It is about two months since I returned from the 60th United Nations Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60). And, I’ve been remiss about sharing my CSW experience in this space. So here goes.
One of the first gifts I received at CSw60 was a stone, engraved ‘Live.’ CSW60 days were long and chock full of parallel and side events that often did not end before 8:00 pm or so, although the official CSW60 began at 10 am and ended by 6 pm. Every day I tumbled into bed a happy camper, my mind buzzing with ideas, fully alive, as I slept and dreamed.
One memorable evening a friend, from the days when we were both young faculty collaborators with the open access revolution, and I, took time out to renew our friendship. The Met and Broadway called, but in the end, we sampled two of Manhattan city’s venerable institutions: The Oyster Bar and Financier (a patisserie) inside the historic and ever bustling New York Grand Central Terminal. Afterward, we sat below the stone lions of the New York Public Library at Bryant Park, took selfies with the Empire State Building and generally just had fun. This was an unexpected treat, the memory of which along with all else that I learned and experienced at CSW60 is priceless.
CSW60 nourished my soul, fed my body, and rejuvenated my mind, kindling passions and childish promises – to help end poverty and wars – back to life. How cool it was then, to learn at the “Sacred Water” celebration and gathering on Earth Day 2016 (April 24), that oysters are one of the most sustainable seafood choices? Wild and farmed oysters, it turns out, are good for the planet, for people’s health, as they’re a rich source of protein and other essential minerals, besides luscious parties. Similarly, advocacy that makes the heart and voice sing, for the vulnerable and struggling others who cannot, is sustainable. We live in an inter-connected world. Collaboration, not competition, is the better choice.
What makes your heart sing? Who gives you life today? With whom are you collaborating to build a better world for the future?
