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What Ive learned in just one month
By Christine Knudsen, Sphere Project Director
My first 30 days with Sphere have been filled with energy, excitement, and an ever greater appreciation of the impressive work that Sphere does – be it with the team in the Geneva office, the diverse Board members, the regional and country focal points, or the many Sphere advocates working on quality and accountability around the world. It is an honour to join such a far-reaching network and look ahead with vision to what Sphere will become next.
Sphere is a special project, and a special community and I have seen the real wealth of this in person during just a few weeks. Even though I have been following Sphere for my entire career from the field or headquarters, as an NGO staff or with the UN, I have now been able to see the work that takes place behind the scenes to make so much happen.
The Sphere Board meeting in India showed dedication and commitment to tackling new challenges and the gathering of focal points from across the region was deeply impressive. It’s remarkable to see the influence that each one has in raising the quality of humanitarian assistance in their own countries, bringing national and local authorities in line with the Sphere standards as they adapt them to their context, and building capacities at all levels.
Closer to home, I took part in a workshop to test one of our 30 new training modules at the UN headquarters in Geneva, where new and experienced practitioners alike are still finding relevance and effectiveness in the shows that we know how to keep a sense of humour and innovation while also showing how principled action remains the backbone of Sphere today.
The Sphere 2020 strategy offers an ambitious way forward, and it will be exciting to continue building on the 17 years of the Sphere Project as we tackle new challenges and move into a new phase of work. The global reach has never been wider and the commitment never stronger. The future of Sphere is bright and I look forward to keeping this energy going and growing in 2015!