In his latest blog posting, Arjen Wals shares some of his recent experiences at the hands of UNECO editors, and looks back both at Rio+20, and Rio -20 in Stockholm. He notes ...
I was invited to Rio to present the review of the UN DESD which UNESCO commissioned me to write up in the report “2012 DESD Full-length Report”. Basically there are three reports: the one I submitted to UNESCO, the full report as edited and authorized by UNESCO and an abridged, glossy version for policy-makers that contains a selection of texts from the full report made by UNESCO’s ESD section. Some of the rough edges and critical notes of the original report were taken out somewhat to my dismay.
Dismay? I suspect his concerns are understated.
Now, I'd be the first to admit that the readability (and sometimes sense) of anything I write can always be improved (and I have ~3 people whose judgement I invariably accept without another thought). That sort of editing is welcome and necessary. However, that's not what Arjen is talking about here. He has experienced something quite different and which is always unwelcome and testimony to a failure of process.
What a pity that UNESCO doesn't have the confidence to face up to a bit critical comment! How much more seriously we'd all take it, the Decade, and maybe even ESD.
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