The Marathon

last week was the most Über-networking week of my life. In 7 days i took part in 6 conferences, met around 500 people – my lovely interns will have a lot of extra work to sort out the new business cards (you always must take something back for your kids showing you were thinking about them!) – without keeping quiet not even a day.

Without mentioning the Italians, they have become even more popular than the Russians and Chinese when it comes to picking on someone, even this time i gained the fame of ‘the mad italian’. It was the turn of a witty German princess who had the honor and bravery. Now she is my favourite third sector leader in Berlin…

Let’s go back to the beginning. I’ve actually got some useful addresses for you. My week in paris started with DECIM, the network of institutional and private donors for Eastern Europe and CIS (former soviet union countries): World Bank, EC, USAid, Soros Foudnation and all the other big players. This is the kind of event where you would like to be: informal, effective, selective and result-oriented. This is possible when you gather young, well trained souls, visionaries and professionals at the same time. What i really like was the right balance between the opportunity for exchanges between donors and ngo leaders: Open and honest. No boring or long speeches. If you want to know more contact JACQUELINE.WOOD@acdi-cida.gc.ca. She is the kind of person you want to coordinate a network. She contacted me – without waiting for me to write – to exchange info with me based on our previous conversations. learn!

For more info see http://web.acdi-cida.gc.ca/decim

The same week was also The WEEK of the French Presidency and civil society: Paris was invaded by civil society leaders from across the world. Sometimes we forget that Paris could be a global hub of the third sector as well… If french was the main language. Unfortunately, the mini-tel lost the global race for global communication. However, Paris turned into the world capital of civil society for a week- like Porto Alegre (Brazil) in the early years of the World Social Forum. Actually, it looked like closer to Porto Alegre than London. I must sound pro anglo-saxon but i must be honest. Porto Alegre is one of the most exciting and lively places i’ve ever been in my life when the World Social Forum takes place, but the outcomes are almost Zero unless you are into the process, i.e all day & night-lasting debates about…. the sex of angels!

I attended all the events but i haven’t got much out of it except for one thing: the National Forum of Associations and Foundations organised by Credit Cooperatif. I won’t stress that there were 2500 delegates – yes, 2500! -plenty of sponsors, huge venue and very practical sessions about the third sector France. The best was a plenary on the need for organisations to engage with Europe and Euclid Network – mine!!! – was mentioned by Hugues Sibille, the chair, one of the best ways to do it. Interesting enough was the discussion about the sector and Europe which wasn’t too dissimilar from what i normally hear in the UK. You see, Brits and French mirror each other across the Channel… even if they don’t realize how similar they are!

don’t miss the event next year. for more info see http://www.forumdesassociations.com/

Finally, i ended my week in Berlin. I was invited to attend the European young leaders… something.. organised by BMW Stiftung – why do we call the German foundations stiftung instead of foundations? it must be a very German stuff! Anyway, it was a great event where i rediscovered some good reasons to do what i did. At least, because i had the opportunities to challenge the German engineer mind-set – sorry Peer! – i danced with Tatiana  -a lovely Ukrainian business woman – as i didn’t do since i was 18 and went to parties of Italian debutants, and enjoyed the mother-like cares of Daniela the leader of the group. Daniela, my i call you my mummy-Führer? sorry, i can’t abstain from making jokes about German past. It’s such a source of inspiration! By the way, i didn’t restrain even from suggesting that the future development of Berlin is in its past, not in crappy business innovation bull-shit.

see http://www.bmw-stiftung.de/index.php?action=show_pages&siteID=214 let me know if you want me to recommend you for the next year.

Anyway, have a look at the programme. It’s top quality and fun. I forgot to mention the vision summit. Very glamorous but too German for me. Actually, i still don’t understand these Germans. I like them because i find them so reliable but… they are so big-picture-system-weltanshaung-plan-everything-before-moving a step-forward that i almost despair i will never grasp their intellectual world. Anyway, i won’t give up.

Sorry, if you are passionate for social business and social enterprise, You can’t miss the vision summit. It’s better than  most of the events on the topics i have ever been. It’s very business and social oriented at the same time. Trust me as you would do with a german!

see http://www.visionsummit.org/