The beautiful story of a Hub
One month already passed since the Annual Curators Meeting 2015.
It has been an incredible event, full of beautiful experiences for the mind and the heart. However, many dear friends already wrote excellent words about it.
I want instead to tell a story - one of the many - around the ACM: the story of the Geneva hub. The ACM has been the greatest achievement, so far, of this awesome group, of which I am a proud "external" member / visiting shaper (since I’m formally part of the Turin Hub).
Geneva Shapers created a Media Team for the ACM, releasing every day a magazine to the curators, performing interviews, organizing out-of-agenda events and social activities around the city, and in general welcoming the curators like no hub ever did before.
But only a year ago, this would have never been possible, or even only imaginable.
Last year Geneva was still a sleeping hub, with few projects and few committed Shapers that were participating only as individuals, not as a team. It was very sad to see that what could have been the most connected hub of all, thanks to its proximity to the WEF, was only a fade copy of itself.
Like in the best stories of all times, this is the moment in which a core team of highly motivated and awesome Shapers decided that It was time to change the situation, and make Geneva an example for all the other hubs.
They started working on people first, then projects. At first, they established a united and strong team with the most committed Shapers, then worked on more projects ambitious, setting every time the bar higher and continuously engaging the hub members.From there, they started looking for new people that could fit in the newborn hub in terms of spirit, enthusiasm and passion. They were able to integrate them in a totally new environment, where people are alive and driven to improve the local community. The momentum kept growing.
From events like #ShapeTheWorld to the position in the final round of the Coca-Cola Challenge for Reading For Change, passing through closer interactions with the Global Shapers Team and the whole Community, Geneva hub became more engaged, active and aware of its potential.
At that point, they decided to take the ultimate challenge of the year, and make the ACM a flagship project of the hub. The result was simply beautiful.
What really excites me is to know that this is only the beginning. Quoting the curator, Luigi Matrone, "we have awakened a sleeping beauty and many other fairy tales are still to come". And I know what they are capable of!
Finally, few words to say that I am very grateful to have been accepted by this awesome group in their ranks. I’m so happy to be one of you: thank you Geneva Shapers! WHOA!!!
