«One day to go and 2015 will be over! What a busy year, never flew so many miles before … But definitely, among the many new experiences, good and bad ones, what will mark 2015 as a special year is recent history, very recent: I’m talking of the official (and colorful) launch of episode VII of Star Wars the IYWT Guild on the 10th of December, during the Tool Fair X (henceforth “TFX”) in Budapest.
Sure, since then almost 3 weeks have gone by, but I really had time to fully ponder on the scope of the event only during these recent days off, in a remote valley of the South Tyrol’s Alps, where the total absence of snow leaves me with enough time to relax and reflect. The TFX felt special since even before it started: so many of us “guildsmen” had booked their participation, and expectations were pretty high. Posts in the facebook page of the IYWT reflected the thirst for new developments in the path to a fully operational guild and the electricity was visible among our friends in the hallways of the European Youth Center Budapest, the venue of the TFX. I was not so directly involved in preparing the launch, unfortunately, taken that I was in my double role of Tool Fair webmaster and facilitator of a wonderful team of young photographers from the Creative Facilitation Training linked to the TFX. But it was impossible not to notice the excitement among the IYWT people and the long IYWT preparation meetings taking place in Buzz’s room on the third floor (until rather late at night). And all these fruits and vegetables, and “guild” notes to spend … it all felt as a strange mix of marketing and secret flash-mob planning!
Everybody at the TFX knew something was going to happen and it surely lead to even greater expectations and curiosity. The choice to launch our Guild at the “marketplace” of the Tool Fair has been a definitely winning one: lots of friends and colleagues from all over Europe and beyond; a perfect metaphorical setting; the real look and feel of a true market fruit&vegetables stall; the enthusiasm of the team that planned it all… People finally started to formally enroll in the Guild and as a present from “above” we even got (few hours later) our “360°” project in Ireland approved for better welcoming all the new members.
It finally seemed that the puzzle pieces of our long walk were all fitting together to build the right picture! Well, almost all pieces… Running here and there I missed the final sparkling toast, but I must say that I already love the feeling of belonging to a group filled with solidarity: a glass of brut was kept aside also for me! Now it’s only up to us to fulfill all the amazing expectations arousing from such a special day, but from the looks of the TFX marketplace launch, I think optimism is definitely the right attitude! Have an happy new year, dear trainers, and may 2016 be the first of many great years for our Guild! (Oops, I was almost wishing “may the Force be with us!”)»
Jan Lai
