The German Chancellor Angela Merkel stirs her coffee as British Prime Minister David Cameron passes around a plate of cupcakes. Barack Obama looks up from his notes, smiles and says, “We’ve all agreed on the plan then?”
At least that’s how I imagine the scene might look when the world’s leaders get together. When the elite in global power sit down and attempt to solve our problems, it must be quite an occasion. But how often do these big conferences conform to the idiom of “all talk and no action.” The truth is that most of us will probably never know how such meetings operate where paradoxically, discussion on the issues which most affect the everyday people are discussed without the participation of any of the everyday people.
It’s fair to say that I’ve been a little disillusioned by politics lately. That said, in a recent trip to North America, evening after evening, I sat glued to the TV watching first the Republican and then the Democrat party conferences, even watching the commentary and reactions once the big speeches were over. As a British woman disheartened by my own country’s current political climate, the razzmatazz and pure theatrics of the US election is both thrilling and curiously nauseating to me. But I certainly won’t be alone in keeping a close eye on the USA this week. Indeed a global audience will be watching as the Presidential election unfolds. For to a greater or lesser extent, and for better or worse, the politics of the USA affects the rest of the world.
With so much attention being paid to world leaders and national figure-heads it can be all too easy – not just for politicians – for all of us to forget about those everyday people I mentioned earlier. Yet often the work of the everyday people has so much to teach us. Often it is the everyday people who are effecting change; working on the ground to make positive contributions to our communities, our countries and our world. Their work goes by without the razzmatazz and without commentary, free from the public eye. I’m talking about community organisers, volunteers, small not-for-profit organisations and numerous faith groups who don’t simply talk about the need for change but get out there and make change happen.
Today I received an email from a dear friend of mine who is currently working in Jerusalem. Her work brings together small groups of women – Jewish, Muslims, and Christians alike – to the same table to share deep and difficult dialogue. To me, the work of my friend sounds enormously challenging but I am humbled to know how she is (albeit in a seemingly small way) creating foundations for peace in an area of the world which is so full of pain. At times like these I’m reminded of the reflections of a British Quaker called Rufus Jones who spoke of the significance of “quiet processes and small circles, in which vital and transforming events take place.”
Jones knew that it is not always the decisions of those in positions of power which achieve the greatest impacts; grassroots action can be the driving force behind social change.
I’ve been extremely busy recently having just started a Masters in the study of Religions, getting to grips with two new jobs and balancing numerous voluntary and social commitments. But when the opportunity arose to become a contributing scholar for State of Formation I had to take it. In joining State of Formation I see an opportunity to join a small, expanding group of young people who believe that they can make a real difference in the world: a group of people who see the need and the potential for change in our communities and who don’t wait around for policy makers to try and make change happen.
For me, the scholars who contribute to State of Formation are a reminder that the result of this week’s Presidential election matter, but so too do the actions of us all.
Image source: Geir Arne Brevik (Flickr Creative Commons).