The Bella Conference is quite a busy, noisy scene. Throughout last week you could observe all the buzz of policy wonks stepping in and out of presentations and press conferences, the negotiators attending plenary sessions and side meetings, and the conglomeration of voices chattering discussing delegation specific strategies. Yet amidst all the noise of the people that comprise the conference, the excitement is evident throughout the city, and evident through an overarching theme of Hope.
The city square has a large stage set up for the events for Hopenhagen, which originally started just as the website. During the last months prior to the conference, people regularly updated statuses of messages of hope in their daily lives, and their overall hopes of the U.N. Climate Conference. This week, the messages have been live streamed over a large globe in the city square, illustrating the unique perspectives coming in from all over the globe, a unifying message of hope.
It is also evident through p messages also. Archbishop Desmond Tutu delivers a message on his inspiration at the conference, link to video.
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Additionally, President Obama delivered much of his campaign last fall on a message of hope, coining the phrase, “Yes, we can”.
While messages such as these are incredibly inspiring, it is obvious that significant decisions are still need to be made. In the meanwhile, awaiting President Obama’s arrival, the negotiations are lagging.
What’s important to recognize above and beyond all the chaos associated within Copenhagen, inside and outside of the Bella Center, is that there still seems to be an underlying tone of hope. The youth voice is omnipresent, both inside the walls of the conference center as well as throughout the city. While the future of the negotiations are still undetermined, hopefully the youth can stand strong as the moral imperative of the conference.