A Journey Of 240 km

Posted on December 23, 2014

I’m looking ahead a few short weeks to when I will complete the end of this running stunt in New York which I began in Port Moresby on Papua New Guinea Independence Day in September this year.

The running stunt has consisted of running 10 sub-marathons each of 24 km, in 10 cities across 10 countries. The stunt is to open a conversation asking a question asking: “how might we use our networks to improve the delivery of child survival?”

It wasn’t until I reached Osaka which was the fourth city where I ran, that I had an insight to this series of Design Forums that would unfold to address that question. Up until that time, I had envisaged one Design Forum to cap off the running stunt where the whole conversation would come together.

One conversation would not be enough. There are many voices and many ideas. Ideas that need to be played out, tested, refined and developed. That involves time. Additionally, there are different culture, different languages, different time zones. Across the space of two weeks, our lives can change. What are we likely to observe across a period of eight months?

In Osaka, I had an insight that the Design Forums were going to be a journey in themselves. It wouldn’t have worked out to convene these Design Forum while I have been running. I know things now I didn’t know at the beginning of the journey. It has been a necessary journey.

Was it the best way to make a difference? Hard to say. Will we make a difference? Well, we won’t know until we make the journey. Will it be worth it? Define ‘worth it’.

When I run those final metres in this journey in New York, I will have covered 240 km across a marathon effort which has joined 10 cities that offer a lot to this conversation, and all which have no other connecting link to this conversation about child survival. It is the running journey that will make the Design Forum possible.

Of course, there are plenty of other lessons learnt along the way too. I have done the hard work to date, but come next year when we commence the Design Forum, the conversation will open to one of participation and collaboration more than has been the case now.

To get there, I need some help. Already, many people have been extremely generous. I am seeking to win the support of 240 people who have yet to support the 10 City Bridge Run who might all be in a position to make a small contribution of $10. The remainder of this journey is especially important to me because for me it is a tribute to my brother. That doesn’t diminish the cause of creating a space where we can all work together to ask how we might improve the delivery of child survival.

Would you please help? Would you please share this link to someone who might be able to contribute $10. You might want to make a contribution yourself, and even if it only a small sum that is enough to buy a cup of coffee, I would appreciate it. It will help us to reach our destination. https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/epic-quest-to-honour-my-brother-s-legacy/x/1194797