Thursday, April 09, 2015

BackInTheDay Interview with an Albanian Newspaper


A few years ago I was presented with this statuette by the Albanian Ambassador to the UK.
It was in recognition of the work undertaken with Albanians young people who came as refugees to the UK during the horrific conflict in their region. As the leader of the YMCA who welcomed them, accommodated them, valued them, nurtured them, enjoyed them - I received this honour on behalf of the YMCA community. It rests permanently on my desk.
I was then interviewed by a reporter from the Albanian Newspaper based in London - as follows.

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Interview questions for Mr.Pip Wilson

1   Mr.Wilson : Can you explain to our readers the idea behind BLOBS ? 

The idea behind the Blob Tree Materials is – anyone from any culture or background can read the Blobs. 
The are genderless, of all races or any race, male or female, black or white ……… so that are inclusive. 
They encourage the person, who participates, to read and share – disclose themselves to others. 
When we do that we learn from others and even learn from what we say.    
Quote: Paul Tournier from the Meaning of Persons:
"We become fully conscious only of what we are able to express to someone else. We may already have had a certain inner intuition about it, but it must remain vague so long as it is unformulated” 
…….. so we can learn at all times. 
We don’t know what we don’t know so we need to thirst for awareness and the Blobs help this. 
They are just tools – good ones. 

2      Mr.Wilson : What would an individual learn from the ideas put on your books ?  
I have published several books during the past 20 years. Some are about my journey - my reflections and learning. Most are books of Games and activities which can help growth and development. I am commited to growth – my own and others.

3      Mr.Wilson : Where do you see the humanity’s greed, corruption, violence is going to end ?  
Hmmmm ……. A big question and I hesitate to comment because it is an issue that the greatest have wrestled with since life began.            
I believe that you, the reader, you the person scanning these words ……. 
You are a beautiful human person    
“you yani personn ebukoo” (that is my only Alanian!)  
I have asked my Albanian speaking friends to teach me to say that and I believe that is he most vital message. 
I don’t know how to say ‘hello’ in Albanian.   
What I say is more vital………. I believe that if a single human believes that he or she is valuable and unique and precious – that human will think of the other human near to them – or the other side of the world – as a beautiful human person. 
THEN -  then we will want to see the other human person growing and having the basic human needs met – and more ……… we will want to see all of humanity stepping along a road less travelled. 
A road of being beautiful for others. 
Not about self and greed and violence but wanting to love all humankind.

4      Mr.Wilson : What’s the most beautiful, heartfelt word that impresses you the most ? ……… 
I love the words ………………….. “beautiful Impefection”         
it says we are all beautiful – and that is beautiful – each in a different way. 
We are also imperfect in differing ways. 
When we accept that we are impefect – we than accept that others are imperfect – but differently. 
We need to believe and practice that we are all ‘beautiful Imperfection’.

5      Mr.Wilson : You have always told us, that keeping a good care of the body inner and outter , makes life more enjoyable and liveable? Can you elaborate a bit more on that ? ……. 
The YMCA which I have worked with for over twenty years of my life, has a triangle logo. 
This means equal sides of Body, Mind and Spirit. 
We are made up of parts and we need to exercise tham all and in that way we can journey towards wholeness.     
Being whole is not just about ‘myself’ it seems to me. 
Someone asked me to comment recently. The question was “Where do I get my wisdom?”  I said withot hesitation – by being with those humans who are at the bottom of society. 
Learning from them. Listening to them. Feeling their pain. Their poverty…….. it stretches me to not only be a ‘human being’ but also a ‘human becoming’.      
We need to be constantly ‘becoming’ the person who we want to spend the rest of our life with.

6   Mr.Wilson : What is in your view, religious tolerance and how much reconciliation between faiths should there be or is ?  
We are all the product of our journey. 
It seems to me we need to meet and listen to one naother rather than throw objects or/and words at each other. 
I have always become friends with those of another faiths because I first value the person. 
I want to understand and get to know that person. 
Once we know each other we can talk about lots of things and disagree too. 
Usually there is so much more to agree about.  “         

One day.....
youngsters will learn words they will not understand.
Children from India will ask:
What is hunger?
Children from Alabama will ask:
What is racial segregation?
Children from Hiroshima will ask:
What is the atomic bomb?
Children in schools will ask:
What is war?
You will answer them.
You will tell them
Those words are not used anymore,
Like crucifixions, galleys or slavery
Words no longer meaningful.
That is why they have been removed from dictionaries. “

Martin Luther King,

7      Mr.Wislon : Who is your best person/human (as you would like to call it) of the last century ?          
I could chose many humans who I admire and respect deeply. 
One who still lives and works at the wholeness of – self – society – world - is Bono from the band U2. 
He is a person I have met  and is great human close up and at a distant. 
He pours all he has into the issues of the world and I believe, in time, he will stand along the greats such as Martin Luther King and Ghandi.

8    Mr.Wilson : What is the role of religion in our lives ?
Quote
"May you recognise in your life the presence, power and light of your soul.
May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.
May you have respect for your own individuality and difference.
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good and eternal happening.
May you learn to see your self with the same delight, pride and expectation with which God sees you in every moment."
John O´Donohue, writer, philosopher in his book Anam Cara

There is only one God – or he/she would not be God. 
I have been through many experiences in life. 
One was when I chose to be a follower of God and yearning to be the best that I can be. 
That decision gave me purpose and direction. 
That does not make me better than anyone else. 
It is a position of freedom – liberation ……….. I want to be free.

9   Mr.Wilson : What’s your present activities?
I am employed by one large YMCA which accommodates hundreds of young people at crucial times of their lives. It is the largest YMCA in Europe and I am employed as a Training and Delopement Consultant. The rest of my time – I travel around conducting Traing experiences for Staff who work with humans. 
I work regularly in the Belfast area and have worked a lot in Bulgaria, Armenia and several European countries. 
I also do group work with those human who struggle with alcohol and drugs and more.I also write on my website    www.pipwilson.com           
and I am also a Trustee and actively involved in the Greenbelt Arts Festival which you must come to ::  www.greenbelt.org.uk

10   Mr.Wilson : Anything to say to our readers ?
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

Thank you very much
Your answers are very much welcomed and appreciated .
ALBANIAN newspaper staff




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