I didn't know the effects of this gas - but it gives a horrible feeling in your longs, makes you cry and breating becomes difficult. This is apparently how democracy can be controlled.

Yesterday evening Erdogan called for unity in the society. His speech was supported by pictures of new schools and roads which were built under his leadership.

You would expect the Turkish government to look for constructive ways to enable civil society to assemble instead of using such unnecessary violence.

Back again

It is true: I haven't blogged much lately. Now that I have a new laptop that functions properly I should be blogging more again. It means that I've been able to reinstall my iTunes and reinstalled my iPod which wasn't working well the last weeks. Also I've been able to download some more pictures of India. Additionally I have just reorganised my files. It gives me such a happy feeling.

Retrospecively

Shortly I will be back with more present.

Philantrophic dreams

A few weeks ago I discovered splendid India. Never before I saw a country in which such a big contrast between prosperous citizens and the penniless people. It sounds like a cliché, but I truly did not expect to see kilometres of slums alongside long roads. How humiliating it must be - if you are sick and you are taken care of laying literally on the road. No trace of dignity when the rich organise their parties in the most expensive hotels just next to these slums.

Maybe it is therefore that many tourists return back to their countries wearing orange sari's, carrying a stray gaze in their eyes. India is one of the most literate places in the world- and book prices are astonishing cheap. Hence I found my escape from the painful reality in reading Gandhi's auto-biography, and learning in another about how a new generation of philantrophists now spends its time on social entrepreneuring in countries such as India. It made me think how high time it is for our societies to start developing lists of top philantrophists, instead of the longlists of how prosperous a small amount of people is. Philantrophy should become the new social criterion for wellbeing.

The holiday was a real break - nothing only learning about the Indian culture, but also enjoying beautiful beaches and drinking fresh coconut milk. But still I haven't forgotten about the slums, and wonder whether if it's fair to blame the rich in India for the poverty in their country instead of blaming myself.

The dog, the chain and me

Tonight I recollected a childhood memory. When going to walk with our dog Spun I used to handover leadership to her. She would take the chain in her mouth which I would tie up to my pants. She took me to places I would not visit normally - long walks through clumps of trees and over long stretches of grass. Spun and I had a strong confidence in each other - after a while she would drop the chain for more interesting experiences, being sure I would not walk away. When chaining her I would be confident she would not walk away. A confidence that should be reversed I considered when being young. I did not realise then how unfair and undemocratic leadership was limiting the potentials of the world, if not harming it. She died on the very first day I went to high-school.

And the need for such confidence is nothing special - but uncommon for leaders in general. Yesterday young people gathered for a European Youth Summit in Rome. We stood in the footsteps of grand leaders who created the foundations of a project uniting Europe fifty years ago. Presenting our thoughts for a future with more prosperity, security and dignity, and emphazising the indispensable need for a stable, sustainable and equal future for all.

European leaders showed confidence in the future leaders - showed willingness to listen to their youth, but did not make promises to turn-around the chain for once. They already promised the legacy of a yet not realized dream of a democratic world which is environmentally sustainable. But they also offered the legacy of a democtratic and quite stable Europe, whilst happily living in Peace and prosperity. Their promised legacy seems somewhat premature: it's like promising your grandchildren a legacy of honor but also financial debts. Promising but not yet convincing enough, and I hope that our current European leaders will show a true commitment the coming years to challenge the true problems we are facing together.

I believe that a commitment of showing confidence in the union, a commitment to living-up to the values and principles that were once settled and which we continue to build. A commitment for perspective, which does not end at our politically defined domains. This is what we should keep each other accountable for - as demonstration of accountability for values and principles enlarges the trust and believe in a future Europe.

There is a little Jamie in all of us

This is my little kitchen where I have spent quite a lot of time recently. I can really enjoy cooking, with ingredients in all its colors and flavors. Sometimes I cook following a receipt, but I prefer to freestyle. Today I bought a bass (sea fish) which I cooked in the oven together with potatoes and vegetables. Yummy! It is so exciting, after having barely used my kitchen during the past year. Travelling and cooking simply doesn't go together very well.
Spending time in the kitchen makes me calm. It makes you aware of what you are eating (contrary to the microwave food I often consume), and it makes you enjoy your meal much more. Microwave meals are eaten behind your laptop or television. But if I cook I eat in peace.

Hence I can not understand that people do not enjoy cooking. I believe there is a little Jamie in all of us.