Monthly Archive for April, 2008

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Scurta nota despre free speech

Reactia autoritatilor romane in cazul tinerilor romani si germani care vroiau sa protesteze impotriva NATO si impotriva globalizarii a fost jenanta. Asta ca sa nu aiba nimeni nici un dubiu asupra pozitiei mele vizavi de acest subiect. Detalii aici si un comentariu excelent aici. Sunt convinsa ca Summit-ul NATO de la Bucuresti a fost un eveniment unic in istoria NATO. Din simplul fapt ca au lipsit cu desarvasire orice coltisor de poster disident si orice impertinenta anti-sistem.

E chiar lamentabil ca aparatul politienesc si statul roman in general exerseaza bune practici de incalcare a drepturilor fundamentale ale omului prin burdusirea cu naduf intr-o duba a unor tineri ce “aratau suspect”, dar nu reglementeaza aparitiile publice ale Tribunului (onorabil Vicepresedinte al Senatului Romaniei) care… deh… daca are ziar de familie, poate sa puna si zvastica pe prima pagina daca asa il lumineaza duhul creator. O alta opinie pertinenta despre asta aici.

Nu e nevoie sa repet cam cum sta treaba cu free speech-ul, nu? Libertatea e maxima, pana ea se transforma in hate speech capabil sa transforme discursul huliganic in actiune ce i-ar vatama pe altii… Insemnele naziste sunt interzise in Europa (pe buna dreptate, in opinia mea, desi s-ar putea naste o discutie si in acest sens) si punct. Unde e dreptatea in scenariile de mai sus? Oriunde, dar numai acolo unde o intrevad conducatorii militiei romane nu.

Basescu & Tauscher: Serving your constituency…

GMF opening (Tauscher-Basescu)

Ellen Tauscher (US Congress Representative), Craig Kennedy (GMFUS President), Traian Basescu (President of Romania)

The opening session of the GMF Bucharest Conference was a collection of keynote addresses, delivered firstly by Romania’s President, Mr. Traian Basescu and then by US Congreswoman Ellen Tauscher.

Basescu did nothing extraordinarly special. His speech was far from being as coherent, bold and charming as his open interventions, which is a pity. I trully wish people who can be great speakers by nature would continue to use these skills even in the most official contexts, when theoretically some other protocol rules apply (which, by the way, I do not consider to be the case). Secondly, the main ideas President Basescu put forward were the great support given by Romania to Georgia and Ukraine’s integration in the Membership Action Plan (we all now by now that this has failed), and also Romania’s interest in clear-cut mechanisms for the functioning of the anti-missile shield. Continue reading ‘Basescu & Tauscher: Serving your constituency…’

I have survived!

This week has probably been one of the most hectic in the last couple of months. And the fun is just about to start, with “Voice of a Generation” departing in its countrywide tour on Monday.

I’ll start off by writing some separate pieces of GMF conference chronicles, as I cannot fit in the same page my impressions of a remarkable American congresswoman and of the real reasons why Ukraine and Georgia did not receive the Membership Action Plan. I’ll take it step by step, starting off from the conference’s agenda, and discuss a bit about the sessions I got to witness.

Anyway, it’s been an amazing experience, and I don’t regret any bit of it. I did do some tedious administrative work at times, at other times I did carry stuff around for instance, but I learned a lot about managing people and managing events from the extraordinary professionals at the German Marshall Fund and Reffe Group. As I am sure you were all familiar with my earlier discussions of GMF’s work, do check out what a practice such as the Reffe Group is doing!

Busiest time of the year?

A inceput. Pe bune. Ieri a pornit oficial “Vocea unei Generatii”. Campanie nationala de comunicare. Caravana in patru orase din tara. Doi parteneri principali, doi finantatori, multi parteneri locali. Ajungem undeva la 40 de speakeri, 4 traineri si multi, multi participanti.

Azi am fost la B1TV sa vorbesc despre scoala. Si despre ce crede Asociatia ORICUM pentru Educatie apropo de implicarea parintilor in actul educational. A fost interesant. Am reusit sa articulez cateva opinii inteligente, despre care va voi povesti pe larg diseara.

Acum incepe Bucharest Conference, organizatata de GMFUS la Cercul Militar National. Agenda pentru azi se anuntat extraordinara. Avem un speech de la Dl Basescu, un speech de la Ellen Tauscher, US Congresswoman, si de la Craig Kennedy, Presedinte GMFUS. Seara, discutie la ceas de taina despre Balcani si situatia industriei energetice in zona transatlantica. Cu Saakashvili, Presedintele Georgie, multi think tankeri, David Ensor, si tot asa. Hot, hot, hot.

Vineri sunt prezenta la Money Channel sa vorbesc despre business si despre Mentorship, iar de luni pornim in caravana. Pe 7 aprilie ne gasiti la Constanta! Saptamana asta se termina si sesiune asta de Mentorship, deci stress mare.

Multumesc tuturor celor care ma suporta in perioada asta. Si care ma ajuta. ORICUM boys and girls, Laura Munteanu, Gabi Solomon, familia care ma vede rar.