Friday, 4 April
The last couple of days have been nice and sunny; I hope it stays like that for the weekend too - especially because some friends have planned a picnic this Sunday on the Pont de Solférino. Springtime in Paris is indeed a magical time. There are so many flowers and people begin to sit outside on the terraces of cafés.
This week I was busy organising a social gathering for young staff at OECD. In January a few colleagues and I decided it would be a nice idea to create an informal network to organise social events for younger staff. OECD is a big organisation, with around 3000 staff based at the Paris headquarters. The staff are spread over several locations and there are also 31 national delegations to the OECD (like little embassies which represent the member states). However, until now, there was no organisation-wide network allowing younger staff to meet informally. On the first Thursday of each month we have a gathering at The Freedom Bar, 8, rue Berri, Paris 75008, to which all are welcome. Additionally, and also once a month, we organise a lecture or debate on a subject loosely related to the work of the OECD. The network has been quite successful - from 5 founding members, there are now 230 people on our members list.
Last weekend I made a last-minute trip to England. I spent some time in London and at my family home near to Oxford. Here are a few photos...
Here's a squirrel I saw in my grandfather's garden:
On Saturday night I went to a concert at St. Ethelburga's church in the City of London (the financial district. The church became a centre for peace and reconciliation since it was destroyed by the IRA in the Bishopsgate bombing in 1993. The church also hosts concerts and other cultural events, though it is no longer used as a church.
Here's a nice view of my train to Paris at St. Pancras station. The high arch of the station roof is very impressive - especially when one considers that it was originally constructed in the 1860's:
posted by James at Friday, April 04, 2008
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