The Philosopher's Attic

Symbols have a huge meaning in our world. Most of our communication works on the basis of images and symbols. On the first look it has become so obvious to us that we might not even be aware of it, but symbols contribute a lot on how we shape our world view and on how we construct our reality. Symbolic acts can bring a nation together or destroy an opponent. But will a symbol be enough to awaken the worlds mind to one of the worst humanitarian crisis since the beginning of the modern world?

One of the best known symbols of the city of Geneva is the “Jet d’eau” a water fountain in the Lake Geneva that raises up to 140 meters into the air. As far as symbols go this is not anything of historical value. Even if the fountain has been operational since the 1890ies – which is slightly surprising – there is no mythology (think of the fountains of Versailles), no historical grand gesture (think of the train in the forest of Compiègne) to warrant such a symbol, no even an eminent death (think of the Empress Elisabeth of Austria). The “Jet d’Eau” was at its beginning a simple valve that was used to balance the system of the nearby power generator. But it somehow stuck with the city of Geneva and the lake which has a huge importance here.

Tonight however, this symbol will unite with another huge symbol here: the UN. As the ‘capital’ of the humanitarian movement, as the legal siege of the UN and all it’s humanitarian bureaus, the city of Geneva will illuminate its chief symbol – the Jet d’eau – tonight in blood red in order to waken people’s sensibility for the drama that is still being ignored: Darfur.

Like the first of the Makot Mitzrayim or the Ten Plagues of Egypt, the fountain of Geneva will seem as if it had turned into blood. The blood of over 200′000 people dead and over 2 Million cast away in abominable refugee camps in a lawless and ignored region.
The Jet d’eau, an icon made of water takes thus another meaning. That of one of the main reasons behind this one-sided conflict: water. Thus our lake, the Lake of Geneva, takes on the reason, meaning and the unnumbered voiceless cries of the victims of Darfur.

The icon of the water can be seen for miles around. And with the “Fête de Genève” around the corner, where the city attracts a lot of foreign guests, maybe there are people that will be touched this symbol. Maybe it will help us to ask some of the necessary questions that we dared not to ask up till now: Why have we let this crisis unfold unstopped for 3 years already? How can we all sing to the Life Earth tune, but will not raise our voices for those over 2 Million refugees that cannot? How many more corpses and displaced (Official Sudanese Speak for Darfur Refugees) people will it take for the West, the NATO and the UN to take real, military and humanitarian action?

The TRIAL Association here in Geneva has made a strong start with a strong symbol. And we all need to do our bit that this start will not simply stay symbolic.

yseult Issues, Politics/History

Well, well, things have been a bit strange lately and I do apologise for not getting back to my regular posting rhythm as I intended to do, but my fatigue level was through the roof… I suppose two years of running around Switzerland for your healthy relationship, several years of running around Europe for your smashing career and ten months of wedding preparation (… again involving a lot of running around all over Switzerland …) will do that to you.
When all of that slows down in matter of a single day (aka Wedding Day), I think it is wise to listen to your body telling you (rather screaming at you with neuralgia, headaches, laryngitis and other minor health issues) that enough is actually enough.
So I have been taking it really slow these last few weeks. Sleeping a lot, reading a lot and limiting my internet time in favour of my husband and me settling in here in Geneva.

I still do have a lot to say – fear not ! – and writing ideas are sprouting out of my mind just as the sunflowers on my window sill. Granted, they don’t look as good at the moment, but with a bit of tender care and loving they might just be enough to tempt me into something foolish… such as a podcast on medieval prejudices, the History of University or some other far fetched pill out of the “Dangerous Drugs” cabinet…

I hope the ones that will read this (if there really still are such daring persons around the net) will find it in their heart to forgive my too long silence and that they will check back in to see how things are moving on in my part of the world.

yseult Personal

Quelques mots, puisqu’il faut des mots, car il faut des mots, aussi.

Mendiant de toi, j’ai laissé résonner en moi tes mots;

Mendiant de toi, j’ai empli mon coeur de ton regard;

Mendiant de toi, j’ai enfin été comblé.

Il ne m’est de lumière que celle qui émane de toi,

Il ne m’est d’ombre que celle de ta silhouette.

La poussière de nos rêves nous a transformé,

L’un à l’autre la confiance nous a donné,

C’est le début de toute chose.

(c) JL, 2005.

yseult Personal, Poetry Poetry