About 700 people came to the 2009 IFAJ Congress, despite the global recession that has impacted so many of our businesses, readers and viewers.
When my American colleagues first dreamed up the idea of bringing the IFAJ Congress to Texas five years ago, the idea was to show our foreign friends a slice of Americana we call the Wild West – in other words, give people a chance to let their inner cowboy work out. About 120 journalists from other nations flew in to take part in the meetings.
One thing I liked about this Congress is the number of professional development seminars that took place. We had a lot of IFAJers tell us they got a lot out of those sessions, especially the ones on digital photography.
Here are some comments I made at the close of the Congress:
Planning a congress is never easy. It takes a vision, a commitment, and then years of planning and thinking. Then it takes execution right down to the tiniest details to ensure a successful experience for people who have come a long way to attend your party. Certainly no Congress is ever perfect. Like a wedding, you do so much before hand, and then suddenly, the date is upon you, it’s here, and then it’s over. And, you hope it was as good for your guests as you had dreamed it would be.
When I think of IFAJ I think of that old Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, the places you will go.” IFAJ has taken us to so many places – of course, to countries across Europe, where most IFAJ members can be found… but also to the Far East, to Japan, for the first time, in 2007, and to places like Australia and South Africa and possibly in the near future, even South America.
The IFAJ has taken us to so many places, and now Texas is in that book of memories as well. Each Congress brings new memories, new friends, and new professional development experiences. And a new set of experiences awaits us all next April in Belgium.
A Congress is excitement and adventure, but it boils down to one thing: learning. A new way to do business, a new way to overcome challenges, a new type of agriculture you were unfamiliar with… This is the dynamic that keeps pushing IFAJ forward.
The focus of IFAJ today is our members and how relevant IFAJ is to their needs. This is a steady challenge, but it is one we are meeting. We have about 30 countries in IFAJ, and new ones applying for membership each year. While growth is good when it’s done for the right reasons, I believe there is much more we can do for our profession worldwide. For as many stars as we can see in the IFAJ universe now, there are at least that many stars we have yet to discover.
The IFAJ faces many barriers – distance, culture, and especially language. But this week we all spoke the universal language of friendship, of cooperation, and the shared sense of service to agriculture and to our profession.
To our younger members with fire in your belly, I say, come join the IFAJ mission; we can use your bright new ideas. To you professionals who are working and striving in mid career to do the best you can for your work and families, I say, come along, the IFAJ can use your experience to help define its future vision. And to you folks who have served so many years as our mentors, I just want to say, thank you for sharing your wisdom and helping to shape our careers… and more important, to teach us that it is better to work to live, than to live to work.
The last few weeks have been a flurry of activity as we prepare for the 2009 Congress to be held in Ft. Worth, Texas. Even with the global recession over 120 IFAJ guests are expected to be in Ft. Worth for our annual meeting July 30-Aug. 5.