Most people have no idea how hard it is the work of creating events in Second Life. Most of the RL individuals we work with arrive and see things done. They arrive, sit, speak and leave. All that simple. For us? It’s a bit more complicated. I remember the hours Hugo and I spend building, creating, networking, producing machinimas. I remember all the stress before live events, when firewalls are blocked, sound is missing or that very tinny detail no one will care about is making us mad.
The launching of Meglena Kuneva in Second Life was no different. I was so nervous before sitting at that table as I was in the day my computer decided to crash 3 hours before one of Mr. Casaca’s conferences, last year.
Today? I’m smiling. I’m glad that is simple for them – that is our goal, in Babel. To make technology simple enough, so that individuals like Mrs. Kuneva or Mr. Casaca can come and use it to dialogue, to interact, to actually understand this new generation of users.
Yesterday, I achieved my goal, because I saw a politician using the web as I believe the web should be used – by the politician in person. In the end of the conference, I had the chance to speak to a member of a Portuguese university, who told me “We used to have an Island in Second Life, but the SL fashion passed in Portugal, so we decided to leave”. I think he was convinced to try again and I think I just found another project for Babel team. “No man is an island, they say”. That reality is so true in Second Life. Having an Island means nothing. But live conferences do.
The second best thing about these events is…friends. Because in Babel we work, not for money or public recognition, but with the strong conviction that the world needs real and active citizenship, we can actually say that the friends who support us are real friends and active citizens. Some excellent examples of this are Ana Paula Gomes and Marco Silva (Portuguese journalists) Sergio Botha (SL and RL Architect who sponsored all our buildings), Tiago Reis (portuguese student), Marc Montague, AWM Mars (SL dev) and and many many more.
But most of all, I end this day happy for being a little bit more confident in European Politicians. During the event, Mrs. Kuneva said: “I am committed to pay, with my hard work, every cent that European citizens invest in the European Union”.
Many people tell us that we should be smarter, sell Babel Project’s image in a better way. We had many opportunities to work with many RL personalities, interested in this new thing called Second Life, mostly to promote their public image. I’m glad we are not smart. I am proud that we deny working with the first person who shows interest. I try to avoid my ego or self promotion but….today? I’m happy and I am proud. I started Babel project with the conviction that if I worked hard to make thing easy enough, interesting people would come and use SL to improve the knowledge of future generations. Yesterday, I sat at the same table then Meglena Kuneva and Mr. Casaca. It was a fine table and I know they are people whose work should be as promoted as possible. I am a citizen. Europe and the world are mine too. And I am committed to pay, with my hard work, all the freedom and democracy I have. Babel Project might never become a big project. But it will always continue to be a project made of strong beliefs and faith in something better. Because the world CAN be better. And we all have responsibilities in that area.
Ana Isabel Alves/ Irah Anatine
Official info at: www.babelproject.eu
