The Great Generation Journal
The focus of our first journal in 2008 is effective and meaningful communication. We spend our lives bombarded with facts, images and sounds, but how much of that cacophony do we really take in and hear? How do we decide what's important and what to cancel out?
The contributions in this journal are from people who understand the fundamental importance of articulate and focused messages.
Read a few words from the CEO of The Great Generation, Suzanne Gowler.
Brendan Gormley is chief executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). In his interview he emphasises how crucial it is to close the gap between what people in a compassionate rush may feel is a suitable response to a disaster and helping them to understand what is really needed. He argues firmly and passionately, broadcasters have a role in communicating to the British public not only what action is appropriate in the face of humanitarian emergency, but equally critically, how proactive strategies can prevent these situations from developing. The Great Generation is an organisation with a clear remit for preventative action and Brendan Gormley makes clear he sees this as an important role for smaller NGOs and charities working alongside the larger organisations.
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Nerissa Martin’s piece demonstrates the absolute common sense of this approach. Nerissa was living in Sri Lanka when the Tsunami struck and saw for herself the enormous devastation and suffering. Like Brendan Gormley she is an articulate, informed and energetic supporter of hands on strategies. How many times do we need to be told about the central role of education in lifting people out of the cycle of poverty? How many times have we been told putting food into the stomachs of hungry children helps them to learn? The cost of Nerissa’s breakfast bun scheme is miniscule in comparison to many other projects underway in the developing world. She is now looking for further funding to both sustain and expand the programme.
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Juliet Russell-Roberts was a volunteer on The Great Generation project to India in November 2007. Her account of her experience underlines the value of personal experience as a way of understanding, in a constructive and informed way, the reality of life in the developing world.
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We also have a contribution from Prof. Dr. Davide Sola, UK Director of ESCP-EAP a Great Generation education partner. As a leading business school ESCP-EAP has a serious contribution to make, grooming future world and industrial leaders. Like the other contributors Davide Sola believes in the power of communication and positive action. His contribution argues that exposure to different people and different cultures, as well as first-hand experience of different environments, are a critical part of that process.
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I would like at this point to correct and apologise for an error in the last edition of our journal (October 2007). In the contribution from Darryl Eales, chief executive of LDC, the editorial process saw LDC changed to Lloyds Development Capital. It should, of course, have been printed, LDC.
Finally, The Great Generation team would like to say thank you for the positive and encouraging feedback we received about our first journal. We hope this edition furthers our mission to inform, provoke and challenge.
If you would like to contribute to the ongoing debate, please contact:
Stephenie.Booth@thegreatgeneration.org
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