May 8, 2013

The pleasure of serving (Gabriela Mistral)

Yesterday i recalled a text from Mistral, i never thought about translating it...
Recalling Brother Arias, of course; and all what scouting means.


The Pleasure of Serving

All of nature is a yearning for service:
The cloud serves, the wind, the furrow.

Where there is a tree to plant, you plant it.
Where there is a mistake to correct, you correct it.

Be the one who removes the rock from the road,
The hate from the hearts,
And the difficulties from the problem.

There is joy in being wise and just,
But above all there is the beautiful,
The immense happiness of serving.

How sad the world would be if everything was already done.
If there was no rosebush to plant,
No enterprise to undertake.

Do not limit yourself to easy tasks.
It's so beautiful to do what others dodge.

But don't fool yourself to the error that only
Great tasks done can be counted as accomplishments.
There are small acts of service that are good:
Sweep the floor of the house,
Throw the trash away,
Setting the table,
Putting some books in order,
Serving is not a labor for slaves.

God, who is almighty, serves and teaches to serve.
To serve the poor, the kid, the ill, the weak, the elder, all the ones with needs...
is to serve God.


:)

April 9, 2012

WSJ2011 - Hanging out (part 6)

Hanging out (part 6)




Once more the scouting world gathers again for a massive event, this time in Kristianstad - Sweden. I am lucky i can participate here, and here i'm sharing some stuff around it. You can check the previous post here. Una vez más el Escultismo mundial se junta en un Jamboree, esta vez cerca de la ciudad sueca de Kristianstad. Tengo la suerte de poder participar, y aqui publicaré algunas cosas que vayan pasando. Puedes ver el artículo anterior haciendo click aquí.

*****


This is the 1st Jamboree that included a program for adults, or at least that's what the organizers said (marketing, politics... image hehe, hope that's true!)... and turns to be a great idea to give some actvs, although i feel they were a bit too exigent (however, that's always the trade-off... it it's too easy is not worthy). The instructions were contained in the handbook:


photo: @fonchobaggins


Among the activities for spare time, we got a nice variety... one that specially competitive was playing dodgeball in the nordic style (they use a ghost). Because of my lack of physical condition and my competitive spirit i ended the couple of games with scratches and injured... nothing serious, but duuuude... i'm getting old!

photo: @fonchobaggins


Got free time? Then, sounds like you want to go to the beach. Beyond the very main stream activity of taking sunbaths and getting into the water... if you are a scout (like us! ...or maybe not so cool, but a scout finally) you may want to build up such structures on the water to play some volleyball. Check carefully on the picture to see the net... because volleyball in the sand is too main stream.


photo: @fonchobaggins



If not having enough time to go to the beach, then there was some entertainment inside the subcamps as well... like the Salsa and Cumbia Workshop held by colombians in the Winter Sub Camp. I had a nice time with Sharlinda and Els there... the girls got their moves!

photo: with the camera of @fonchobaggins


So, you don't dance hu...? Then maybe you are more into legos. In the Spring Sub Camp (for adults only), there was a box with hundreds of pieces and if you haven't look at the picture below yet u may try to guess what people made at the beginning. After that they got into a massive structure with a surrealistic approach... maybe some drugged architect can asses what was that.

photo: Felix



If you walk around the sub Camps during the Cultural Festival Day (see Jamboree's Flickr photos of such here), you'll see that all the patrols are holding something to share, either food or games... but fun is assured ;) i enjoyed, particularly, visiting the guys from HongKong and Poland... on the first one i performed the Lion Dance with the proper costume and with the poles i had to read some of their words... even when my level of polish was pretty much (still) "kurczack i herbata, prosze" they were impressed by my language skills... ho ho ho :p

photos: Felix and @fonchobaggins // collage: @fonchobaggins


Did i mention you can go party? Well, of course you can! Contingents organize parties just so the people can go and have fun with their rhythms... i think the best one was the brazilian, organized by my friend Ricardinho (the boy has been improving, when i met him in 2004 he just a mortal rover and he became Head of Contingent... good job there!).

photo: @fonchobaggins


But the best... the best activity in the camp was, by far... well, not so "by far"; but we were so looking forward to get into this balls and see how was it like. Simply... EPIC. I want my own.

photo: Felix



What else do you feel like doing?
Taking a nap... Felix got a hammock and took an awesome nap in the woods
Playing your musical instrument? There was a guy who played the violin for a couple of hours in the road, without asking for coins. In the previous Jamboree Simon and Edu were playing the guitar and the clarinet.
Playing football? basketball? Yeah, you can still play your main stream games. There's where ;)
Mini Golf? He he, there was a court in the British Tent... i kicked Felix's ass (sorry bro!)
Sauna? The Finish Contingent built one in Spring Sub Camp.
Yoga or relaxation stuff? Got it, it's on the map.
Get bored? ...well, that's a hard one


*****

Go check the World Organization of the Scout Movement and check for some evens, if you want...
But if you are a scout, i really really tell you: go to an international activity and enjoy it as much as you can, and you'll have the time of your life. Puedes ver la página de la Organización Mundial del Movimiento Scout y revisar algunos eventos, si quieres... pero si eres scout, te digo... y te lo digo muy bien: ve a una actividad internacional y diusfruta todo lo que puedas, pues es algo espectacular.



March 27, 2012

WSJ2011 - Vikings (part 5)

Vikings (part 5)




Once more the scouting world gathers again for a massive event, this time in Kristianstad - Sweden. I am lucky i can participate here, and here i'm sharing some stuff around it. You can check the previous post here. Una vez más el Escultismo mundial se junta en un Jamboree, esta vez cerca de la ciudad sueca de Kristianstad. Tengo la suerte de poder participar, y aqui publicaré algunas cosas que vayan pasando. Puedes ver el artículo anterior haciendo click aquí.

*****

There is no doubt that Quest is best, and in such context... i felt i met the best group of IST in the whole Jamboree :) Of course, among scouts it's always easy to socialize and make friends, but this time i got a very special feeling, maybe because it was he first time i was taking part in the IST (International Service Team), but come on... it's still special!


2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Quest - Vikings!
Photo: Quest Team // Edition: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Viking Spirit!
Photo: Felix // Edition: @fonchobaggins


Now check some pics here about the games and the nice Viking-time we spent together... and feel the viking spirit running through your veins. First, the games in our Viking World... and then some additional features. Special thanks to Felix and Karel for sharing the pictures and let me publish them here, guys... you totally rock! Thanks + Danke shön!


2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Thor's Hammer
Photo: Karel // Edition: @fonchobaggins


2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
The "A" frames
Photo: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Sing along... (don't remember the name here)
Photo: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
"Be productive, not lazy" Stop
Photo: Karel

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Weight the fish
Photo: Karel // Edition: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Horse shoes (any name for this one??)
Photo: Karel // Edition: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
The Tower
Photo: Felix

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
The Ladder
Photo: Karel // Edition: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
1st Vikings Reunion. Who's hungry??
Photo: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
These babies required a lot of maintenance and care
Photo: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
:)  x6
Photo: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Yup, we receive aprox 5000 scouts/day
Photo: Felix

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
i miss all my Vikings! got my rune right here with me!
Photo: @fonchobaggins

2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Amazing Fondue organized by Roland!
...and me delivering some entertainment (as punishment)
Photo: Karel // Edition: @fonchobaggins


2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Awesome Boss is awesome... and we love her! ♥
Photo: Felix // Edition: @fonchobaggins


So, the time with the Viking was so memorable that i thought about getting a frame for the our picture... and, in fact, i succeed :)



2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
1st Vikings Reunion
Photo: Quest Team // Edition: @fonchobaggins

*****

Go check the World Organization of the Scout Movement and check for some evens, if you want...
But if you are a scout, i really really tell you: go to an international activity and enjoy it as much as you can, and you'll have the time of your life. Puedes ver la página de la Organización Mundial del Movimiento Scout y revisar algunos eventos, si quieres... pero si eres scout, te digo... y te lo digo muy bien: ve a una actividad internacional y diusfruta todo lo que puedas, pues es algo espectacular.



February 8, 2012

WSJ2011 - Quest is Best (part 4)

Quest is Best (part 4)




Once more the scouting world gathers again for a massive event, this time in Kristianstad - Sweden. I am lucky i can participate here, and here i'm sharing some stuff around it. You can check the previous post here. Una vez más el Escultismo mundial se junta en un Jamboree, esta vez cerca de la ciudad sueca de Kristianstad. Tengo la suerte de poder participar, y aqui publicaré algunas cosas que vayan pasando. Puedes ver el artículo anterior haciendo click aquí.

*****

When i was asked where i wanted to work in the Jamboree (because all the adults who go have to work!) i was really laid-back and said "whatever", knowing that i can either go and take pictures around... or clean the toilettes (which, if u think about it, it's a job with a high impact, its quiet important!). i'm not really skillfull for humanity purposes... i don't know anything about bakery or how to perform properly on the kitchen (i just cook to survive), not big knowledge on how to make beer (lost of people would love me, right!?), i don't know anything about carpentry or electricity (well, i know some theory but i rather avoid dealing with cables and stuff), i don't play properly any instrument, my medical skills are limited to the first aids and how to treat hung over (and that's just tea, avoid food and sleep) and in general... i feel a bit useless for society if no industries, organizations or projects to be executed. Well, maybe i can teach english or spanish and become a storyteller, so i think i have some hope.


2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Quest Opening Ceremony
Photo: @fonchobaggins


So, the point is that i arrived where i was supposed to after a very interesting quest on my own... looking for the Noisy Cafe. It happened that i was assigned to work on the best are of the whole camp: where the scouts have to play, get dirty, challenge themselves and, of course, have a lot of fun. Quest is all about challenges+games for the patrols and i cannot think for a better area or people for my work... it was amazing! :) There were different "Ages" in Quest (Cave, Conquest, Viking and Medieval), as you can see on the picture below. The Planning Team managed to make a song with some steps for every Age, using the rhythm of "I gotta feeling" (i can mention this with no problems with the SOPA or ACTA, right? if not, before sending me jail please let me delete it!) and with some more songs to encourage people to have a good time...



2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Quest - Giving instructions to the patrols
Photo: @fonchobaggins


And thank God there was no need for me to learn any new skills, just to be brave enough to face 5000 scouts every day (but i think they were more... help with the data, please!). That's specially intimidating when your boss (Hi Hanna, Bruce, Gustav, Hende! i miss you all) tells you to guide all this people to the different games/challenges in the area... but it was interesting hehe (Bram made a very good job there!). Look at these kids (picture below).... ready to get into the best activity of the Jamboree!



2011 Kristianstad - WSJ
Quest - Scouts "dancing" YMCA
Photo: @fonchobaggins


Yeah, they are dancing YMCA because it was part of the ritual everyday before entering to all the Ages in Quest. Now, if you follow this link Jam N - Episode 8 and go to the minute 2:11 you'll see what people think about Quest, but i think it may be even better to take a closer look to how day in Quest looks like, so here i leave you a video from a polish patrol (or maybe it's from the contingent). After watching you have no other alternative than saying and remember: QUEST IS BEST! ...and it always will be! Enjoy! Do zobaczenia!



Polscy harcerze na QUEST.
Światowe Jamboree Skautowe 2011


*****

Go check the World Organization of the Scout Movement and check for some evens, if you want...
But if you are a scout, i really really tell you: go to an international activity and enjoy it as much as you can, and you'll have the time of your life. Puedes ver la página de la Organización Mundial del Movimiento Scout y revisar algunos eventos, si quieres... pero si eres scout, te digo... y te lo digo muy bien: ve a una actividad internacional y diusfruta todo lo que puedas, pues es algo espectacular.



February 6, 2012

The change of the country image and the National brand - The case of Peru

The change of the country image and the National brand - The case of Peru
(Essay for my course of Public Diplomacy)
by @fonchobaggins




Even when there is no record or recognition that Frank Sinatra came to Peru, he didn’t have any problem on singing, back in 1957: “Come fly with me, let’s float down to Peru. In llama-land there’s a one man band and he’ll toot his flute for you”

Because of the theme of the song we know the invitation is under a romantic and exotic background and thus we can picture such labels to the country for the foreigners. On the other hand, 12 years later, there is a phrase on the Peruvian literature that will have a huge impact and will become part of the daily speech: “When did Peru got screwed?” In the book where this phrase is originally taken, Conversation in the Cathedral (written by 2010 Literature Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa), Santiago Zavala wonders why there is no sign for hope as the development, growth and freedom seem to be stagnant: “Peru screwed, he thinks, Charlie screwed, everyone screwed. He thinks: there is no solution”. The book illustrated the Peru during the 50s, that same country where Sinatra wants to take his lover is, in fact, full of corruption, immorality, social issues and gaps under the control of the military power, with General Odria as the dictator in charge. This phrase written by Vargas Llosa is powerful and full of meaning for the Peruvian population, because Santiago Zavala was not just a solitary student walking through the downtown but a picture of every Peruvian at that time.

Today, Peru is a country with more than 28 million inhabitants and 1 million of square meters in territory, its GDP per capita (estimated by the International Monetary Fund for 2011) is USD 5 593 and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) catalogues it as a “high human development” country in the 2011 Human Development Report. Known for its gastronomy and the archeological complexes that the Empire of the Tahuantinsuyo (commonly known as the “Inka Empire”) and many other pre-colonial cultures left, Peru was seen as an exotic touristic destination for many years but not as a business partner. Nevertheless, after dealing with big problems of inflation and terrorism at the beginning of the decade of the 1990, Peru found the way to be seen as an interesting location for business since the borders opened to the market under the IMF formula to fight against inflation.



Logo of the Peru nation-brand (Marca Perú)


It is not worthy to discuss about the cultural and historical heritage the country has to enjoy itself and to offer to the world (ranked number 4 on the category “Heritage and culture” of the Future Brand’s Country Brand Index). Just to describe roughly in a couple of lines, we can see the introduction that the BBC uses on its website (by December 2011) for Peru’s natural and cultural heritage:

“Peru's rich and varied heritage includes the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco and the lost city of Machu Picchu. The country boasts spectacular scenery, including Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. A growing number of visitors are being drawn to its variety of attractions, such as its archaelogical treasures, the Andes mountain range and the Amazon rainforest, which makes up about half the country”.

By the beginning of May 2011 there was a big surprise for the interconnected Peruvians: the birth of the brand “Perú” along the internet, in a video that caught popularity quickly due to its creativity, professionalism and the bridge that build between the traditions and the feelings. There we can see recognized cheffs, actors, sportsmen, singers and other culture icons in a trip to Nebraska-USA, where they get into a small village with no more than 60 thousand inhabitants to deliver the experience of being a Peruvian. This is a video made in regards of tourism, with a cost of USD 350 000 although the whole branding campaign costed more than a million USD. Note that the logo of the campaign was shown on the New York Stock Exchange in March, just after days of the release of the video in Peru and, on the most important festival of the Spanish-speaking world, the campaign won the prize with the same name: “Ojo de Iberoamérica” (The Ibero America Eye). Although the cultural manifestations caught in the video do not enclose the whole cultural offer Peru has for the tourists, it still holds the most representative expressions of culture that people may seems to be interested on getting to know; and the campaign has a broader panorama than just tourism, entitled as “(…) a Brand that unifies the efforts in terms of tourism, investment and exports".


Documentary: Marca Perú (Peru country-brand), with english subtitles [15 min, aprox]


As per the words of Martin Perez, Minister of International Commerce and Tourism. These are exactly the 3 base elements of the whole campaign, and no similar effort to manage the name of the country as a brand was made before, although the Peruvian Tourism Commission has been working for more than 30 years. In another interview for the local newspaper ‘El Comercio’ Mr. Perez mentions:

“Before, even when we didn’t have a national Brand, we managed to duplicate the amount of our exports up to USD 35 thousand million, today that our exporters have a solid marketing tool that will allow them to take a quality stamp, I am sure that there are conditions to increase substantially our deliveries. We have to conceive the Peru-brand as a supplementary element of the government’s promoter task and the constant effort for innovation and quality of the private sector”.


Data of both graphics hold data in regards of Peru
Source: World Bank


If during the 70s and 80s the financial crisis due to the external debt was a huge problem for developing countries, now Peru is looking attractive to business further than only tourism, and there is the need to underline the differences with other countries in the region and show the relative advantages of investing and visiting Peru. As it’s pointed on the national website of the Peru’s National Brand:

“The country is currently in a renovation, sustainable-economic growth and consolidation process in the world map. We have achieved improvements on the participation of new sectors in industry, increased the public expenditure, investment on civil and touristic infrastructure, so as achieving stability in politics and economics. (…) This is the best moment to tell the world we are having a good time in the country, and that is a competitive advantage”.

As per the website Nation Branding indicates, there is the need of certain framework that will allow the national brand to have a positive impact on the world. We can mention: transportation, energy, water availability, communications, education, health, and a market-based economy market as long as people with skills or talent; as such elements. Therefore, it would have been a failure to deploy these efforts on the national branding during the 90s or earlier because of the economic instability. Today a whole new picture is in front of the Peruvians, although there are still social gaps that need to be fulfilled in order to reduce the huge differences between the very developed and globalized Lima and the unplugged population in the rest of “the provinces”, which is a pending assignment for the current and future governments. But the situation has changed, and now 55% of the Peruvians feel “pride” when asked what feeling they have for their country, according to a survey held by the most important company in statistics in Peru: IPSOS Apoyo, which results were published on the newspaper ‘El Comercio’ on July 31st 2011.


Source: El Comercio, 31st July 2011
Link (Printed edition) // Link (Only text)


Beyond the economic growth and the benefits it brings to the society, lately Peru got more sport and cultural success than usual, considering (just to mention a couple) two Surf World Champions, a World Chess Youth Champion and a Nobel Prize in Literature. Then, nobody asks “When did Peru got screwed?” anymore, instead people are looking forward to locate a business opportunity or at least invest on the Stock Exchange (which had record results in 2007), if not complaining to be considered inside the growth model. Nowadays Peruvians are not feeling anymore this sensation of stagnation but recognize themselves as part of a rich heritage, starting by the food. This is also fed by a master parallel campaign led by Gaston Acurio, a national Cheff who boasted the credibility, variety and quality of the Peruvian food both in the internal market and around the world. Food is now a recognized element of the Peruvian identity, and we can appreciate its impact on the Peru-brand video, where the Peruvian ambassadors who arrive to Nebraska say, in Spanish and to start with the whole idea to the local Peruvians: “You are from Peru; you have the right to try delicious food!” But gastronomy is just one element of the identity, recognizing the Peru-brand and the national symbols is also an important process, as Aldo Panfichi, Pdh on Sociology by The New School for Social Research (USA) and Head of the Social Sciences Department in the Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) explains:

“(…) the patriotic feeling is becoming stronger, overtaking the political or cultural disputes. Everybody claim to be Peruvians, from the bottom to the top, and that is a difference over what we’ve been historically saying about Peru: that we were a country with lack of identity, con a weakness on the attachment to the national symbols. This was true until 10 or 15 years ago (…)”

Furthermore, the swiss Institute for Management Development (IMD), on its 2008 Competitiveness Ranking shows Peru as the 2nd best country in Southamerica to do business, right after Chile; and also the 2nd rank on Economic Environment and in Risk. Chile is not only the country with the highest Humand Development Index in the region (as per 2011 the Human Development Report issued by the UNDP), but the country with the largest experience on the usage of a national-brand. As per it’s indicated on the USA Department of State (by December 2011),

“Peru's economy is well managed, and better tax collection has been increasing revenues, with expenditures keeping pace. Private investment is rising and becoming more broad-based. Peru obtained investment grade status in 2008. In view of his appointment of a respected economic team and actions taken during his first 100 days in office, many anticipate that President Ollanta Humala will continue the sound economic policies of several prior administrations. While seeking to continue the well-functioning economic engine inherited from its predecessors, the Humala administration is pursuing a social inclusion agenda with the goal of ensuring that the lower classes increasingly benefit from Peru’s economic success”.

Let’s hope for the best future and a responsible management of the Peru-brand.

November 20, 2011

Reduction of the Amazon rainforest

Reduction of the Amazon rain forest
(Essay for my course of International Protection of the Environment)
by @fonchobaggins


Overhead view of clear-cutting for slash-and-burn agriculture in the Peruvian Amazon
Location: Southeastern Peru; from Cuzco to Boca Manu
Source: Mongobay - Deforestation in the Amazon


Some trees on the street may look nice, especially when autumn or spring are going on, both for taking pictures and to have some kind of internal cheer up because there is some nature around. A trip to a rainforest may not be, necessarily, a life-changing experience but surely will give a lot of perspective to a person who still finds a couple of trees as part of a “green city” (or at least a “green street”). These trees on the street are a good source to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen thanks to the magic (rather “chemical process”) of the photosynthesis, and to appreciate this we can picture the reaction of a person breathing deeply right next to a car exhaust system or at the beach, at the top of a mountain or in the middle of a forest (excluding the chance of carbon dioxide sources being around). As part of the global carbon cycle, the presence of forests all around the world have a direct impact on (the reduction of) Global Warming, which is not just a factor of carbon emissions but also the reduction of the earth’s capacity to take emitted carbon out of the atmosphere (1). The Amazon rainforest is a massive carbon extractor from the atmosphere, representing over half of the global rainforest area. Thus, the preservation of the amazon rainforest turns into a global issue, even when the “Amazonia” is shared mainly by Brazil and Peru, both sharing over 73% of the total forest area . The reduction of the Amazon rainforest goes due to the conversion for other land uses, mainly agriculture and infrastructure; and because of degradation from fires, illegal and unsustainable logging, fuel wood harvesting, and climate change. Since 1970, over 600 000 km2 of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. In 2001 the Amazon was approximately 5,4 million km2, which is only 87% of the Amazon’s original state.

The effects of the reduction of the amazon rainforest also involve the reduction of biodiversity, the release of greenhouse gas emissions, drought and soil erosion and negative impact on the people who depends on the rainforest to live. When forest cover is removed, wildlife is deprived of habitat and becomes more vulnerable to hunting. Considering that about 80% of the world's documented species can be found in tropical rainforests, deforestation puts at risk a majority of the Earth’s biodiversity. Deforestation causes 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Of these, carbon dioxide emissions represent up to one-third of total carbon dioxide emissions released because of human causes. As a result of deforestation, trees no longer evaporate groundwater, which can cause the local climate to be much drier, increasing soil erosion. Furthermore, millions of people rely directly on forests, through small-scale agriculture, hunting and gathering, and by harvesting forest products. The reduction of the amazon rainforest lead to severe social problems, sometimes turning into a violent conflict (2).

Now it is clear that, for the wealth of the global environment, South American governments that are part of the integral Amazonian region have to take care of it for the whole rest of nations. This feature is set on the Treaty for Amazonian Cooperation, where it specifies that the Republics of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela undertake joint actions in order to develop their respective Amazonian territories. We can see here that property is set under the State Property regime (3). Among the questions we can start setting for this perspective we have to include the role of these other nations that have no sovereignty over the territory where the Amazon rainforest is located, how to involve them into its preservation and get some profit from it, considering that “preserving the global equilibrium” is not so profitable for not-top economies. In order to so, there is the need to change the State Property regime into a Common property one, where the nations on the globe will benefit directly. Because of the need of preserving the biodiversity, the people and stop the deforestation, the Amazon rainforest cannot be either private or open property.

Even when the Treaty for Amazonian Cooperation states the role of the governments into the search of development, no formal delimitation of the Amazonia or even the Amazon basin is taking into consideration. Thus we find small farmers who own land and base their agriculture techniques on slash-and-burn and are loyal to corporations investing on crops in the area. Therefore, Private Property doesn’t assure the preservation, no matter the conditions or contract this private entity may sign; and, even when Open Property may look like an interesting option due to the complexity of controlling the area in regards of its nature and extension, the need of preservation was already set, so the Amazonia cannot be helpless against any threat.

In regards of the transaction costs, to have a positive effect on the economic performance we need low transaction costs and high incentives (4). Nevertheless, this concept seems to be intricate when approaching to each production factor. We can mention, grosso modo, the need of setting [physically] the boundary of the Amazon rainforest in order to control de access, monitoring the area and assure no illegal activities are held, the management of international funds, reallocation or alternatives for the employment for the farmers and its respective induction on this new activities, meetings to empower environmental knowledge and coordinate actions, among others. We find the transaction costs are high, so there is the need of locate or develop strong incentives in order to achieve this positive effect. But, due to the complexity and magnitude of the transaction costs, it is important to focus on the factor that has the largest influence and thus, we need to review among labor, capital and land. After all the facts reviewed at the beginning of the paper, we can see that it is the Land that turns into the most important, due to it is directly what we want, need and have to protect.

Goals that are pursuit buy the countries that share the amazon rainforest area are, regarding the social dimension: to preserve the native population on their own environment, to increase the global and local aware of the importance of the amazon and to develop institutions for Amazonia governance, considering the need of a common supranational property. Knowledge for Amazonia conservation should be a target too, so local population can avoid being manipulated by not-precise-information from community outsiders. On the economical dimension, agriculture and wood exploitation should be corrected into a sustainable model, thus both timber and soy can keep being important exports. Here there should be a special effort from the government to redistribute the income and preserve the area and its native population and biodiversity. The provision of fresh water can be assured if there are incentives for sustainable projects that may involve local labor force. Consider also, that keeping nature alive can increase the touristic flow.

Certifications for timber and soy, in exchange of the compromise of maintain 80% of the forest on its own property. Thus, consumers can prefer the products from the companies holding such certification (5), but a previous condition is to have the boundary of the amazon rainforest well set and controlled. Carbon stocks markets that allow funds flow for the preservation of the amazon rainforest are also an opportunity for privates to invest in the Amazonia preservation. Permission for R&D for the pharmaceutical market, in exchange of a percentage of their profit on the new medicines related to products found on the Amazonia (thanks to the biodiversity). Local labor force can switch from slash-and-burn agriculture into hydrological services personnel.

As it was mentioned before, the transaction costs for the sustainable management of the amazon rainforest are high, and so the incentives should be. Due to the strong opposition of the local population to let the government or any external observer, the slow rhythm of the initiatives taken, the cumulative damage that the amazon rainforest already got and the not-so-strong incentives for private companies nor governments this problem just look to keep on its track. Between 1991 and 2000, the total area of Amazon Rainforest cleared for farming and infrastructure goes between 415 000 km² and 587 000 km² and year deforestation keeps on track (6). There is the need of a massive intervention to have control over it and avoid private interest to keep destroying biodiversity, but according to the numbers there is no real or feasible solution.


References
(1) A. L. Smith, Oxford dictionary of biochemistry and molecular biology, 1997
(2) Nature.org - Rainforests facts
(3) Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, Treaty for Amazonian Cooperation, 1978.
(4) J. Platje, Institutional change and Poland’s Economic performance since the 1970s, 2004
(5) Pita Verweij and others, Keeping the Amazon forest standing: a matter of values, 2009.
(6) Wikipedia - Deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest



Websites (i used more than this, but i think it's enough for further reading)
The Economist online, Chopping down the Amazon
The Amazon Fund, homepage
The Amazon Conservation Team, homepage
Greenpeace – Amazon
Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, homepage
The nature conservancy, Rainforest
US Department of State, background note: Brazil
...and of course u have to check Wikipedia :p

September 1, 2011

WJS2011 - Setting up (part 3)

Setting up (part 3)




Once more the scouting world gathers again for a massive event, this time in Kristianstad - Sweden. I am lucky i can participate here, and here i'm sharing some stuff around it. You can check the previous post here. Una vez más el Escultismo mundial se junta en un Jamboree, esta vez cerca de la ciudad sueca de Kristianstad. Tengo la suerte de poder participar, y aqui publicaré algunas cosas que vayan pasando. Puedes ver el artículo anterior haciendo click aquí.

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We left the action in the train, in my way to Kristianstad... right before arriving to the Jamboree. I decided to travel alone since it's easier to coordinate and find accomodation too. Now, after sailing from Kobenhavn to Helsinborg and visited Lund, Ystad an Malmö... i was finally arriving to the Jamboree. I wanted to go since 2007!!! i was very nervous, i must confess. Well... we have to start stepping out of the train... lets go!


at Kristianstad Train Station

(Preliminary) Check in, of course


I was worried about getting streight to the Train Station in Kristianstad because on the form that we have to fill up i wrote that i wanted to be picked up from the Kobenhavn Airport, but since i got my Skåne Summer Card to travel all around the sothern region of Sweden (Skåne) with a flat rate... i decided to arrive to Kristianstad by myself. And after they picked us up in the train station, the next step was to Check In (but the real and almost final one), and for so... we needed to make a small queue :P


Small queue to check in.
Is it possible to notice the computers + staff we needed to reach for so?

Hum... so "Module Activities". Still, no clue about my job as IST.
IST Patrol, my ID number... first activities, ok.
(and as usual, i'll write that on my agenda to remember)


Next step: placing my tent. This is not that hard... since i'm very used to camp, the only problem is to find the square i am being sent to, but after spotting the guys in my contingent it was not that hard :P ...the hard part was to dialogue and set the camp layout for the peruvian contingent and the others contingents on the square. by the way... did the guys from Arabia Saudi got to enter the camp? they never arrived to the camp-grid, i think.



Fonchy's tent (orange +beige) on the peruvian zone of the camp-grid


WSJ 2011 Map
(not really useful... see the next post, but wait for it to come please)

WSJ 2011 - Sunset at Spring Town


So, i got pretty much what i need to start my Jamboree 2011 experience. I was very excited since it was the 1st time i got into an international Jamboree as an IST... i'm so full of energies!!! can't wait!!
(to be continued)


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Go check the World Organization of the Scout Movement and check for some evens, if you want...
But if you are a scout, i really really tell you: go to an international activity and enjoy it as much as you can, and you'll have the time of your life. Puedes ver la página de la Organización Mundial del Movimiento Scout y revisar algunos eventos, si quieres... pero si eres scout, te digo... y te lo digo muy bien: ve a una actividad internacional y diusfruta todo lo que puedas, pues es algo espectacular.