Today UNICEF Belize launched an intense two-day planning and learning meeting in Belize’s Biltmore Plaza. Together with more than 30 participants representing key ministries, the civil society, the police, teachers, UN agencies and other partners we are working to define the target areas, ways forward and key messages for a Communication for Development Strategy on Ending Violence Against Children in Belize.

This project is my baby and one of the main things I was brought here for, and I’m very excited to see it coming to life. I’m not going to say I wasn’t super nervous this morning before starting to talk in front of all these people, but I am very happy to say that the participants were engaged and active, that the facilitator Paula was great, and that it was actually a lot of fun – after a while I was even less terrified about being targeted for all those unexpected media interviews.

I dont remember what I said on TV and radio other than how exciting all of this is and how the aim is to ensure that it becomes an inclusive planning process and how we need violence against children to be addressed as a main issue across the society. I’m still waiting for the news broadcast to see if I managed to make any sense at all – and if I look nervous, haha.. anyhow, making some noise and taking important steps forward to End Violence Against Children in Belize!

I was listening in on a presentation about exciting UNICEF C4D initiatives earlier, such as the “Take Poo to the Loo” campaign in India – you need to see that Youtube video! The Word-made calendar behind me is inspired by the huge calendar Camila set up in our office in Nicaragua where we planned each month in detail – it’s really nice to have an overview of all the awesomeness that is coming up, and I’m reminded about meetings and deadlines I maybe subconsciously am trying to ignore.

I feel like I can breathe in my office now that I took the time to go through and sort all of the papers, folders and publications in had in my bookshelf. The communication officer office is usually where at least one copy of all printed material is dumped and stored.. and it was a complete mess that I couldn’t get my head around. Now I know what I have, it’s beautifully organised by theme and programme area, and it’s all marked with cute little tags! Oh, happy day! Efficiency!

Maybe I should create a category here in the blog for all the times I am being German.