Saara was part of a delagtion of five people who came from Young Friends of the Earth Austria to join Qatar in Brussels. Here she shares here reflections from the event on one of the final days.
Qatar in Brussels is now going on for a week. We had workshops every day and I was learning more and more about the discussions going on at the COPs. It makes me proud to understand the complicated issues of our society. But the more I understand, the more I feel this anger growing inside me against the people who are responsible for these meaningless discussions and weak words.
Being here in Brussels, with all those motivated and positive people is something I am very thankful for. Being together, organising actions and discussing about topics that are important for us is giving me a feeling of not being alone. I see that we are not standing in sadness, but we are constantly working on actions and projects.
Yesterday morning, we had another link-up with Marco, the Young Friends of the Earth delegate at the COP. It doesn’t seem like the negotiations are moving forward very fast in Qatar, but still it is wonderful that we can be close to him and the young civil society in Doha. We see how they act to move and how they put pressure on the government. For our action, we had in the afternoon, we cut and painted red dots, just like the young activist in Doha. I think about the distance between Brussels and Doha and on how we still work so close together and I am just amazed.
So when we were yesterday heading to the Christmas market, were our action should take place, it was hard not to dance and shout around, spreading of excitement. We held our street theater and everything went fantastic. People were stopping, asking us for the reason of our demonstration. We reached the interesst of the Christmas market visitors. It was very motivating seeing that it sometimes only takes a few strong words to wake somebody’s mind.
Later in the evening we had another skype-chat with Marco in Doha. He showed us around in the empty Conference building. Now I feel even closer to the happenings in Doha. We watched inspiring videos and live stream of the confernce. When I later left the room I was confused not seeing the desert through the window.
Federation of the Young European Greens, who held their event just a floor beneath us, had yesterday their last day. So we joined them at their goodbye-party. Then this morning was the first time, since I am in brussels that I overslept and couldn’t join the morning meeting.
On my first day here I knew that it would be hard to leave again. And even though I still have one day, I am already desperate to see all these amazing people again. Not only my week here comes to an end, but also the negotiations in Doha need to come to a conclusion. We all know that our fight for better targets doesn’t stop with the end of COP or our leaving from Brussels. Future planning is one point on our agenda today about which I am very excited about.
This week was a possibility to gather and exchange ideas and visions, but it is important not to give up. Like Oleg from 350.org said in one of his workshops about PowerShift “the change will come unexpected”.
Lili and Saara from YFoE Austria