ICM 2007

After a day of travelling I’m back home. Being imprisoned in large metal vehicels, staring out windows, gives you the chance to reflect on the ICM as a whole.
What have we reached? Many decisions did not go our way. That is, my branche’s way. Maybe it is because we are such a stubborn, anarchistic chaotic perky branch. Probably even. (Let me add that we do tend to think about things extensively). Does this mean that the whole meeting was useless?
No. The ICM is not just a decisionmaking machine. It’s the place to have a good debate on an international level. To have your voice heard, even though you’re a minority. It’s also the place to see each other. See face behind e-mails, leaflets and workcampapplications. A place for coffee, party, strolls through the forest and three attempts to see the sun rise in the morning, without any direct succes, but with marvellous small talk.

The bubble has broken. Back to the madness of normal life. As opposed to the madness of international meetings. I have to find a job really. Now, there we may have a case of irony after all, having just come from a meeting for a voluntary organisation. Reality closing in. No, that’s not true. SCI might be even more real, because everybody works for ideals, not for money, not for your own need, but for the dream (argueably there might be SCI-members that are addicted:). They are dreams, very realistic ones, that can be lived.

It’s strange, being so tired when leaving, thought I could sleep for a week, but this morning I woke up early. Ok, partly because I’m still in Bulgarian time, but also because I miss it. How shall I put it…:Hey you, delegates, observers, IEC, staff and all volunteers! You’re a nag, but I like you.

Now, back to my branch and put loads of energy in the new season. First thing: report back on ICM2007.

Florian

So the 67th ICM has been closed today, with lots of lovely news from branches and personal feelings shared around the big round table we have been discussing SCI’s past and future in the last 4 days.We heard of birthes of both babies and new organizations, lots of upcoming branch birthday parties to go to, and seminars that all will bring us the opportunity to experience ourselves on the global level again.

With the happy hour we closed a hard and serious meeting where we feared to face topics that might freeze our plans, ideas and motivation about SCI, but this fear created an atmoshphere of  stronger willingness, and more honesty.

We accepted a new plan of action for 2008, a well as budget to  it, but most importantly, we ended this meeting with a continouity of courage to take steps forward together into a future we perceive quite diverse, carring out a resolution to put the Strucutral Evaluation Commission”s work on a possible road to go on.

I am taking lots of positive energy, and also optimism from this ICM  to my home branch, and I feel I am not the only one.

Now time to go to the party, and celebrate our fantactic hosting branch CVS Bulgaria, the new IEC, the desicions we made together, and the generous offer for 2009 ICM hosting of SCI Mauritius and SCI Sri Lanka!

*** *** **** *** ****

It you are already imagining how’s the post-ICM party is like…don’t. Although we are still in the middle of the party but we can certainly provide some pictures update here - probably the very last from the beautiful Vladaya (hotel)!

International food tasting…from Catalunya, Hungary, Great Britain, Ireland, Malaysia…and of course more Bulgarian food! We are served almost different lunch & dinner everyday - one of the many job-well-done by CVS Bulgarian team.

More Bulgarian dance performance…this time with full traditional clothing…

Of course, we can’t just watch…

Friendships, trusts and affections.

Klaudia
Utilapu-Hungary
****@LOW@ SCI Malaysia

We have a new IEC. It is Chiniya, Philippe, Mihai, Danijela, Gerbina, Jayaprasad and Heinz. They will lead us into a new era of light and fruitful work, a time of joy and discussions that are like walks in the mountains, plans of action that can move continents. They are a group of people that will profit from their differences, that will later be remembered for their unity. They will execute a policy that will inevitable lead to world peace.
Or will bring us a fair bit closer to that. You get the idea, no?

This is not irony. This is getting light in the head, the result of four days of meeting. Happy, relieved, concerned, tired and alert at the same time.

It’s a hard job. Keep in mind. Wish them all the best.

Florian

I should have known of course.

Put about fifty people in a room and give them decisions to make. What do you think will happen? It’s not going to be a friendly hug-me-hug-you party. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a fuck-me-fuck-you party either. Forgive me the words. I personally will forgive anyone their words. But what is said at the ICM does not stay at the ICM. It goes out into the world. That’s what the ICM is for. The words are about the deeds, the many more deeds, that need to be done.

And everybody has different ideas about how these deeds need to be done. The results of this is that acts are played out that I - and the whole of humankind with me - would not normally do as a hobby. Together these acts are better known as ‘politics’.

We may be a peace organisation. We do not deny conflict, but we want to solve it. That does not mean that we always agree. It doesn’t mean that we always are truthful to the bone, all-be-it only because the delegates not only speak for themselves, but for a whole branch, and no whole organisation is holy. We could be, but that is not practical.
I suppose they are the necessary evil. The slime to drive out the germs from you nose (see a previous blog), the plane you have to take to Bulgaria, because the train won’t get you home in time.

Politics is a wonderful realization. When you push somewhere, somewhere else something will come up, and what has come up is found by a certain person that can actually use it, and (s)he will know that you were the one responsible for it coming up, and therefore gives you something back, or - as is more common - also pushes somewhere in the hope that something even larger near you will come up. Upon which you will again push somewhere, and so on…
These are many steps. Obviously the chances of you actually getting what you want are quite small, so the idea is that you have to push on a lot of places, to actually get anywhere.

So I sit at the table in the ICM, and in the back of my head separate resolutions click together. Not that I have been playing the game - hey, I’m loyal! - but I’m thinking it and it probably slipped into hand once or twice when I had to raise the voting stick. And realising that, I see it in everything everybody is saying. That it is why delegates are not consequent, that’s why clear things are dragged into the shaded area’s and vice versa, that’s why I hesitate when someone actually has a good recommendation (s)he wants supported.
Actually it is not that good to be better from the cold that I had on the first ICMdays. In a full head there is no room for going around in speculation, thoughts just arrive. Having a clear head might be worse. And what will become of my own efforts?

Then it happens that you push somewhere and suddenly the substance under your hands gives in, and you see that you have actually been pushing on a hollow part of the structure. You never had any chance of something somewhere to come up. You laugh in disbelief.

Tomorrow is ‘voting’ day. We’ll see what comes out of that.

Florian

I think today was the toughest day, with the most sensitive issues, we were all frustrated a little bit about.Long meetings, shorter breaks, long and repeated discussions….Still I have the feeling we got through, and we took the challenges successfully.It was a good experience to see that more and more branches got involved into plenary discussions, many point of views, old and new ideas, more or less understandable English sentences… but my feeling was coming out from the session that we left prints of what we were discussing about the whole day.Not only in resolutions and recommendations, but in peoples mind, as conversations continued after the dinner, and workshops were full in the evening times.

I feel tiredness but also a strong positive spirit and willingness to move things forward among the people present which is already a very strong “‘holiday gift” to take home with.

Klaudia

SCI-Hungary

International Chaos Meeting preparation?

First some numbers:
27+ Volunteers: Anna Tzvetkova, Anna Stoyanova, Anisa, Boriana, Elena, Hristina, Iva, Ivo Tzolov, Julia, Juliana, Lyubo, Martin, Nadia, Nelly, Petya, Peter, Snezhi, Tanya, Teodora Stankova, Teodora Grigorova, Thomas, Tsvetomir, Tzvetan, Ute, Yana, Zdravka, Zlaty … Thanks a lot!

• 7 meetings
• 14 sub meetings
• 36 litters of tea and coffee
• 5 visits to Vladaya
• 222 mail in ICM prep yahoo group
• 514 printed pages

Being the youngest branch of SCI, for us it was a question of honour to organise such a big SCI event. Besides, CVS likes challenges; we are facing them with a lot of courage and enthusiasm. Taking the responsibility to organise the ICM was chance to motivate our brilliant volunteers and show them, that we are part of a fantastic, big SCI family.

At our first Prep team meeting at the end of September the ICM seemed so far away… There were not too many things we could already start preparing, but we could at least ask, discuss and imagine how it should be.

To be more efficient we divided our big group in sub groups, each taking different responsibility: accommodation, pick up, party group and Vlahi group. Each group was supported from one person of the CVS office. The office was very busy with receiving registration forms, writing and sending visa invitation letters, confirming details

Slowly the time moved on, it started to snow, participants cancelled - other applied… Many questions were flying back and forth: How many signs do we need in the hotel? How to organise the pick up? Who arrives earlier? Who can accommodate quests? What will be in the welcome pack? Who prepares the infosheet? How to write the press release? What about the voting tools? Ah yes, the voting tools – we were really excited to make the “survachki” voting tool and, of course, anxious to see the participants’ reaction. The “survachki” workshop was a lot of fun: people were coming and going, the kettle was boiling, the air smelled like popcorn and dried fruits. Where is the needle? Can you pass me the bag of wool? And we were laughing about the capital of Hungary and in the end we were very hungry.

Last meeting on Monday - the welcome back, the pick ups, writing checklists, getting worried - did we forget something?

And finally people started arriving…

CVS Bulgaria Prep-team

Hello SCI World outside!

I am writing “outside” as you might have seen we all are here in a beautiful winter surrounding on the top of a hill or mountain,(it is hard to measure for me coming from a country with little diversity of mountains:) being in a nice isolation from everyday rush.This also provides a very good opportunity to focus on all SCI matters in the meetings, that are so far going in a very good rythm and positive atmosphere on the second day of our staying here.The sun came out this morning too, turning the air warmer, the snow cover sparkling, and letting see the huge green pinetrees around us.

Sun, and snow fight!

Today started with the historical moment of 2 organizations joining SCI’s world after great work they have done with us so far:

HAPPY BRANCH BIRTHDAY VCZ Croatia!!!

HAPPY GROUP BIRTHDAY CSM Mexico!!!

Phillippe congratulating Danijela from VCZ Croatia

Congratulations, and a warm welcome hug to all the people that have been involved to the great work they have done in these organizations, and hope they will enjoy their stay in SCI!

With these very promising event the talk went on smoothly on other issues for the rest of the morning covering other partnership issues, exchange related issues, and the exciting topic of accounts and budgets! We heard of very good news on how the placement in Afrika increased, and the decentralized placement porcedure went well in Asia lest year, that SCI made a surplus of 16 euros in the budget in 2006!

Lots of thanks and appreciation to all who did lots of work for that!

now going back to work, see u in the afternoon!

*** *** *** *** ***

After lunch we are “inside” again - for some reason you’ve got different feeling being in the dining room and in meeting room even though both are considered “indoor”. Yeah we have food in front of us in on the dining table but understandably the discussion didn’t stop - in fact it seems that we need even more time to discuss, discuss and discuss. Regardless, important thing is that in the end of the day, decision is being made, mandate is given. So does, TRUST.

Everyone with some (I mean at least once) experience in ICM (attending, of course) should have some idea which item in the agenda will usually attracts enormous amount of “interest” from the floor. One of them being financial presentation from Phillippe and Stan. Ideas and suggestions were pouring in for, firstly, branch contribution - the idea was to start the discussion NOW and THROUGHOUT year 2008 before we can decide the said contribution for the next 3 years (year 2009 to 2011). Budget for 2008 are equally interesting and mind-bogging - but perhaps we can cover it in other more technical update.

Phillippe (standing), addressing the floor

Next mouth-watering topic - presentation from IEC candidates! On the candidates list, as we were already well informed in earlier mailing list/s, are Danijela, Phillippe, Heinz, Homa, Gerbina, Jayaprasad and Mihai. Obviously this will be another tough decision for fellow delegates to make!

You don’t trust me? Have a look for yourself!

From left: Danijela, , Heinz, Gerbina, Homa, Phillippe

Klaudia (Utilapu-Hungary)
*** *** *** then, Low (SCI Malaysia)

First day of ICM or second day in Vladaya hotel - we get more familize with meeting procedures or the surrounding area of the hotel, the people, and the weather.

Oh, did we said welcome already?

CVS Bulgaria did a wonderful job here in Vladaya - they found a perfect place, transportation was well arranged (thanks Ivo, Julia and team for driving us), the food is fantastic, facilities - it goes without saying because I am blogging now (and thanks Martin for that)! Perhaps in future post I will share something about CVS Bulgaria and team - then all the names (and many more, of course) I’ve just mentioned will make sense to everybody

As some of you may already guessed: The best coffee and tea is usually found near to the snow! In fact most of us rush straight to “изход” (izhod) of exit door during tea break - rest assured that we would loved to talk more about strategic plans, strucutral evaluation, etc but in a way we are chatting with some IEC candidates over a cup of coffee and cigarate so, outside inside, ICM is on full string.

What more is sometime the action in SCI movement found not only in the workcamp, but in the ICM meeting itself!

To watch the participants talk, think, having discussion, write (discovered 4 left-hander so far) , expressing their piont of view is something really intersting. It tells a lot about SCI - a movement with activist and volunteer from different cultural background and geographical location but yet work and contribute as a team, regardless. Unity in diversity.

Next: In this pictuce below, obviously delegates are casting their votes…but you might want to ask, what the heck are they holding?

Well, that will be next in ICM 2007 blog so stay tuned!

 @LOW@

It’s a balance.
For some reason I alway get sick when I travel. So now I have a cold. Probably has to do with resistance, and germs. This morning I was relatively OK.
But just now I sat at the meeting and I tried to tilt my head so far backwards that the slime in my nose would not run down, while I would still be able to see who was talking. I probably looked quite arrogant.
Back to this morning. I thought I talked too much. Everybody must have thought: VIA-NL again, with their remarks on every point. Not even important ones. Hey, I’m just the messenger…No, I’m not. I have to contribute as well. So I deliver my branches thoughts, as well as my own, and try to be alert. I’m at the ICM for the first time. Can you tell?

Being more quiet was easier the second part of the day as it was informative mostly and, like I said I was balancing fluids in my nasal spaces. Thoughts always seem to go slower when you have a cold. So it was even harder to figure out another balance:
In the break I had asked around about the resolution I’m trying to find another supporting branch for. It’s quite important for our branch (as it looks now we’ll arrive at the next TEM without any camps to offer). But I didn’t really got any reaction of understanding. Why aren’t were proposing anything that is helping the organisation forward. Are we trying to block SCI? Gee, didn’t think it was that bad. Is this a matter of loyality? To whom? When we discussed it back home in our flat land, in our flat organisation, with the rain pouring down, it all seemed so simple. Why is it so hard then to agree now over a coffee, on this snowy mountain? Different priorities probably.
Do I want to be here? I’m a volunteer. For the tenth time I sneeze. Apart from my germs I want the other delegates to bring something home with them, something which is actally good for all. So this is the moment I’m not the messenger. Now I have to think. Try to find that one brilliant compromise that everybody can support. But my thoughts are like those noises that you get when you slow down songs. Weeeuuurrreee aaarrrrrrryyyyyoouuuu gooooooiiiinnnn’? 
I’m going to get a shower and then a whiskey. Those are the better fluids, and I’ll just let them run down, and sleep.
And then tomorrow I’ll have more space in my head. Place to fit in this brilliant idea.

Still, all diplomatic suggestions are welcome.

 Florian

We’ve started the ICM, that is: we really started the meeting. First thing, the arrangement of the tables. Yes, this is an important thing. Fundamental questions. Do we want to look at backs the whole meeting. In the lunchbreak they will be rearranged. Good, something to look forward to.

Then the agenda and immediately we slipp into a discussion. Look out, should we talk about that now? Yes, because if we don’t replace the voting for partners (or rather for organisations to become partners), for talking about evaluating cooperations with them, which hasn’t yet happened, they could be voted off, and we have constitutionally to cease cooperation with them for two years.

Sorry? Again?

And so we realise we are really at the ICM. But though complicated, and procedures connected with everything, it is important, because well, yes, it’s the decisionmaking place. Okay, that’s very important, but where can I get more coffee? And let it be clear that this table is LAPTOPFREE (still working on a little sign).

Florian