XUNICEF Reunion in the Philippines - Reflections and Suggestions - Exchange of messages between Fritz Lherisson, Ces Adorna, and Mary Racelis
From Fritz Lherisson to Ces Adorna
Dear Ces
Such a long time we haven’t seen each other. We last met if I remember correctly in August 1995 in Bogota Colombia when you arrived to take up your post as UNICEF Representative. I was holding the fort pending the Government agreement. How is your family? I hope you are all well of health and in good spirit enjoying all the niceties and beauty of the home country.
From what Mary Racelis has told me you are doing very well as the lead Consultant for Nutrition International in Philippines. Congratulation my friend. Now you have another hat as Organizer of the XUNICEF reunion.
Thanks for the draft programme of the Reunion that you have sent us recently. First, I have some general comments on the reunion that I would like to share with you based on my participation in some previous ones. May I say that the real challenge for the host of such a reunion in general is to ensure that it fulfills the expectations somewhat varied, the exigencies and even caprices of a diverse group of participants i.e. what they hope for and to make them feel happy returning home. Quite a Sisyphean undertaking I must say. However I am confident that with the advice of Mary Racelis and the support of the members of the Organizing Committee you will rise as in other previous circumstances to this challenge..
If you allow me Ces a small but very important advice: as the organizer of the reunion you need to ensure that the programme as being developed does not lead to the formation of groups as I have seen in previous reunions i.e the Africans are together, the same for the Asians and the Europeans. Likewise the participants who have met former friends and colleagues tend to have exchanges between them and stay together. We have all worked in different parts of the world before retirement and naturally we do not know each other. A way should be found right at the beginning to make the reunion more convivial and participant friendly.
In this regard in my humble opinion the objective of the reunion will need to be redefined. Over the years the reunion has become a tourist gathering and not much time/ or no time at all was allowed for good exchanges among the participants on topics and subjects of interest such as : life after retirement, our own occupation, how do we cope with adversity such as Covid for example, our views of the world of today, the future of UN and multilateralism for instance and the changes needed to make UN relevant to today’s world that is totally different from the one when it was created in 1945.
Mary
Dear Ces
Such a long time we haven’t seen each other. We last met if I remember correctly in August 1995 in Bogota Colombia when you arrived to take up your post as UNICEF Representative. I was holding the fort pending the Government agreement. How is your family? I hope you are all well of health and in good spirit enjoying all the niceties and beauty of the home country.
From what Mary Racelis has told me you are doing very well as the lead Consultant for Nutrition International in Philippines. Congratulation my friend. Now you have another hat as Organizer of the XUNICEF reunion.
Thanks for the draft programme of the Reunion that you have sent us recently. First, I have some general comments on the reunion that I would like to share with you based on my participation in some previous ones. May I say that the real challenge for the host of such a reunion in general is to ensure that it fulfills the expectations somewhat varied, the exigencies and even caprices of a diverse group of participants i.e. what they hope for and to make them feel happy returning home. Quite a Sisyphean undertaking I must say. However I am confident that with the advice of Mary Racelis and the support of the members of the Organizing Committee you will rise as in other previous circumstances to this challenge..
If you allow me Ces a small but very important advice: as the organizer of the reunion you need to ensure that the programme as being developed does not lead to the formation of groups as I have seen in previous reunions i.e the Africans are together, the same for the Asians and the Europeans. Likewise the participants who have met former friends and colleagues tend to have exchanges between them and stay together. We have all worked in different parts of the world before retirement and naturally we do not know each other. A way should be found right at the beginning to make the reunion more convivial and participant friendly.
In this regard in my humble opinion the objective of the reunion will need to be redefined. Over the years the reunion has become a tourist gathering and not much time/ or no time at all was allowed for good exchanges among the participants on topics and subjects of interest such as : life after retirement, our own occupation, how do we cope with adversity such as Covid for example, our views of the world of today, the future of UN and multilateralism for instance and the changes needed to make UN relevant to today’s world that is totally different from the one when it was created in 1945.
An exchange on UNICEF current affairs based on a briefing by the UNICEF Representative if the reunion is held in a country where there is an office or by the Director of the UNICEF National Committee if is in a donor country can also be included. In this regard three good examples that I vividly recall: i/ Budapest in 2015 where we were warmly welcome the first evening of the reunion by the UNICEF National Committee at its Headquarters with a speech by the Director of the Committee, songs, dances and sketches by children followed by a gala dinner. ii/ In Mexico, the UNICEF Representative came to meet us at a site we were visiting and briefed us of the UNICEF cooperative work and had an exchange with the participants. In Malta we had the honour of a meeting at our hotel with the former President characterized by a good exchange with her about her views on the situation of children and how it can be improved. This was a key event kindly arranged by the organizer Margherita thanks to her political connections I assume.
I would therefore suggest that the programme be thus rearranged: that the first day of the reunion not the welcoming reception in the evening be devoted for an exchange in a relaxed manner on a subject/topic that can be chosen beforehand by the Organizer of the reunion and communicated to the participants. In my humble opinion this will allow them to know each other and socialize. This also will certainly help break the ice right at the beginning and facilitate friendly conversations among the participants during the duration of the reunion thus avoiding he formation of groups as we have seen in previous reunions. A small advice if you allow me each participant should have the same care and attention of the organizer. No one should be felt ignored. The organizing Committee should make everyone feel at ease and be contented of living joyous days together with friends and former colleagues while enjoying the beauty of the country and what it offers: its history, culture, art, music, its cuisine, its beaches, la joie de vivre etc
May I say my dear friend this is not a challenge for you and your colleagues as kindness, hospitality and la joie de vivre are in the ADN of the Filipinos.
Hereunder two suggestions:
I/ that necessary arrangements be made by the Media Exchange Agency (MEA) to have all participants at the same hotel with breakfast included both in both places:Manila and Bohol. Participants can pay directly to the hotel.
ii/ that the booking of Air ticket to Bohol be made by MEA
By the way regarding the second leg of the reunion the visit to Bohol a participant may wish to remain in Manila. I assume it is possible.
As I told Oscar Fernandez I plan to participate in the Reunion. I will confirm later.
Looking forward to seeing you and Mary in Manila
Warn regards
Fritz
Reply from Ces Adorna to Fritz Lherisson
Dear Fritz
I am so happy to receive an email from you Estimado Amigo y Hermano. I have fond memories of time we spent together in Colombia and always thankful of the work you did for me and for the office of UNICEF in Bogota and in the region.
As Mary has already mentioned in her mail to you, our Core Group here met on 9 September and took your suggestions to heart. I am glad to say that the program has been tweaked to address the points you made. At the moment, we are working with our chosen DMC (highly competent) in nailing down the cost and consequently the cost per capita to share the information to the prospective participants for their review and final decision. Our timelines published in the regular issues of the XUNICEF notes and views stand.
For me personally, and for many of our UNICEF retirees in the Philippines, the reunion represents a golden opportunity to meet long standing friends and make new acquaintances so we are very much looking froward to meeting you and Fouad and many more in February.
A mi amigo Fritz, que el joie de vivre be with you por siempre.
Abrazotes
Ces
Reply to Fritz Lherisson from Mary Racelis
Dear Fritz,
Thank you for your much-appreciated reflections on what the ideal XUNICEF reunion should be like. Our Country Organizing Group met today and re-examined the program to incorporate your concern, that is, to emphasize the renewal of longtime friendships as well as making new ones in the context of experiencing together the beauty of the Philippines.
Definitive information on costs and program will be forthcoming about September 15. We are looking forward to welcoming you in February, together with many other dear colleagues.
I would therefore suggest that the programme be thus rearranged: that the first day of the reunion not the welcoming reception in the evening be devoted for an exchange in a relaxed manner on a subject/topic that can be chosen beforehand by the Organizer of the reunion and communicated to the participants. In my humble opinion this will allow them to know each other and socialize. This also will certainly help break the ice right at the beginning and facilitate friendly conversations among the participants during the duration of the reunion thus avoiding he formation of groups as we have seen in previous reunions. A small advice if you allow me each participant should have the same care and attention of the organizer. No one should be felt ignored. The organizing Committee should make everyone feel at ease and be contented of living joyous days together with friends and former colleagues while enjoying the beauty of the country and what it offers: its history, culture, art, music, its cuisine, its beaches, la joie de vivre etc
May I say my dear friend this is not a challenge for you and your colleagues as kindness, hospitality and la joie de vivre are in the ADN of the Filipinos.
Hereunder two suggestions:
I/ that necessary arrangements be made by the Media Exchange Agency (MEA) to have all participants at the same hotel with breakfast included both in both places:Manila and Bohol. Participants can pay directly to the hotel.
ii/ that the booking of Air ticket to Bohol be made by MEA
By the way regarding the second leg of the reunion the visit to Bohol a participant may wish to remain in Manila. I assume it is possible.
As I told Oscar Fernandez I plan to participate in the Reunion. I will confirm later.
Looking forward to seeing you and Mary in Manila
Warn regards
Fritz
Reply from Ces Adorna to Fritz Lherisson
Dear Fritz
I am so happy to receive an email from you Estimado Amigo y Hermano. I have fond memories of time we spent together in Colombia and always thankful of the work you did for me and for the office of UNICEF in Bogota and in the region.
As Mary has already mentioned in her mail to you, our Core Group here met on 9 September and took your suggestions to heart. I am glad to say that the program has been tweaked to address the points you made. At the moment, we are working with our chosen DMC (highly competent) in nailing down the cost and consequently the cost per capita to share the information to the prospective participants for their review and final decision. Our timelines published in the regular issues of the XUNICEF notes and views stand.
For me personally, and for many of our UNICEF retirees in the Philippines, the reunion represents a golden opportunity to meet long standing friends and make new acquaintances so we are very much looking froward to meeting you and Fouad and many more in February.
A mi amigo Fritz, que el joie de vivre be with you por siempre.
Abrazotes
Ces
Reply to Fritz Lherisson from Mary Racelis
Dear Fritz,
Thank you for your much-appreciated reflections on what the ideal XUNICEF reunion should be like. Our Country Organizing Group met today and re-examined the program to incorporate your concern, that is, to emphasize the renewal of longtime friendships as well as making new ones in the context of experiencing together the beauty of the Philippines.
Definitive information on costs and program will be forthcoming about September 15. We are looking forward to welcoming you in February, together with many other dear colleagues.
Mary
The reunion is an informal gathering. Why try and add too much in the way of formal things. Its charm is its informality.
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