GB No. 2(21)/96
All plans of talks concerning the future and structures of The Green Federation went awry. One may also say that, this time, nature defeated impetuous activists and participants of the 9th Congress of The Green Federation. But a bicycle excursion around the forests of Białostoczczyzna and Białowieża, nights spent in a Scansen (windmill) museum, oaks and stone circles, wonderful weather, full moon and tasty Dojlida beer restored our belief in the sense of ecological activity.
What is more, a sweet organizational paresis (delayed information and a total lack of the Congress timetable) did not disturb me too much. A "City for Bikes" section (unfortunately limited) agreed to hold a common action on the 6th of October (To School - by Bike - ha, ha, ha...) and to meet on the 19th of October in Poznań (Bicycle Fair). Warszawa, Kraków, Kalisz and Białystok entered on a list of consultations of The Ministry of Transportation. This meeting was proposed by the said Ministry after the action "A Day without a Car" held in front of its seat Self-governing bodies are to take part in the meeting, too. Mr. Krzysztof Wolfram, MP, who was present at the meeting, declared his help and promised his support for The Green Federation of Białystok in their attempts to lay out bicycle paths in Białystok. Besides that, other meetings were held: an anti - highway one; the one concerning ecological farming; women's meeting, workshops devoted to direct actions and a discussion concerning Shell. Evening activities were limited to listening to Jan Waluszko's stories and visits to a nearby beer shop. It was nice and oh! - so lazy.
We neglected the ritual of setting up a Federation. The declarations were received by work groups because there was not any general assembly of the Congress. Former activists of GF, like Grzes Peszko, Marek Zaborowski, and Mirek Pukacz (the message did not reach him) were absent... We lacked a guitar and... showers. Well, it seems the Federation must be and is such. Or maybe it is not - as we have not set it up?
Next summer I will take a bike and go to Białowieża. I know that several people present at the Congress were so fascinated with the Forest that I am sure I will not be there alone.
But back to the oaks and a secret place of power. Can we agree that from next year on the Federation will hold their meetings in Białowieża instead of wandering around Poland? Of course, not at the last week-end of the holidays (to avoid hords of people coming back home with school kids), but earlier, in order to be able to prolong the meeting if there are topics to discuss or the weather is fine. Or to see a water shrew which is the only predatory mammal in Poland. A bit smaller than a field mouse, it chose the Białowieża Forest as its habitat (I learnt this only at the Congress). It fascinated me, a city cyclist, very much. Its name and surname are very nice, aren' t they?
Cinek
reprinted from Zielone Brygady, Sept. '96