Dear friends, happy to share with you some thoughts and news about my life as usual at this time of year: news from Olivier!
Let’s stay positive! Trump’s victory should give us the opportunity to strengthen ourselves as Europeans and continue to live our story of a free, democratic and inclusive Europe. Ah, but you’re going to tell me, we have
Orban, Meloni, AfD, RN and others in Europe too! Yes, and I have to say that I don’t understand how so many people believe that these parties will be able to provide easy solutions to hugely complex problems like geopolitics, climate, immigration (partly also due to climate change) etc. What are their priorities?
Protecting ourselves from Putin’s ambitions, regulating illegal immigration but
meeting the needs of an ageing society, or combating air pollution? All at once? In what order? Which priorities? I’m still of the opinion that we need to continue bringing states together around specific projects (Euro, Schengen) to stop being blocked by one state or another.
Having said that, I’ve decided to stop trying to understand everything – age perhaps; but I’m not going to vote for someone who tells me “We’ll sort it in 24 hours ». Things are obviously not going to get any easier…..
So, Olivier, what do you do? Well, I separate my garbage, I compost vegetable scraps, I travel as little as possible by car and no longer by plane for tourism. That’s not going to save the planet, Olivier, you will say! And you’re right, of course.
Well, I’m still involved in the development of microStart, SIREAS and EMMI to the best of my ability. I’m also a member of NewB’s Societal Committee. I also lend a hand to other organisations and always enjoy meeting with people who want to talk to me and exchange ideas.
Having said that, I will be stepping down from the Boards of microStart and EMMI in mid-2025 because I will have served the maximum number of years, and of course I need to allow others to take over the baton. I am therefore open to new positions in organisations that speak to my heart provided I can be useful there, of course.
My network, my friends, you are always of great help to me, and I thank you for that. Thanks to you, I’m able to find administrators and volunteers for various organisations that are in great need of them.
Finally, as you know, we are members of a choir; last year and this year we have sung Mozart’s requiem several times, in prestigious concert halls packed to the rafters! What a thrill! Right now we’re preparing a concert in Spain, to which we’ve been invited (see attached poster), and Verdi’s requiem for next year, probably. I must admit that I’m not a great fan of this work as it is
more an opera than a requiem, but the pleasure of singing together, also
with other choirs led by our choirmaster, is what keeps me going. And then we’ll move on to other works.
And every day I am grateful for the luck I’ve had: born after the second World War, being able to study and choose what I wanted to do where and with whom, enjoying good health, sharing my life with my sweetheart Barbara, and living in Belgium in a beautiful apartment in Brussels, of course!
How’s your Kibbutz in the Dordogne Olivier? Great, my friends! We’ll be happy to welcome you next summer! I always start an excel file around April for our members and visitors to organise stays in the best possible way. If you are tempted to come and spend some time with us, let me know and we’ll see where we can fit you in!
Olivier November 2024
