Arrival at the Stockholm Conference Center

Hi Everyone, The fourth in the series of European Development Days began this morning at 9am. It opened with a ceremony in the Victoria Hall on an important topic:  citizenship and development. Among the speakers were José Manuel Barroso, Dominique Strauss-Khan, and Dr. Pachauri. This session was transmitted live throughout the center.

There are hundreds of stands in the Great Hall, representing various NGOs and Organizations. At the back, a Swedish pavilion has been built, housing the host country's NGOs and organizations.  The decor is green and the whole feeling is of going through a forest:  the wooden furniture is painted green or sylvan, there is a scattering of transparent fabric with leaf motifs hanging from the ceilings down to the floor. It is a true indoor biosphere!

This year, the organizers expected many more people than in the three previous years and they were right! Thousands of participants have gathered around the stands, discussing and exchanging ideas and presenting their projects; interested bystanders have been ready to jump in and take part in the discussions.

There is no doubt that interest in development issues is growing and mobilizing people.

At the Ideas for Development stand, all the team is there and getting ready for Dr Pachauri's arrival. You will be able to view an interview of Dr. Pachauri, Nobel Peace Prize winner and President of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), on the next post.