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Pomp & Circumstance

As you know, I'm working here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this week, facilitating the efforts of the Developing Countries NGO Delegation, one of three civil society delegations that informs the work of the Global Fund Board of Directors.

We've had a very productive series of pre-meetings thus far, with the actual Board meeting beginning tomorrow.

Tonight, was quite a night, and definitely worth a blog post. We ended the work portion of the day with a special briefing by UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidebé. I facilitated the meeting with the goal of ensuring that the powerful director could fully understand and then represent the needs of developing and developed countries, as well people affected by the three diseases—AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

Following the briefing, His Excellency Girma Wolde Giorgis, President of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, hosted a special welcoming dinner at the National Palace.

  

Our Delegation had originally protested the Global Fund hosting any kind of posh event, especially given the tragic famine here in the country. Following assurances at the highest levels (and the desire to honor the well-known hospitality of Ethiopians), we accepted the invitation. It was a wonderful evening, with amazing food, truly beautiful national dance and music, and great conversations with old and new friends.

Click Here for More Pictures!

The Global Fund On AIDS, TB & Malaria & Its Work In Developing Countries

For the past three years, I've been working closely with the Developing Countries NGO Delegation of the Global Fund Board. Our first significant engagement occurred when we facilitated a delegation retreat in São Paulo, Brazil in 2007.

We also developed an early version of their website, provided guidance related to critical changes necessary for their infrastructure last fall in Paris, created a new version of their operating manual, managed their 2009 delegate selection process, provided them with support at the 19th Board meeting in Geneva, facilitated the new delegate orientation retreat last week in Buenos Aires and are now here in Addis Ababa, supporting the Delegation's participation in the 20th Board Meeting of the Global Fund.

Check out this announcement we've created for them showcasing the new Delegation and its leadership:

I'm excited by our role in helping the Developing Countries Delegation strengthen its voice in setting policy and representing their millions of Global South constituents. We've already played an important role in helping them to set their priorities, influence policy, propose amendments to Board decision points, and support them in making difficult decisions in a "resource-constrained environment." With their hard work, we've seen a dramatic shift in their perceptions of themselves and their power within the massive Global Fund architecture.

GF Dev Countries Announcement 2009.pdf

Like the 19th Board Meeting in Geneva earlier this year, this gathering in Ethiopia will be a crash course in politics, advocacy, and strategy. The Global Fund manages a multi-billion dollar portfolio of grantees all around the world. It is serious business that has life-and-death consequences by the millions of people affected by these three diseases.

Giant Crack in Ethiopia May Create a New Ocean

Thanks to my friend Anne-Marie for the heads-up on this great story making the rounds on US news channels since I left for Africa ...

A 35-mile rift in the desert of Ethiopia will likely become a new ocean eventually, researchers now confirm.

The crack, 20 feet wide in spots, opened in 2005 and some geologists believed then that it would spawn a new ocean. But that view was controversial, and the rift had not been well studied.

A new study involving an international team of scientists and reported in the journal Geophysical Research Letters finds the processes creating the rift are nearly identical to what goes on at the bottom of oceans, further indication a sea is in the region's future.

The same rift activity is slowly parting the Red Sea, too.

Using newly gathered seismic data from 2005, researchers reconstructed the event to show the rift tore open along its entire 35-mile length in just days. Dabbahu, a volcano at the northern end of the rift, erupted first, then magma pushed up through the middle of the rift area and began "unzipping" the rift in both directions, the researchers explained in a statement today.

"We know that seafloor ridges are created by a similar intrusion of magma into a rift, but we never knew that a huge length of the ridge could break open at once like this," said Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester and co-author of the study.

[From Giant crack in Africa may create a new ocean - LiveScience- msnbc.com]

Working This Week in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia. It is the largest city in Ethiopia, with a population of 3,384,569 according to the 2008 population census. The official language is Amharic.

It is not certain how old Ethiopia is, though its earliest attested use appears in the Bible in Genesis chapter two as the origin of where Adam and Eve lived. It is considered one of the oldest human settlement areas, if not the oldest according to some scientific findings. Lucy, discovered in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar region, is considered the world’s second oldest, but most complete, and best preserved adult Australopithecine fossil. Lucy's species is named Australopithecus afarensis, which means 'southern ape of Afar, after the Ethiopian region where the discovery was made. Lucy is estimated to have lived in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago. There have been many other notable fossil findings in the country including recently found oldest human fossil, Ardi.

As a chartered city (ras gez astedader), Addis Ababa has the status of both a city and a state. It is where the African Union and its predecessor the OAU are based. Addis Ababa is therefore often referred to as "the capital of Africa", due to its historical, diplomatic and political significance for the continent. The city is populated by people from different regions of Ethiopia – the country has as many as 80 nationalities speaking 80 languages and belonging to a wide variety of religious communities. It is home to Addis Ababa University.

Addis Ababa lies at an altitude of 7,546 feet (2,300 metres) and is a grassland biome, which lies at the foot of Mount Entoto. From its lowest point, around Bole International Airport, at 2,326 metres (7,630 ft) above sea level in the southern periphery, the city rises to over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in the Entoto Mountains to the north.

100's of NGO Resources for Download

A colleague and friend of mine, Scott Peterson, has done some fantastic work in assembling all sorts of great resources—almost 100 Foundations, nearly 400 resource links and close to 650 press and media contacts are all attached.

The Foundation List is included in two attachments. When “opening” up the foundation charts – you may need to click on “view” and click “normal” as the charts include specific research on each foundation with due dates and other information – making the charts horizontal.

The Resource Directory is also attached as is the Press and Media List. FYI, if you scroll to the bottom of the document, all of the emails appear a second time as stand alone emails so you can cut and paste them very easily to send out press releases.

Please feel free to share these with anyone and everyone.

Good Luck with your work!

FoundationMatrixPart1.doc FoundationsMatrixPart2.doc

TheResourceDirectory.doc PressAndMediaEmails.doc

Branding Kosovo

Wow! This is a really interesting new development with all that's happening in Kosovo. In the video you'll see some of the young people who attended Common Ground and ISC's Summer Youth Leadership Academy! Very cool.

The slogan is based on the facts that The Republic of Kosovo is one youngest countries in the world, and it's also home to the youngest population in Europe with an average age of 25.9.

This is probably the very first national slogan which turns the spotlight on the people and the human spirit rather than the country, its natural marvels or history.

This is a very strong and confident statement of Kosovos attitude as a country and of its future intentions. It will attract the interest of a range of audiences, from politicians to businessmen, from tourists to donors. All will sense the future potential of this young nation and the positive attitude of its people.

[From YouTube - kosovoyoung's Channel]

BA: An Amazing City

Well, I'm not really sure where to begin when it comes to this very quick (five day) trip to Buenos Aires. I was here facilitating the new member induction and orientation of the Developing Countries NGO Delegation of the Global Fund. It's an amazing group of people and I'm grateful to have them as a client.

Fortunately, in addition to all of the hard work, we had the chance to get out and enjoy the city a bit. For me, that meant a lot of great meals! Argentina is known for its beef, of course, and I ate a lot of it! I've got to say though that the grilled baby goat (top right pic) at La Estancia was definitely a highlight.

As you walk into this restaurant you are welcomed by a gaucho complete with traditional dress. The grill is there at the front of house with the meat splayed and cooking slowly around the fire.

There's also something nice about very thoughtful service—from a friendly, older waiter, who takes obvious pride in his establishment and pleasure in serving people. Such was our waiter. Check it out on your next trip.

     

While we in Buenos Aires, there were a few different festivals taking place and as it is the second largest metro area in South America, people watching is amazing! Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to see one of the many famous tango shows, but that just means I'll have to go back!

Buenos Aires & The Global Fund

So, for the next few days, I'll be working in what I expect to be the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. I'll be facilitating the annual strategic planning retreat and new member orientation for the Developing Countries Delegation of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

I've been working with this very important group for several years now, and I'm excited that the Delegation is adding ten outstanding new members.

Don't worry, while I'm here I plan to be eating all the time! I've actually made a point of not eating meat all week, just so I can really take advantage of the Argentinian beef!

This complex, energetic, and seductive port city, which stretches south-to-north along the Rio de la Plata, has been the gateway to Argentina for centuries. Portenos, as the multinational people of Buenos Aires are known, possess an elaborate and rich cultural identity. They value their European heritage highly--Italian and German names outnumber Spanish, and the lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other in South America. One of the world's finest opera houses, the Teatro Colon, flourishes here on the plains alongside the river. Portenos are intensely involved in the life and culture of their city, and they will gladly share the secrets of Buenos Aires if you lend an ear and relate your own stories in return.

[Read More ... Buenos Aires - Introduction]

A Trip to Buenos Aires in October

I'm taking a trip to Buenos Aires between October 23rd and October 27th.

I'll be facilitating the annual strategic planning retreat and new member orientation for the Developing Countries Delegation of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

Six Ways to Know If It's Time to Leave

BY TIM WOLFRED, PSY. D.

Are you tired, a bit listless? Maybe the demands of the job seem ever more burdensome, or the board seems increasingly dissatisfied, or your retirement clock is ticking. Do you need more than a megavitamin? Even better is this advice from Tim Wolfred, a pioneer and leader in the field of nonprofit executive transitions, on how executives can weigh both the organization's needs, and the needs of their own heart.

Executive directors don't have term limits. Although some executives are fired or forced out by boards, most executives make the determination themselves of when and how to leave. Like other life decisions, it takes awhile to come to the decision to leave, or to come to the decision to stay.

So how can you tell if it's time to leave? Based on research and consulting with hundreds of nonprofit executives struggling with this question, we've developed six indicators -- each with some follow-up steps -- to help you with your thinking process.

Do one or more of these statements resonate with you?

1. I keep returning to this thought: the organization needs to go in a new direction (or to a new level) and I'm not the right person for it.

2. I'm burned out and I know it.

3. I don't think I'm burned out, but other people think I am.

4. I can't stand my board anymore . . .

5. My clock is ticking.

6. Family roles are calling me.[Read Details Here Six Ways to Know If It's Time to Leave | Blue Avocado]