An Environment Minister blogs our Rome action
[If you missed this story, info and slideshow are here.]
Well here's something you don't see every day. Apparently, the Icelandic Minister for the Environment, Mr. Oessur Skarphedinsson, is an ardent blogger, which is cool enough right there. Skarphedinsson was at the opening ceremony of the World Energy Congress in Rome when Greenpeace activists unexpectedly 'dropped in', and he's blogged about it!
Here's a (very rough) translation of the ministers update:
Greenpeace stal senunni! [Greenpeace stole the scene!]Prodi, the Italian PM, lost the spotlight totally yesterday while he addressed four thousand people at the World Energy Council in the eternal city of Rome. The Council is held in the gigantic hall, reminiscent of many interconnected, hangars for airplanes
In the midst of Prodi’s speech, two men, dressed as mountain climbers, with helmets, appeared from the rooftop. Both had heavy rug sacks as if they were climbing down the glacier after having camped on the roof for several days in order to avoid police and security guards.
While this went on I sat in the front row together with a few Italian Ministers and other Ministers of other nations, and listened to Prodi as I detected the shadows of the two fellows above my head.
They stole the scene completely. A small orange banner appeared hanging from one of the climbers. It said: “Energy revolution now - Greenpeace”The whole hall, thousands of people focused on the two, who were in no hurry. All but Prodi, who continued reading the text prepared for him, seeing nothing. Police officers started moving about and security guards run to the front of the scene, speaking fast into their sleeves.
The Greenpeace activists were polite. They waited for Prodi to finish his long speech. By then, no one was listening to him, but was watching the two activists, having fun. The Italian Minister by my side was laughing, bent backwards trying to watch the duo straight above us.
...
As someone close to me whispered - class act. Greenpeace stole the scene so completely that the day after there was no news from the ceremony except them and fantastic photos of them hanging above the ministers.
The energy expert of my ministry and my special council about Greenpeace after this remarkable evening coined in one sentence when we walked out laughing:
I bet they won’t sleep at home tonight.
Thanks for the inside look Mr. Skarphedinsson. Always nice to hear when your work is appreciated.
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Comments
Did they sleep at home eventually?
Posted by: Juliette | November 15, 2007 8:45 PM