The Powerful Moment II

- by Greikje | greikje@hotmail.com

My powerful moment has nothing to do with a concert, or even music. I went
to the Jubilee 2000 gathering in Köln last year, with my father. He had to
go there for his work (Jubilee is an alliance or something like that of
other charity organisations. He explained it to me, but I forgot how it
exactly was. My father works for one of those organisations). I asked if I
could come, and he agreed, happy that at least one of his children showed an
interest in Trying To Save The World. His work would pay for both of us.

When we got in Köln, the first thing we noticed was all the police-officers,
or maybe they were from the army, I don´t know. We walked up to a Jubilee
stand, near the station (we had come by train, because my father suspected
parking would be difficult. He was right). We picked up a leaflet about the
human chain, and both bought a scarf. Then we went to the Dom-square. It was
really crowded there, so we decided to go somewhere else. We went the Bread
For The World-square. It isn´t actually called that, but all the stands were
from that organisation (one of the Jubilee-partners. My father works with
them). There was a little stage there, where artists from over the world
performed. And I saw one of the funniest things I´ve ever saw: 3 monks and 2
nuns dancing the can-can.

Then it was time to form the human chain. All of us on the square walked
behind one of the organizers to our destination. Some people had rattles and
drums. When we reached our destination, we had to stand in line and hold
hands. We stood like that for about 15 minutes. We werent allowed to block
the streets, but we did it anyway. It was a great feeling connected,
literally, with all those people, trying to achieve the same goal (to Save
The World).
After that, we went to the big stage, were some more bands played, and some
people spoke. We also watched the presidents of the G8, as they drove to the
hotel for dinner. After that, we went home.

I didn´t see Bono, or Edge, or any of the other celebraties. Even though
that was the main reason I went. But, in the end, it doesn´t matter. Just to
have been there, and to have shared something like that with so many people,
to know that at least I´ve tried to make a difference, has been all worth
it.

u

The essay was first posted on Wire, September 24, 2000, and reprint for this page purpose by kind permission of the writer.