ICWIP Impressions

Stiina's still life

• There is a lot of demagogy about sustainable development. I agree with Prof. László Ervin that "sustainability starts at home", but most people, at least in Russia, haven't satisfied their basic needs to think of such high materials.


• Africans don't like when Europeans are talking about Africa. They get offended when we think it's just a poor continent. Some of them suppose that we deliberately keep Africa poor in order to control it and that Africa needs to be left alone to develop. But I agree with them that we should tread Africa as one entity, its countries are so different.


• It's not clear whether the climate changed is a result of people's behavior or just a natural cycle. Dr. Ferenc Miskolczi had tried to convience us it was the latter, but his presentation was too scientific to get through to our minds. He has left NASA as a protest, as they didn't agree to publish his reseach.
  
• Recycling is an exciting business. During a visit to a waste separating enterpise, we learned they were profitable, every week they find an ID card in the waste, they sign agreements with companies to keep private information found the waste, local students separate waste to earn money in summer, blocks of cans really cost a lot, etc. I wouldn't mind being a PR manager of such an enterprise one time.
  
• Every party is a phenomena of human relations. There are hunters, victims, outsiders, etc. Everyone tries to find his/her own place with success or failure, and I'm not an exception. At first I'm very active trying different roles, but by about 3am I start thinking to much about my life and get a bit depressed. Alcohol doesn't help.


• Patriotism is not something bad, but Russians have many complexes about that. While abroad, they prefer not to mix with other Russians. But this has been another case. Katya and I have been an excellent delegation represented our country. We proudly marched through Pecs in national wear. On the Country Show we sang "Oy da ne vecher, da ne vecher" and danced with "Chastushki Babki-Yozhki" music.
  
• Environmental education should strart from the kindergarden. I was surprised, when our international discussion showed, that my school activities in Turkmenistan were the most advanced. So, we had courses from an NGO on responsible water consumption, we had competitions on creative usage of plastic bottles, we celeberaded "A drop of water is a grain of gold" Holiday.
  
• I've moved to Moscow from Turkmenistan, but I'm proud to represent Russia on such events, as this country has given me many opportunities. During the festival we went to the concert of Deti Picasso, band from Moscow. The performance was fantastic, and we greeted them with a Russian flag, but by the end they took away an Armenian flag. Yes, they were born in Yerevan, but they should have used two flags, as Moscow has given them the chance to live.