2 days to go

Already now several persons have called and congratulated on the achievement.It is not everyday that one organizes an event that gathers over 650 persons with several ministers, ambassadors etc.

Those that have ever organized a bigger seminar or conference know what it means. In the case of Solutions local, together - the effort done can be multiplied by five as this not only includes the conference with simultaneous interpretation into 3 languages, but also:

• Staging of the different conference rooms and organizing an auction about the decorations
• Market of solutions that goes in lines with the conference
• Short movie event with 16 different films
• School event for nearly 1000 pupils
• Launch of local food (80%) in 8 restaurants

The last weeks have been extremely hectic, but still full of excitement. It has been honor to work with a core group of dedicated persons that are ready to do their utmost for the success of the event. The hectic moments have brought up the best out of several persons. Things are nearly ready from our part. Hopefully participants will enjoy it and have a safe journey to Turku!

Be inspired!

Lucas had been trying to find his new profession desperately already for months. He had tried out creating furnitures, repairing stuff and even teaching, but nothing really made a difference. Everyone else seemed passioned about their work and lifestyle, but not him.
One day Lucas walked past a dancing school and felt that his heart beated with excitement. Maybe this was what he needed in the end. He stepped in and had his first dance lesson. It was time to turn a new page and be inspired!

If you are heading towards Solutions and Turku in 9 days, like hundreds are doing, don't forget you dancing shoes...

Nearly 500 registered!

 The conference is filling up and first sessions and visits are full. The conference programme is ready to be printed and the last details are finding their places. Soon the participants are going to experience Solutions local, together Conference which offers you:

• passionate speakers with solutions to share
• interior design that has a story and a new dimension of sustainability
• local solutions visits that enable a true discussion and insights 
• local food that has been carefully thought through
• active discussion with experts from over 15 countries, nearly 110 cities

We hope that you are going to be one of the lucky ones to attend the conference and part of the atmosphere that can only be experienced in this unique sustainable conference! We are doing the utmost to make it a memorable event worth all the efforts done to reach Turku, Finland - the European culture capital 2011!

Over 400 registered!

It seems that over the last years, we have all been trying to get people to come to different events right up to the last moment. Giving last minute calls, chasing after potential persons, offering different bargains etc. Does this sound familiar?

We have got used to the situation where the last one registered has been able to attend to the entire event, maybe with a bit more expensive fee, but all the other options have been available. And now, when this is not the case in Solutions local, together - Conference, where places are truly limited and there are less and less options available - people are suprised! But isn´t this a great thing for everyone, even  for the last minute persons?  It means that the programme is attractive, plans made are in place and plenty of interested persons will attend. It seems that we have been able to reach the target of offering an event with a bit of a difference, and can now happily concentrate on the finishing touches. We hope that from now on, this will be the case for all sustainable events!

If you have not yet planned your journey - it is time to do so. The excitement is nearly touchable, as the last minute participants are registering. Are you still able to fit in?

Your day of reckoning?

The end of the year is normally time when we make conclusions of the past and prepare for the coming year. But when, actually, is the real moment of reckoning? One can say that yes, we do make conclusions and nice reports of the past year. Some of these are even read by others, but do we really change the way we behave or work? Do we learn from the mistakes done or is something else needed to trigger the process?

For many the real day of reckoning is not the last day of the year. It is the day when someone has time to go through the achievements and questions the gaps and mistakes. An extra effort is needed for that, it does not come automatically. The reasons behind the analyze can vary a lot. The main thing is that the real day of reckoning is possible only if we allow the change to happen for better or worse.

The real day of reckoning takes only place when the circumstances are right and the decisions-makers are brave enough to make decisions in favor of sustainability of all sides. In this, we are all decision-makers - so let us not forget that during year 2011!

Thank you for reading the blog this year - only a month to go to the Solutions local, together Conference!

Nearly 350 registered!

What is it that makes people do things in the last moment? Whether it concerns shopping, sending X-mas greeting or doing the last urgent bits of work before a break, it is always the same story. Planning ahead is sometimes not possible, but in most cases, one could avoid the last rush of stress. Or is it in fact the truth that we all want to be loaded with stress before we get anything done?

We want to feel important and needed. Partly for this we also want to complain how busy we are. The hard thing is to actually stop and enjoy the current moment without guiltiness and negative stress. The good, sustainable thing about X-mas is that it comes, whether we have cleaned the house of not. So no last moment stress is needed. Congratulations for those who have understood it!

It is not yet the last moment to register and we are reaching already 350 registered participants. This means that several sessions and restaurants at the conference are getting full and soon we are in the situation, where the last ones to register are too late. This is new for many, as normally conferences are hunting for persons to attend, this time this is not the case. Thank you for a nice X-mas present and see you at the conference!

Shopaholism?!

Some claim that the more we buy presents, the more we feel guilty of the time unspent with the ones we care. This was suddenly true with Lucas. He felt that during the past year he had been selfish and focused on himself, rather then on his family and friends. And this was influencing his behavior in shop now. He was looking around and thought that one present was not enough for his daughter and son, his children deserve more. Therefore he returned back to get one more, as all the others were buying so many presents too.

Lucas returned back home with bags full of shiny presents and extra plastic bags from all the lovely shops. His wife commented his bags with saying - "I hope you left something for the others too". Lucas stopped and felt ashamed - he had been lured to buy things, shopaholism had attacked him. In the midst of changing his thinking and behavior, he faced a setback. Lucas thought that the sustainable thinking would have been rooted in himself already, but this was not true.

If we are not careful, anyone of us, can be lured to buying unnecessary gifts in unrecyclable packages. Being sustainable requires more thinking and listening to the real needs. It is easy to be lured. In the end, our sustainability is measured at the counter...