Copenhagen DAY 1 experience

November 21, 2009

After 8 hours of waiting for the delayed flight to depart for CPH, $150 worth of overweight luggage, and 40 hours or so of no sleep, I am in Copenhagen. Finally, after months of exchanging emails, I meet my host from New Life Copenhagen, Ann Sofi Benzton who greets me at the CPH Airport. Since I was packing for a Eurotrip/COP15/Philippine vacation, I had two luggages, each weighing 70 pounds, that Ann had to help me carry four flights of stairs with to her apartment (and of course, that is just the perfect way to greet a gracious host whom I had never met and letting me stay in her home with). Ann was absolutely welcoming and accommodating. As we start chatting in her living room, I find out about her interest in helping women in developing countries and about the volunteer work she did in Kenya teaching English for six months. She shows me an article from a local newspaper that was written about her offering her home to someone attending the COP15 conference. She is apparently the only one from Ishøj, Denmark who is doing so. She teaches me how to pronounce her city properly, since I am quite ignorant with the Danish alphabet. “Is-shoj,” she tells me with a smile.

An article from Vestegnen, a local Danish Newspaper, on Ann Benzton on her New Life Copenhagen experience. Of course, since it is in DANISH the only thing I understand is my Name, and now, Ishøj.

Preparing for COP15 events...

The preparations for the COP15 conferece in Copenhagen on December has become more than just a conference on Climate Change, it has become a Global Movement that will go down in history books (the ones your toddies will read about). It's about the Nation-States, the Global North, The Global South, The academics, The NGO’s, The Grassroots organizations -- all uniting (or attempting to at least) to find a solution to the global crisis. The participation of each sector is just as important as the other. The question is, how successful will our efforts be in Copenhagen?

Pre-COP events in November 2009 in NYC (pics)

• "The Rising Tide at Copenhagen: A 'Win-Win' Solution for Industrialized and Developing Nations in a Changing World" Luncheon

A luncheon at the United Nationson behalf of The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and Columbia University Consortiumfor Risk Management on "The Rising Tide at Copenhagen: A 'Win-Win' Solution for Industrialized and Developing Nations in aChanging World." The event was joined by other scholars, diplomats, and business leaders who will address a new technical and financial proposal to help Small Island States respond to climate risk.

• DPI/NGO Briefing - Global Action to Seal the Deal on a New Climate Change Agenda, in reference to the Seal the Deal Campaign in Copenhagen

This campaign is about mobilizing political leaders, the business sector, NGOs, women's groups, youth organizations and civil society around the issue of climate change to ensure that a definitive, fair, balanced and effective climate agreement is reached when governments meet in Copenhagen from 7-18 December, 2009. Seal the Deal! is about drumming up support at every level within the global community for urgent and united action on climate change.

• Climate Justice Fast UN Vigil
  

"Under certain circumstances, fasting is the one weapon God has given us for use in times of utter helplessness." - Mahatma Gandhi. Climate Justice Fast! is an international hunger strike taking place from the 6th of November 2009 to call for strong, just action on the climate crisis.

Job opportunity in Copenhagen during COP15 (full-time for 3 weeks: 1-20 Dec)

FYI - this has been circulated on behalf of YOUNGO to contacts and organizations in Copenhagen.

 

 

** PLEASE CIRCULATE TO CONTACTS IN COPENHAGEN **

 

 

The UN climate negotiations will bring more than 1000 young people from around the world to Copenhagen. These youth will work together on lots of different activities inside the conference and need support to help make this possible. If you have skills in managing details, can work hard and remain focused, and have a flexible schedule from 1 - 20 December, we are looking for you. There are 3 positions being filled for the job of youth logistics support staff.

 

Responsibilities of the positions:

 

- Perform data management and administration duties such as maintain contact lists, staff the Youth office, and maintain an updated library of relevant youth information.

- Help setup, run and takedown youth events

- Help track expenses and basic financial management

- Facilitate local transportation needs

- Purchase supplies around Copenhagen on behalf of Youth

- Support other youth activities at COP as needed

 

 

If you are interested, please send a short cover letter and resume by email to applications@youthclimate.org with the subject heading of: “Application for youth logistics support”. Candidates must have a good knowledge of Copenhagen and lived in the city for at least 2 years. The position will require working flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

 

 

 

Applications will be reviewed, and candidates selected as soon as possible (on a rolling basis) so apply right away. Please do not apply any later than 30 November at 2359GMT, but applications received earlier have a better chance of being interviewed. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.