New Job

Dear friends. I receive questions upon what I am doing right now.
Here follows a short description…

I am the project-leader of the Swedish Institute Leadership programme - the flagship of the Swedish Institute regarding trade and industry.

The Swedish Institute (SI) is a public agency established to increase knowledge of and interest in Sweden worldwide. Through active communication and the promotion of broad cultural, educational and scientific exchanges, the SI establishes relationships between Sweden and other countries.

The Swedish Institute works in close cooperation with Swedish and foreign partners and with Swedish embassies and consulates-general abroad. The SI maintains a close dialogue with other government/public and semi-public actors working to promote Sweden, such as the Invest in Sweden Agency (ISA) and the Swedish Trade Council (Exportrådet).

The Swedish Institute Leadership Programme will start in 2007. The programme is intersectoral and the target group consists of young key persons in managerial positions in trade and industry and in the public sector, emphasizing business related issues.

The goal is to, in five years, create a profile for the Swedish Institute Leadership Programme as one of the front-line Post-MBA programmes on an executive level in northern Europe. Value words such as innovation, openness, consideration and autentic shall automatically be associated with the Swedish Institute Leadership Programme.

We have chosen to give the leadership programme the profile of a development oriented management programme centered on the conditions of people and the environment. The general theme for the programme is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

CSR means that companies on their own initiative commit themselves to and are responsible for the development of society. It can regard for example an increased awareness of environmental issues, more thorough control of suppliers, human rights, health initiatives, and diversity and competence development. This work can either be conducted internally or it can consist of initiatives leading to strategic partnerships with public institutions or non-governmental organizations.

The issues and concerns of my heart are the same. The actors and arenas are different and my job is inspiring, challenging, important and great fun.

Cans of silver

Charles poem

Cans of Silver

For the people for whom a can of
clean water costs a fortune

Every morning on yawning you suffer
dryness of a whole night’s sleep
desiring a mouthwash with fluoride wafer
A towel and brush you grip
and head for the can of water
With great caution you tip
the washing liquid canister
like you would draw a cupful of silver

Then you stop to think. Of the
tea for breakfast whose water may be gone
with the mouth-cleaning spree
A handful of rinses done
and one swipe for facial glee
to make you all clean
The details you free
for you cannot afford another canful of silver

And when the sun goes up
the laundry basin will wait
to host the days’ linen wash-up
Not one clean shirt in the closet
yet the sun may go drab
Looking at your water lot
you doubt it will do the job
With reserve you give in to the plot
For you have only one canful of silver

Or you may turn aside. In silence
surrounded by all the chores
that need water in abundance
Parched spirit, dry hopes
A desperate housewife has to trace
some water for broths
The price of water spells doom
for the unwashed dishes and clothes
Will you just look on while you swim
in plenty of silver?

Charles M Sendegeya, Uganda

Dialogue for change

48 % of the world's population is today under 25 years of age and the world has never had a better educated and more communicative generation. Globalization, advances in knowledge and technology have heightened the corporate sense of responsibility in society. Human issues will be on the corporate agenda for the next decade. How do you as a company want to be perceived by young people and where will a cross-sectorial and – generational dialogue take place?

The project I am managing at the moment will be presenting our ideas at a Round Table discussion on Globe Forum, April 19. For further information see www.globeforum.com.

Charles as a poet

Since it is in the mind of people that war starts, it is in the mind of people that Peace has to be built.

My friend is a poet and his "The silver tin" will be published the 22nd month in a book containing young people's reflections on last years Human Development Report. The theme was the 'Global water crisis'. It was the only poem chosen from all poems submitted from all over the world--and only Charles third. He started writing poems last year in November....inspired by this UNDP book. The poem will be posted after the 22nd on this blogg..

The Iraq War De-Escalation Act

http://action.barackobama.com/iraq

Jag vet inte tillräckligt mycket om Barack Obama ännu. Men han har blivit lite av min politiska förebild. Han avancerar snabbt. Han lyssnar. Han vågar ta ställning, trots att alla råder honom at vara försiktig så att han inte i tidigt stadium blir överkörd av fru Clinton. Irak väcker äckelkänslor. Barack ger framtidshopp!

"I was opposed to this war from the beginning because, in part, I believed it would lead to the devastating, open-ended occupation in which we find ourselves mired today.

I've introduced legislation that would bring this tragic chapter in our history to a close.

It's called the Iraq War De-Escalation Act. It makes the U.S. policy on Iraq crystal clear. It stops the escalation now and begins a redeployment to bring U.S. combat forces out of Iraq by March 31, 2008.

If you want to cut through the political games and support a clear policy that will get us out of Iraq, sign on to support it now and spread the word:

http://action.barackobama.com/iraq

This campaign is about the hopes and dreams of people like you. And the cost of the continued occupation of Iraq stands in the way of meeting the many challenges we face.

We can't change America until we change direction in Iraq.

We can't be naive. It won't happen today. It won't happen tomorrow.

But this campaign offers the opportunity for people like you to organize in your own community. Together we can build the critical mass to affect that change."

Jag skulle kunna tänka mig att jobba i hans valkampanj nästa sommar.

Rough Schedule for the Week to come

Tomorrow I get on an early plane.

Visiting my friend Charlotte in Palestine.

This is a rough schedule for the week:

12 feb. Tel Aviv - Jerusalem
13 feb. Jerusalem - Hebron
14 feb. Hebron, Tel Rumeida - Tulkarem
15 feb. Tulkarem
16 feb. Tulkarem - Nablus - Yanon
17 feb. Yanon - Jerusalem
18 feb. Jerusalem - Stockholm

Letter from Barack Obama

Dear Åsa,

Thank you for signing up to our email list.

Running for President may be a step that I take, but it is a journey I cannot hope to complete without the energy and talents of people like you. A glance across history and my own past as a community organizer on the streets of Chicago has taught me that sweeping change never comes from one person or program, but always from the will and passion of countless voices, working and fighting and marching towards that better place.

This is your chance to lead that change, and I encourage you to participate and ask others to join our effort.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to continuing our conversation in the weeks and months to come.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Dear Collegues, Fellow-activists and Friends.

One more year is ending as we define it. Also, my mandate as President of the LSU has come to an end and I would like to take the opportunity to thank you.

LSU has, during my time in office, expanded a great deal. In LSU we define our mission as strengthening the young civil society in Sweden and around the world and we have adjusted our political programme to use the declaration of the human rights as a catapult for our advocacy. I am proud of what we have achieved the last couple of years and it is with warm heart that I leave the LSU. Hanna Hallin, my successor has a background in the Red Cross Youth and have been responsible for LSU’s advocacy on a global level the last year. Together with Secretary General Richard Bengtsson, our board and professional staff, she is well equipped to enter and bring LSU and our issues to an even higher level.

Today mankind is facing serious environmental and social problems. Billions of people live in extreme poverty, and at the same time the economic welfare is increasing for others. Natural resources are depleted, HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly and human rights are being violated. In order to bring about justice and sustainable development, there is a need of a global cooperation concerning economic, democratic, environmental and social issues. In addition to young people’s intellectual contribution and our ability to mobilize support, young women and men have a unique perspective. To a high extent, the progress of our societies depends on how much young people are let to be part of building and designing the future. I strongly believe that youth organisations have an important, and necessary, role within this context. During the last year eg the World development report deals with youth perspectives on poverty and Cambodian government has, for the first time ever, drafted a national youth policy. I am proud of all the work that we have done together with our partner organisations all over the world and in Tackling Poverty Together, a project aiming at bringing in the voice of the young in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers.

Thank you for the all the effort you put in and the change you bring about. I promise to be dedicated to the issues also in the future. My strength and heart will be put into fighting the existing unjustices.

Through my work in youth organisations and in LSU I have gained beautiful friendships. Thank you for the new perspectives you have made clear for me. Thank you for the coffee breaks, the brainstorms, the out-late nights and the drop-dead boring meetings. I have grown tremendously during my time spent with you all.


Regards,

Åsa Bjering,
former President of LSU

my ideas will now come through on this blog *smile*