UN PROGRAM AT THE UN DPI/NGO CONFERENCE By Maureen Burns-Bowie and Madeleine Segall-Marx Late in August, nine women from the UN Program of International Caucus attended the annual NGO Conference at the United Nations in New York City. We had a disproportinately large presence compared to other non-governmental organizations which participated. Something to be very proud of! The WCA artists were energetically engaged, showing up at as many sessions as they were able to, and enthusiastically getting together informally to discuss issues. For those who were attending a UN event for the first time, it was an overwhelming experience to try to absorb the ideas that seem to come from every direction at once. A UN conference is a deep immersion in pressing issues of the world. Representing WCA were: Alli Berman, Maureen Burns-Bowie, Liz Di Giorgio, Mary Hamill, Simone Kestelman, Madeleine Segall-Marx, Neda Moridpour, Mary Neubauer, Martha Nicholson. Madeleine has written a moving report of her experiences: From August 27-29 several members of the Women’s Caucus for Art had the opportunity to attend the DPI/NGO Conference at the United Nations. There are over 1,300 NGOs associated with the UN’s Department of Public Information, and this year, 902 were in attendance. A tsunami! Quoting the conference’s Concept Note, the purpose of this meeting was to “harness the strategies, expertise and resources across the broadest spectrum of civil society to move poverty eradication, sustainability, human rights and climate justice into the mainstream discourse, and spark sustained public demand for lasting political action in support of an ambitious outcome from the Post-2015 sustainable development process.” This is indeed ambitious - the doing, and the inculcation into the consciousness of “regular people” of the importance of these issues, making the world aware that time is of the essence. Needless to say, there was plenty to listen to, much to be thought about, and opportunity to meet and network with all kinds of people who want to be, and who have already done something about, making the world better. One session on water – the treatment of, the politics of, the access to – was an example of things we need to take heed of now, in all its facets. A great pleasure was engaging with fellow artists from WCA. What a potent combination all at one lunch table in the cafeteria! I took notes. It’s a habit. As I cannot share with you the wealth of thought of this conference, I can pluck from my notes some phrases that popped out to me, and list them as I found them, chronologically over those three days. It kept crossing my mind that perhaps I will use these phrases to build a large wall work one day. For now, they seem to me to comprise a poem, which I shall call Blue Peace A time of turmoil, but also of tremendous opportunity Freedom from fear and want Will our shared aspirations be the right ones? The world is a mess Say with hope, Good Morning. If you are not named, you are not counted Problems ignore boundaries Non-killing is the greatest religion Waste is an act of violence. Sustainability implies no threat to the future Lifestyle is cause and solution Inequalities are both cause and effect. ____ is the most dangerous place to be born If you don’t go forward, you are going backward Planetary boundaries Definition of groups Outer space perspective. If you don’t believe in miracles, then you are not a realist We send youth into conflict, but they are not mature enough to be invited to peace talks. We the people We the peoples. How they want to live their lives. BIG DATA SCIENCE Mining data Curating data Visualizing data Applying data. Poor people are first and most affected No time to wait Small islands are losing We know there is no Plan B. Carbon neutral world Never take a knife to a gun fight From space the masters of infinity Go directly to net zero approach Ice wisdom Water is the nexus Water – daughter - slaughter Asymmetric relational conflict system Blue peace. Without passion nothing happens Without compassion the wrong things happen Politics, profit, power Bold action. Madeleine Segall-Marx listeningtotheenemy September 1, 2014
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 17:01:20 +0000
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