Una mirada a la Antártica como ejemplo de cooperación internacional y el cambio climático

Con motivo de la Conferencia sobre el Cambio Climático de las Naciones Unidas, globalmente conocida como #COP15, que se lleva a cabo desde el 7 al 18 de Diciembre de este año en Copenhague, quiero compartir algunas de las principales conclusiones de la única colombiana participante en la Expedición a la Antártica IATE 2009.

La expedición, liderada por el explorador polar Robert Swan OBE, acaba de regresar de la expedición a la Península Antártica en la que se conmemoró el 50º aniversario de la firma del Tratado Antártico, el cual protege a este continente del nocivo potencial de la minería y la excavación de sus superficies para la explotación de sus recursos y que además manifiesta que el “Continente Antártico es un territorio de paz y ciencia”.

Un total de 45 expedicionarios, provenientes de 16 naciones (entre ellos, Jennifer Trujillo, colombiana y única representante de Suramérica) se unieron a Swan en una travesía por la energía limpia enfocada en el liderazgo aplicado al tema del cambio climático y la creación de soluciones estratégicas necesarias para preservar nuestro planeta.

Los miembros de la expedición piden a sus respectivos líderes aprender del ejemplo que hoy es el Tratado Antártico y explorar las posibilidades de aplicar este mecanismo como un modelo del tipo de acuerdo de cooperación

El acierto del Tratado Antártico

El Tratado Antártico, firmado el 1 de diciembre de 1959 en Washington DC por las naciones signatarias (Argentina, Australia, Bélgica, Gran Bretaña, Chile, Francia, Japón, Nueva Zelanda, Noruega, Sudáfrica, Unión Soviética y Estados Unidos), es un ejemplo brillante de cooperación internacional que busca preservar una parte de nuestro planeta solo para la paz y la ciencia.

En su momento, la Antártica fue sitio de intensos conflictos económicos y comerciales, siendo el Tratado lo que permitió a las naciones sobrepasar lo que parecían desacuerdos irreconciliables y moverse a favor de un propósito mayor para privilegiar el objetivo de la preservación.

Aunque los problemas relativos a la soberanía aún existen, el Tratado Antártico permite que las naciones que lo conforman se enfoquen en la protección del Continente Antártico al mismo tiempo en que protegen sus intereses nacionales, suspendiendo el tema de la reclamación territorial.


De la Antártida a Copenhague

Jennifer Trujillo Obando, es ingeniera mecatrónica de la Universidad Autónoma de Occidente y actualmente está trabajando en el área de la generación de energía a partir de basura sólida municipal.

“No se trata de la belleza innegable de la Antártida, ni de su potencial para el desarrollo científico; ya en este punto, hablamos de la supervivencia de la humanidad y de lo crucial que es preservar la Antártica prístina para que siga habiendo un ecosistema que ayude a mantener el equilibrio del ciclo climático global", comparte Jennifer.

"Si este Tratado funciona para este territorio, entonces vale la pena explorar posibilidades de aplicarlo a otros escenarios, también de conflicto, en los que el mayor reto sigue siendo la cooperación para contrarrestar los efectos del cambio climático.” Concluye.


Para leer toda su experiencia en la Antártica, super recomendadísimo su blog: http://jenntoiate2009.blogspot.com/

Y los videos en YouTube de la travesía:

Parte 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K55EAZqKE



Parte 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38PN7jUY5jQ


Agradecimientos a Jenn! por compartirme tan lindas experiencias! :)

Rationallity (?)

I had planned to spend Christmas this year with all my family -re-united after 3 years- in Colombia. That was the reason to book that ticket since June.

This week, I had to cancel the plane ticket, because I cannot take 1 month of holidays (obvious reason: I just started my job). Therefore, I tried to move the dates to my holiday break, but the prices are ridiculously expensive, thus was much better to cancel the trip and ask for the reimbursement back to my account.

I look for many other options.. but again, time, work and money are in front of me as a big rock that doesn't want to move away!

I have the hope, but also I am starting to think rationally, pasted on the pavement... that rationality makes me get upset, sad, confused... dot!

Reflections in cold

Brussels is becoming colder.

I remember one conversation that I had with Juan once, when he told me that the people become more reflective and sensitive during this period of time. He thinks the European people are more aware of their feelings and thoughts just because they experience this “winter syndrome”. I agreed.

To be cold is something I can’t control because I feel colder than the usual. My hands and fingers –literally- stop moving, even if I have gloves. My body shakes more than the usual; sometimes, I end up with strong headaches and when the temperature is really low, I can’t breath properly. Doctor told me it’s an allergy of “cold weather”. Well, I have friends with allergies of sun, dust, grass.. It cannot be that weird, right.

The thing is that I don't like cold weather because I cannot control it easily, a coffee, a tea, a bar of chocolate, an extra jacket or a hug sometimes is not enough to be Ok. It frustrates me a lot, to be honest, specially when people says the usual "Come on! it's not THAT cold!" and I am doing a big effort to smile and be nice with that appreciation.

Anyways, continuing with my reflections in cold, I am stabilizing my new life in Brussels.
Well, I am trying to.,,

I got the work permit which means I can start officially my job. It gives me the financial stability I was looking for to stay longer in Europe as I wanted. This is a really dynamic job that everyday surprises me. I am getting used to a totally different environment, audiences and projects. So far is going ok.

I already have a flat, which includes my new own bed, closet, studio, fridge, owen, tv, dvd and a big window with terrace. ;-) Though I will move in at the end of the month as soon as all the legalization process is ok.

Not sure if my French lessons will start soon and looking forward to re-start my Gym routine, but I am afraid that the weather will be a big obstacle.., I will do my best to do it, I need it.

My social life is going ok as well. I am so lucky to have many friends here. I can go out to have a coffee, beer, watch a movie, party. I always have someone to hang around with and it’s impossible to get bored.

However, I sometimes think it would be great to have someone close to share these moments, these reflections and specially to see the “nice face” of Winter. I think, I need to pay more attention to my emotional stability, anyway I won’t put so much pressure on this, I will wait until to find the “one”. With someone that I feel happy, calm, simple... just be me. Hopefully, also living kinda similar life and looking for stabilization as well. I need to share some experiences on this field :P

Let’s see how it goes ;-)

another great example of collaborative work in the Web

In Bb 2.0 is a collaborative music and spoken word project conceived by Darren Solomon from Science for Girls, and developed with contributions from users.

The videos can be played simultaneously - the soundtracks will work together, and the mix can be adjusted with the individual volume sliders.

Visit: http://inbflat.net/
and enjoy it! :)

Sobre Internet y web 2.0 "inclusivos"

Cuando hablamos de Internet inclusiva, término que difiere de "exclusividad", talvez pensamos inmediatamente en conectividad. Aquella de la necesidad de computadores, de banda ancha, de educación para usarlo. Yo quiero traer un tema talvéz poco desarrollado, porque no he encontrado mucho del tema en Internet, el uso de la misma para personas con discapacidades físicas e intelectuales.

Soy de las personas que creen absolutamente que la Internet no es un priviegio, sino debe considerarse como un derecho fundamental de todas las personas para acceder a un alto nível y calidad de la información. Así como los medios de transporte, el telégrafo, el teléfono y contando con los grandes adelantos tecnológicos de hoy en día, la Internet es un medio de comunicación indispensable para conectar ideas, pensamientos, discusiones, emprendimientos, etc.

Ha pensado en cómo acceden y cómo usan la Internet, personas que no pueden ver? aquellos que no escuchan? aquellos que se les dificulta hablar un idioma y que no captan rapidamente siglas, emoticomes. El llamado: lenguage cibernético?.

Pues yo les comparto, por mi experiencia, para los que tienen discapacidades intelectuales, Facebook resulta aburrido, por tener tanta información tan dificil de captar y entender. Allí no encuentran lo que les interesa y les divierte. Pensemos también, si se nos viene a la cabeza un sitio en Internet para escuchar historias narradas o hacer networking?

De hecho, preguntémonos también, en nuestro mismo comportamiento, qué estamos haciendo para compartir nuestras ideas con un mayor número de personas teniendo en cuenta sus diferencias. Sin discriminarlos sino sabiendo que eres parte importante de esta comunidad pero con características diferentes a las mías. No mucho creo yo.

En Colombia, 1 de cada 20 personas tienen una limitacion fisica, 1 de cada 40 es invidente y 1 de cada 200 tienen limitaciones auditivas. Y 5% del total de poblacion necesita herramientas especiales para rapido y efectivo proceso de inclusion social. Información que encontré aquí.

Es allí cuando me cuestiono si el "Social Media" es tan social como lo catalogan o más bien, estamos derivando a un mundo más excluyente que participativo.

Actualmente, trabajo en Bruselas, como directora de Comunicaciones de la organización europea para personas con discapacidades intelectuales y sus familias. Me han escogido aquí porque hay esperanza en lograr un Internet más incluyente, en generar conciencia y en traer las maravillas del web 2.0 para personas con estas discapacidades. Personalmente, el reto y la oportunidad me parecen increíbles. Mi público objetivo serán todas estas personas que merecen comunicarse, acceder a la información que les interesa, que tienen derecho. Que puedan participar en las decisiones de la sociedad y que su opinión sea escuchada.

Me encantaría escuchar sus opiniones y trabajos al respecto, por mi parte les compartiré cómo va mi experiencia que empezó hace muy poco y me ha hecho cuestionarme la manera como veo y entiendo la Comunicación y la web 2.0

Seguimos charlando,!

Lala

Pd. Mis disculpas por los posibles errores en la redación, ando en un teclado francés.

Where are you from?

What I have learned as a traveler is that you are not only a person discovering the world, but you become an ambassador of your culture, your people, your country and its stereotypes as well. It brings you the responsibility to invite others to get to know more about it.

I am from Colombia, a country full of stereotypes. Yes, I think you know already what I am talking about.

To hear people making jokes about cocaine, drug dealers, kidnappings, or wait hours at the airport while they over check my Colombian passport and my previous travels, or facing the reality that many friends have been deported or have gotten a visa negation, is now part of my daily life as a traveler. But I also have decided to take the positive approach and explain to the people what is the reality behind all of this.

I have learned it now, although it was not easy at the first time.

It was an American that asked me if was true that the Colombian cocaine was the best in the world and you can find it in every corner in my country, I just reacted violently and said that he should reply to me in the other way around, since the United States is the main cocaine market for the Colombian drug dealers.

Actually, Colombia still is the world’ largest cultivator of coca, producing over the 50% of the total production (81,000ha), followed by Peru (56,100ha) and Bolivia (30,500ha). But what people don’t know is that only the 3% remains in Colombia, the largest markets are North America, followed by West and Central Europe and South America. (Source: The UN Offce on drugs and crime)

Coca leaf tea is not cocaine

In 2006, travelling to Poland my first travel to Europe to attend a international conference, me and my Colombian friends were asked to wait in a different line at the migration check in at the airport . We were carrying food, candies and other representative elements to show in a cultural exhibition.

The airport authorities were questioning if the liquor inside of the bottles was certainly Rum and if the corn white flour for making “arepas” –special Colombian dish- was actually food. And you cannot imagine how freak out I was trying to explain that the coca leaf tea is not cocaine.

Although coca leaf chewing is common only among the indigenous populations, the consumption of coca tea (mate de coca) is common among all sectors of society in the Andean countries, and is widely held to be beneficial to health, particularly in the high altitudes and to overcome fatigue, hunger, and thirst.

However, they passed our luggage and clothes through the X-ray many times just to make sure.

The negative impact

In the Czech Republic, I met a guy wearing a T-shirt with the legend “I am a Colombian drug trafficker”. It caused so much pain for me when he told me he was wearing it just for fun. For me, it means something completely different:

With 2 to 3 million displaced persons, Colombia presents the highest number of internally displaced people in the western hemisphere, and the second largest displaced population in the world after Sudan. Most of the displacement is related to the country's four-decade-long internal armed conflict, the most protracted in Latin America. This 'dirty war' is a complex conflict fought primarily between left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and Colombian armed forces. But it also involves drug traffickers, landowners, and other legal and illegal interests. (Source: UNHRC, the UN refugee Agency)

More than 40,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in Colombia as a result of this armed conflict since 1990 alone.

Geographically, Colombia is as big as Spain, Portugal and France all together and one of the most bio diverse countries in the planet, with a very fertile land. The same as we can increase the production of coffee, potato or corn, we can increase the coca production as well. But with a high demand and ilegal practices of trading, and illegal groups controlling the business, the production of coca is still a rentable possibility for many poor families in Colombia.

I do not deny what is happening internally in Colombia and its stereotypes, I can talk straight forward with every person in the world about them. Today, if you ask me if I recommend you to visit my country, without doubt I would say YES, I do.

Actually, I don’t see myself raising my family in any other country different than mine. Talking to my children about our reality and teaching them how to become our country the number one, the same as my parents did with me.

I recommend you to see yourself the country behind the stereotypes, the country moves by the passion of its kind, happy and good people. Discover Colombia through its heart. Don’t be afraid to see yourself the reality of this country and, how we Colombians say: the only risk is wanting to stay longer… maybe forever.

And now, I am asking you: WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Which are the stereotypes of your country? Don’t you think is time to break them out?

making it happen: I got the job!

I am super super super happy to share with you that I have been selected as the new Communications Officer of an European organization that works for societies of people with intellectual disabilities in all Europe, based in Brussels, with offices in Lisbon and Prague.

I am in charge to create, plan and execute the Communications Strategy (mostly web 2.0 :P) for the organization and to support the realization of the International Congress in Berlin, in June, next year!! :-)

Honestly, this was the most challenging selection process I presented though, imagine to think on web 2.0 ideas for people who doesn't read or understand, or only speaks one language with difficulty! The interview was super cool and we shared cool ideas never seen before, and I am going to have the chance to make this happen!... I was selected of a pool of 5 shortlisted candidates out of 300 applicants!..

I am starting as soon as I got all my legal docummentation in order.. in the meanwhile, I am starting to read and learn more about the topic. It will be a complete new experience that comprises all my interests in one job: Communications, Technology, Social Development, Inclusion and Europe... I am super happy to be able to stay longer in Brussels as I wanted.