Windy Warsaw

Wild winds over breakfast that threatened to tip over our drinks and blow away our egg-topped rice cakes, yet which didn't deter sparrows who flittered around trying to partake in the food.

Had some interesting discussions with potential partners and funders through the day, which culminated in a sumptuous Polish buffet at the Palace of Culture and Science and a elevator ride to the thirtieth floor for the panoramic views. Warsaw suffered such extensive damage during World War II that the city is fairly communist tenement in its architecture, however the parts of the Old Town that were saved or have been restored are real gems.

One of the best bits of the day was learning about a community project in Riga, Latvia, developed by the Foundation for an Open Society, which engaged residents of a huge, socially divided tenement block in storytelling as a way to break down barriers. People with interesting histories - drug addiction, conversion to Islam, love affairs - invited strangers to hear their stories and it led to a greater sense of unity between people who had lived closely but never before interacted. The video was emotional, sounded life-changing for some individuals, and I hope the project gets replicated in other buildings and cities.