I went for an interview with the Eisenhower Fellowship today. The Fellowship is an international group of people who have experienced a visit to the United States to perform research and make contacts. I was nominated to the process and there was a statement of purpose and an interview that needed to be completed.
Eisenhower Fellowships is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization created in 1953 by a group of prominent American citizens to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his contribution to humanity as a soldier, statesman, and world leader. The organization engages mid-career (age 32-45) professionals from around the world to enhance their leadership skills, broaden their network of contacts, deepen their global perspectives, and unite them in a diverse, global community where dialogue, understanding, and collaboration lead to a more prosperous, just, and peaceful world.
My pitch wasn’t the best; I’m not 100% sure what I would do if I was accepted onto the programme and I’m not sure who I’d meet. I gave a heartfelt presentation (notably without the use of visual aids) on my latest Social Capital project (dubbed Capitalising on Social Capital).
This directly has influence on my Revisiting VI work as the social clauses I plan go both ways. If we are to expect social responsibility from small businesses then we have to respect the value of their social capital. With big businesses it’s different. They get wads of cash from government and then they get wrapped up in whataboutery regarding the numbers and quality of graduates supplied by the education system.
My point is; this project doesn’t depend on my acceptance into the Fellowship programme. It will go ahead whether or not I get accepted. Before last month, I’d never heard of the Fellowship and therefore my plans are not contingent upon it. I do wonder why I had not heard if it? Similarly I had not heard of the Apeldoorn Fellowship before my participation in it last year. there are obviously many such networks around the globe – it behooves us to find them and to exploit them for the betterment of all.
While I spend time trying to encourage others to greatness, it is not because I do not believe I am capable of great things but rather there’s a role for everyone and I want to see aspirations realised. As I said in my interview today, my delight is in seeing others excel.
“Create all the happiness you are able to create; remove all the misery you are able to remove.” — Jeremy Bentham
My passion is unbridled optimism. We have been dealt some bad hands but there is opportunity everywhere. As I said during my closing statements today, “One Flappy Bird and the Northern Ireland media industry would be transformed”.