1. I believe Patriciu is the first Romanian businessman doing philantropy in a strategic manner, by investing roughly around 5 million euros per year in education, and I heartily congratulate him for this.

2. I’ve attended a social event in his presence and talked with various people working for him. He fascinates people by his mere presence.

Thus, I totally disagree with Sorin Tudor’s entry, who was claiming that Patriciu spends 380000 daily by investing in his image (through his education-focused charity). Dinu Patriciu did not establish his charity as a PR stunt; in both his line and level of business, he does not need PR stunts. If he’ll ever need PR, he’ll just buy advertising. Prime time. Surprisingly though, google.com indexes fundatiadinupatriciu.ro as the first result when you search for “dinu patriciu”. Anyway, I look forward to seeing more of his charity’s strategic movements, as a sound educational system is definitely what Romania lacks mostly.

Imagine these lines being told by a 7-year old Arab boy, studying in the only mixed Arab-Israeli school in Israel, actually located in the middle of an Arab settlement. Thanks to One World in Romania and the organizers from the Czech Cultural Center I got to see “Bridge over the Wadi” tonight, and then have a talk with the director. The film documents the story of a school Arab and Jewish parents established together, so that their children would have a chance to grow up without hating one another. However, teaching 7 years olds, in both Arab and Hebrew, about Independence Day, about Ramadan and about the occupied territories is not easy. Having Jewish grandmothers that interrogate your son’s 6 years old Arab friend about his opinions on terrorism, or having fathers tell their 8 years old Arab daughther they would kill her with bare hands should she fall in love, are neither. Watching Jewish and Arab kids praying to Allah together and then lighting Hannukah candles together can be disturbing for even the most tolerant parent.

How do you explain your child that he should be respectful and tolerant, aware and responsible? Know history, respect traditions, and not feel guilty?

The film is shattering. It really is. Even in the most candid of all environments, with decision-makers packed with good intentions, with genuine one-to-one contact between children, accepting reality as it is can be impossible. Boys as young as 7 know they will grow up and be forced to kill one another. And still their hopes for a better home never die…

Thanks Cristina for the recommendation!

PS: I also watched “Rodica Is a Good Boy” tonight, a film about a Romanian transsexual living in a remote village in Northern Romania, walking his/her stilletto heels in the muddy streets of a rural bubble, not finding his/her way meaning in life, going through incredible experiences, from sex slavery to prostitution, being a storyteller Marquesz would envy, and being totally loved and accepted by his community. More of “One World” to come tomorrow!

I fail to understand how some people are still claiming that schooling in Romania is going fine. A couple of weeks ago, President Basescu warned that we are discriminating against ourselves with taxpayers’ money because there is no quality education in Romania, hence entire generations of graduates will suffer during their integration on the European labour market. You can read all about his intervention here.

The academia and the Minister of Education (who, highly committed to his mission, decided to renounce his position in favour of running for local elections in Iasi, the largest Romanian city in the South East region) were appalled when the president acknowledged that Romanian universities are nothing but print houses for diplomas; that there is no Romanian university in Top 500 World Universities; and that the whole educational system has been deteriorating since 1990 onwards. Further details here.

With Youth Summit 2008 and with the United Nations Youth Delegates program things couldn’t be more self-explanatory. 80% of the high-school students I met during Youth Summit 2008 are already preparing their application to a foreign university. The best qualified candidates for the Youth Delegates program are, unfortunately, brilliant Romanian youngsters studying in prestigious universities abroad. I recently talked to my former headmaster from high-school. In my generation, there were 2 kids that, in the 12th grade, decided to study abroad (both belonging to the Romanian high-class society). This year, there are 50 students aged 17-18 in I.L.Caragiale National College in Bucharest that are preparing their applications for studying abroad.

How can anybody fail to see there’s a crisis coming? A big one. I believe the crisis is already here, but its effects are still lingering. Does everybody believe that all these youngsters that refuse to study in Romania are doing it out of a whim? Just because it’s trendy and fancy (and ever more affordable) to study abroad? Ladies and gentlemen, please snap out of your cosy reveries!

At the opening session of EuroMUN, I listened to a speech delivered by the rector of the university. He spoke about the new role universities have in our world. That of delivering something more than knowledge. Of delivering education for sustainability. Of teaching attitudes and lifestyles. Once again, I realized the tremendous challenge that lies ahead Romania’s educational system. I suppose sooner or later Romanian universities will realize that more than one third of the best prospective students that are now in their last years of high-school will choose a university abroad rather than a Romanian one.

Going back the EuroMUN, the main reason why I was invited here was to talk about two lessons I’ve learned in the last couple of years:

1. How to set up an institutionalized framework for youth participation in decision-making through the “UN Youth Delegate” program (more details here)

2. The role of youth in civil society (Romania: A Case Study)

With respect to the latter, “Voice of a Generation” has genuinely taught me a lot… I will blog about lessons learned as soon as I wrap things up here in Maastricht.

I guess I should finish this entry in a less formal manner, by telling you that last night we enjoyed Maastricht night life (which, it turns out, is cheaper and more vivid than in other parts of the Netherlands), Maastricht itself (“the real heart of Europe”), and of course a re-encounter with friends from Europe. Later on today we will hold a workshop on how to set up a UN youth delegates program, and then enjoy a raggae night with Amnesty International.

 Podulet peste raul Maas