Author: Valter Albin

  • We’re walking on sunshine

    Valter is happy about the Lester R. Brown's book "Plan B 4.0"
    Valter is happy about the Lester R. Brown’s book "Plan B 4.0" © IFOK, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert

    This year Young Ideas for Europe can be called nothing less than a success story so far. Day one, two and three have passed and tomorrow is the grand finale. Like many old students, I still had a somewhat living connection to Spyken, my old gymnasium. But what I have faced in our “camp site” classroom this week has surprised me greatly. Young people, just a year or three younger than myself, have shown amazing insight, analytical skills, enthusiasm and compassion for the world that we live in. Through their own presentations and hard work, through the tools/knowledge given to them by the invited speakers Lars Almström and Thomas B. Johansson and through my fellow colleges facilitation, the “Young Ideas” participants at Spyken have done some incredible work within a very short time frame. Tomorrow they will spread light over the many issues and solutions that we have available, today and in the future. Tomorrow, we can all walk on sunshine.

    And for now, a word of inspiration and encouragement from one of our political patrons, a great role-model of an activist, a politician and a wonderful human being, Jens Holm:

  • Äppelkaka med eldsjälstopping

    Det var en regnig oktobereftermiddag då de tre musketörerna Sven, Valter och Maja begav sig till Österlen för att möta fäktmästaren Lotta Hedström. Beväpnande med en bunt frågor, entusiasm och Svens charmiga mössa, anlände vi till en nästan tom parkering nära en laxtrappa som vi senare vandrade runt. Lotta Hedström som är f. d. språkrör för Miljöpartiet, men samtidigt kan tilltalas med en rad andra epitet, hade svarat ja på en begäran om ett möte för att dela med sig av sitt kunnande, sin erfarenhet och sina insikter. Vi inledde med att Sven guidade oss runt den lokala laxtrappan och visade sin släkts sommarstuga medan han berättade “the story of Wake Up Call”.

    Sven, Lotta, Maja

    När det väl blivit uppenbart att sommarstugan bara var marginellt varmare på insidan än utsidan, bjöd Lotta med oss hem till sig. Väl där blev vi bjudna på en delikat äppel-knäckkaka med vaniljsås och Lottas livshistoria. Som nybliven trainee upplevde jag det som fantastiskt att informellt diskutera problem, möjligheter och lösningar kring miljöfrågor i stort och smått. Som Sven sa efteråt: När man lyssnar på någon som efter hela sitt liv kommit fram till insikter och man inser att man själv har dem, då känns det verkligen som om man är på rätt spår.

  • Inspiration and Scholarships in Simrishamn

    This is my premiere blog post here at Wake Up Call; I’m one of the new trainees, Valter.

    Yesterday we all got up before the sun had graced us with even a trace of light and gathered in Lund outside Mejeriet for a little road trip. We were driving across Scania towards Simrishamn to attend the regional Environmental Awards Day ceremony at the renovated new Marine Center. Spirits were high already in the car, stuffed with Sven, Maja, Mia, Annika, myself and a bag of cinnamon rolls. We were scheduled to register and have coffee at 9:00 and despite some detours we made it. Upon arrival, we met up with the singer/songwriter and poet Emil Jensen, who was quickly snatched away by the organizers to prepare him for his performance. After some socializing and enjoying the surprisingly nice sandwich table, the Wake Up Call team followed the flow and walked to the ceremony room. After a short introduction representing the municipality of Simrishamn, the moderator of the day got up on stage; Johan Wester. Personally I thought his performance was impressive, it was entertaining yet professional. Through dialog between Johan and the respective speakers, the messages flowed easily and naturally.
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