World Climate Event

They say opportunity comes but once and when it comes your way, you must grab it with both hands and that is what I did when the call came to be a part of the World Climate Simulation event. To know briefly what transpired and the role I played at the event, kindly read further.

The World Climate simulation event gives people a taste of what it is like to be a negotiator at the UN climate change negotiations. World Climate was developed by Climate Interactive, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) Climate change Initiative.

The event which was organized by Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) with support from Climate Interactive and the University of Mohammed VI Polytechnic in Morocco at the Kumasi Hive, Kentinkrono-Kumasi granted me the opportunity to be a part as an Activist/Journalist where my role was to set the minds of negotiators on the importance of the day. Seemingly I had to counter directives that were proposed to the fund seeking delegates to be circumspect of accepting any conditions looking at their countries resources and it's eventual effect on their environment.

I had the final say, by closing the event with my observations and remarks and one thing was obvious, the mindset to which some of our developing country's attend such negotiation events is sad.

Also I explained why the case of climate change research and activism was important for which negotiators should take note in their dealings with developed partners should another opportunity presented itself.

At the end of the two sections, the nation’s decisions were fed into C-ROADS software to calculate if the goal of groups to limit global warming to “well below 2˚C” compared to preindustrial levels was met.

The results from the computer showed the nations have only limited global warming to 2.3˚C which means more intensive actions have to take place to reach the 2˚C goal.

Grateful to the GAYO team for the opportunity they granted me to be a part of this event and I learnt a lot for which the experience gained is still very much valued.

See you soon at another climate related event. When you see me just give me a wave.

Act on Climate!!!

PHOTO CREDIT : Green Africa Youth Organisation

HAS IT FALLEN THAT LOW?

And then 2015 ended calmly and we were ushered into the new year.

Invitations to a lot of social events came through for which I chose quite a number to attend.
So the very first social event for 2016 was the wedding ceremony of a working colleague. It was out of town so had to travel the distance to make it there. Somewhere in the Eastern region is where it took place.

Right on time, I made it to the service and everything as planned began. Time went by and the service went on and on and on. The groom came in and it was time for the bride to show her presence for the solemnization to begin. Minutes went by, then it turned into an hour of waiting. Various singing groups were called upon to minister different songs from worship, to reggae, to praises all in anticipation for the arrival of the bride but still it was a no show from the bride. It was an hour and a half gone and the bride had not showed up. People started to express some level of anxiety and anger as it was getting annoying to a few myself inclusive. I asked a friend who also knew the groom and had come to support, why it was always the case with brides delaying to show up. Well guess what she showed up two hours after the groom had taken his seat.

Fast forward to the plot of my post, I will try to get that bit of why brides, if I will say take delight in keeping everyone waiting for such long periods during their wedding days.

Soon they were pronounced man and wife after their vows exchange and it was time for merry making. Photographs were taken and we all headed to the reception grounds. Guests and family got seated awaiting the newly weds to come take their seats so the other half of the day could continue.
Then the MC showed up! He started with some jokes and introduced himself to the gathering. All through his presentation and MC duties, coordination of what follows what on the outlines program was duly delivered with dexterity. He did well in mixing both the English and Twi languages to the admiration of everyone. Still that doesn't pitch in my plot for this post.....lol!


Here it is......recently the form of worship with reference to Christianity has come under a lot of scrutiny. Several reasons have been assigned to the modern ways of worship in recent times.
Throughout his MCing, one thing that run through was how the various forms of worship in the christian faith was used as jokes and used them as jokes formats. One of the very repeated ones was the speaking of tongues. The sight and movements that ensued around immediately warranted a form of prayer and ended in the tongue speaking craze which drew laughter and giggles from most people around.

Personally I wasn't enthused by those gimmicks and thought I was the only one. Right behind me, I overheard some grown up women expressing their displeasure of that particular aspect of his mcing. One of the women expressed in twi "Enti ebi nom ensuro Nyame anaa?" meaning "so don't some people fear God?"

That wasn't the only time I had heard of such jokes. On a lot of platforms, I have heard such lines being jokingly expressed. In not trying to compare to other religions, will they - comedians, MCs etc try that other forms of worship of other religions?

Aside the tongues bit, kindly share any experience you've had where certain forms of worship of other religions has been jokingly expressed even though will prefer more of the christian religion.

Cheers and have the best of 2016 and welcome to another run of cool posts from me.