Newsletter January 2012 - Latest News from Globetree

Dear Globetree-Friend,
I returned from Kenya a month ago where I had an unforgettable Christmas celebration together with 150 children at the newly opened Children's Meeting Place next to City Hall in Nairobi. It was a party full of food, gifts and joyful games. THANK YOU to H.W. Mayor of Nairobi and all others for the support and contributions that made this celebration possible!

The end of last year was full of activities with two anniversaries!
* 25th Anniversary of the Future Tree at the Stockholm Concert Hall and
* 10th Anniversary of The Mother Tree at the United Nations in Nairobi

First day of October we celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Future Tree. It also became the Yearly Globeday. 1986 we had the first Future Meeting at the Stockholm Concert Hall – the same stage  as the Nobel Laureates receive their prizes. More than 600 children from 12 countries performed their reflections and ideas on the theme“What is of life importance for the future?“ The closing ceremony of the program was the planting of the Future Tree, an ash tree, close to the Concert Hall. 
The City of Stockholm highlighted the 25th Anniversary with an enamel sign that tells the history of the Future Tree and with a bench that surrounds the tree.

The last week of November we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Children's Meeting Place at the UN, Nariobi, Kenya. 2001 Globetree was authorized by the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP) to care for a meeting place between children and decision makers. The Children's Meeting Place is now called - The Mother Tree – as the idea has spread to many cities in the world. The celebration lasted for three days with seminars, theater and workshops at the United Nations, the National Museums of Kenya and Nairobi City Hall. Astronaut Loren Acton, USA, was the children’s Special Guest of Honour.

It was with great sadness and chock that we received the message Mr. Börje Berglund suddenly passed away only one week after the 25th anniversary celebration, where he was our Guests of Honor. Mr. Berglund was former City Director of Stockholm and a strong supporter of the Globetree. We was a close friend and personal adviser to me. We miss him – very much!

Read more (below) what happened in the last months last year in the Globetree and our plans for the spring of this year.

Ms. Kajsa Dahlström
President Globetree

Contents:

1. A new tour in April-May with theater My Life and Child's Life
2. Christmas party at the Children's Meeting Place, City Hall in Nairobi
3. 10th Anniversary of the Mother Tree of the United Nations in Nairobi
4. Study tour to Kenya
5. Mr. Börje Berglund In Memoriam
6. Future Tree's 25th Anniversary – The Globe Day
7. Premiere - M / S Hallunda

1.) Theatre tour in April-May with My Life and Child's Life
Two theatre performances will be on tour in the Nordic countries in April - May. Six children and youth will perform stories from their life environment in Dandora, a suburb of Nairobi. They share their own experiences and the life of friends and neighbors. Child's Life will be performed for the age-group 6-10 years and My Life for youth and adults. 

2.) Christmas Party at the Children’s Meeting Place, Nairobi
More than 150 children and leaders came to the Christmas party at the Children’s Meeting Place of Nairobi – next to the City Hall. Grilled goat meat, lots of other foods, The Fish Pond (a Swedish tradition of fishing gifts), games, drumming, dancing, face painting and candy bags made the day a success. Also groceries to some families were distributed. H.W. Mayor of Nairobi attended and his speech became a dance with the kids! All the children sent a warm THANK YOU to all supporting the party – we are sure your heard the cheers!
3.) Ten Years Celebration of the Mother Tree at the United Nations in Nairobi
During three days we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Children's Meeting Place - the Mother Tree at the United Nations, Nairobi -18 - 20 November.

We started at The Mayor’s Parlor, Nairobi's City Hall, where H.W. Mayor of Nairobi invited mayors and municipal leaders from four countries.  The High Commission of Uganda and the Children’s Special Guest of Honour Astronaut Loren Acton attended. A  Promise to the Children was prepared. At the National Museums of Kenya the children and youth came together in workshops sharing their concerns for the future. 

The Second Day was the Great Day at the Mother Tree – The Children’s Meeting Place at the United Nations. Speakers at the Official Opening of the Celebration were children, youth UNICEF, UNEP, UN-HABITAT, Swedish Embassy, H.W. Mayor of Nairobi and Astronaut Loren Acton. Representatives of 6 nations came together; Kenya, Malaysia, Sweden, Tanzania, Uganda and USA. Messages from the God Mother, also the Patron of the Celebration, Ms Inga Bjork-Klevby (former Sweden’s Ambassador to Kenya and Dep. Ex. Dir. UN-HABITAT), the Swedish and Norwegian Children’s Ombudsman brought perspectives of the Rights of the Child to the Celebration. The performance My Life was performed by 6 children and youth after the official speakers and became an inspiration to the seven seminars. In a special ceremony, children united water and soil from places they care for.  It was a moving honor of The Mother Tree and the 20 Children’s Meeting Places which have been inaugurated during these ten years. In the end, all were given a Gold Medal reminding everyone: When we work together we are all winners!
The third day H.W. Mayor of Nairobi officially presented the Cypress Tree next to the City Hall to be the Children’s Meeting Place of Nairobi. The Cypress Tree is also the Nairobi Christmas Tree – known to most people. The Closing Ceremony of the celebration was a tree planting in Uhuru Park in memory of two friends of the Globetree - Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Mathai and Globetree advisor Mr. Börje Berglund, who both passed away just before the anniversary. 
SPECIAL THANKS TO: All volunteers who worked day and night with great spirit! H.W. Former Mayor of Nairobi, Cllr Joe Akech who opened many doors for the celebration.Boyd Oyier participated in the planning and execution of the event for more than a year! As Boyd now will deepen his own art work we take this opportunity to thank a hard working friend for the years we had together and wish him success. Ananthakrishnan, UN Habitat for his advice at all hours and Leah Macharia at UNEP for her hard work for the UN Day,The Malaysian delegation came like Father Christmas with event bags, printed materials, banners, certificates and T-shirts! The Swedish delegation brought clothes and presents for the Christmas Celebration to 150 children and lap tops. The Kenyan, Tanzanian and Uganda delegations brought spirit and fun for the 3-days celebration. Astronaut Loren Acton and his wife Evelyn – travelled far to meet the children’s wish; - We want an astronaut to be here! AND TO ALL OF YOU – NOT MENTIONED - WHO PARTICIPATED AND GAVE A HAND! AND THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: Nairobi Water supporting the event with finance and Nairobi Sports House Ltd. supporting with Gold Medals to all. 

4.) Study tour to Kenya
This year's Study tour to Kenya coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Children's Meeting Place - the Mother Tree. 16 persons – young and old - from 4 cities in Sweden came. The Swedish group participated in the 10 year Anniversary and also visited families in Dandora - a suburban area near Nairobi and St. John's school. The last days they made a safari to the Masai Mara National Reserve. The municipality of Eslöv had a first contact with children and municipal authorities from Lugazi in Uganda. The two municipalities plan for a Partnership program based on the Convention of the Rights of the Child and Sustainable Development. 

5.) Mr. Börje Berglund In Memoriam
Mr. Börje Berglund, former Town Clerk/City Director Stockholm City Hall passed away suddenly on October 9 only one week after he was the Guest of Honor at the 25th Anniversary of the Future Tree. Mr. Berglund was a close and dear friend and an extraordinary supporter of the Globetree. Mr. Berglund participated in all big Globetree events starting with the Future Vessel 1998 at the Stockholm Globe Arena to the World Championship in Cooperation 2008 in Uganda. He had a big heart for children. We miss him so very much.

6.) Future Tree 25 Year Celebration
25 years ago we had the first Future Meeting at the Stockholm Concert Hall. More than 600 children from 12 countries came and gave their response to the question: - What is of life importance for the future. Children performed the response in drama, poems, dance, music, songs and visual arts at the same stage where the Nobel Laureates receive their awards. The program ended with the planting of an ash tree next the Concert Hall. The City of Stockholm highlighted the 25th anniversary by providing the tree with an enamel sign that tells the history of the Future Tree history and a bench that surrounds the tree. 

7.) Premier at M/S Hallunda
The Hallunda Day Centre for disabled persons had its Opening Day of the play M/S Hallunda the 12 October. What can happen on board a cruise trip when drugs and money is in everyone’s mind? Globetree will lead the drama work also 2012 and focus on film making and drama. 

Newsletter sent by 

Sam Samuelsson, Photographer, film-maker
GLOBTRÄDET-GLOBETREE
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