Drying up my Green Ink

It’s been 27 months since I first came up with the idea of an environmental journalism seminar. I was taking part in the M100 Youth Media Workshop, practically overwhelmed with that basic idea of bringing together young people sharing a common interest from a number of countries to work together for a few days.

It was probably the first time that I was struck with the continuous narrow-minding process back home. After a few backpacking trips, it certainly wasn’t my first time meeting up with people from different countries. But it was that sense of cross-border cooperation – networking, if you will – that made me realize how badly this kind of multi-national gatherings are needed, and especially when it comes to issues like environment.

So, I sat to formulate the general guidelines, the core concept of The Green Ink and emailed it to the then Secretary General of the European Youth Press who, back at the M100 workshop, had called for ideas for such projects.

But I never heard from her. It took quite a while until I got a response from one guy “appointed by EYP” to join me in developing and implementing the Green Ink, and so we did. During all this time I had the chance to work on this project with a number of people from either the EYP or its member organizations – and I’m totally thankful for their truly kind help on this adventure.

But I also gradually realized that once I’m out of the picture – the Green Ink fades away. The EYP and the project’s other partners, I came to understand, are apparently not really as enthusiastic as I’ve been – for a reason still unclear to me.

Nevertheless, other trainings I’ve attended through the course of these two years strongly enhanced my feeling that this kind of project is not only needed, but also very possible. And keen enough on it, the Green Ink has been shaped and reshaped time and time again.  The concept paper went through ten drafts until its final form as an “Environmental journalism seminar for young Euro-Med journalists” aside the Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity, planned to be held in the Norwegian city in early February.

It took several hundreds of emails and phone calls across four continents: to UNEP headquarters in Kenya, Conservation International in the US, the Budapest office of CEEweb, the Cairo-based Arab Media Forum for Environment and Development and many others.

In fact, the majority of the organizations we contacted (not including those mentioned above) never responded. Those who did were indeed supportive and encouraging, but in none of the cases it was translated into the vital financial contribution. I’m tempted to say it somehow reflects the global lack of interest in the deteriorating state of our environment. The economic meltdown (or its virtual echoes) might also be a reason. But that would be too easy. Even if these two contexts had some part in the outcome, I take full responsibility for simply not making it.

After spending countless days, energy as well as my own private money, this journey now comes to an end. Failing to mobilize the funding required to materializing this project (31,700 Euro), I came to the decision that even though I still sincerely believe this is an utterly important initiative, it’s time for me to conclude this phase and move on.

But I can’t say it was for nothing. This journey led me to meet some truly dear people who left their unique mark on the project (I’d like to particularly thank Maria for being super helpful and ultra-optimistic through the past few months). I also got to learn a great deal about numerous organizations worldwide working on environment, journalism, youth, Euro-Med and various combinations of these. Additionally, I had my lesson about knowing my own capabilities (and fundraising is apparently not one of them) and about volunteering (which cannot serve as a base of operations).

Frankly, in the course of these two years I’ve already announced twice before that I’m abandoning this project. There won’t be a fourth time, but I’d still be glad to see this seminar happening. Anyone willing to stand up to the challenge can find the last draft of the concept paper here [PDF].

Totally naïve, plain stupid – you decide – but I’m head on for the next project, whatever that would be. Maybe just a bit more modest this time.