Vale Festival 2009: World Hunger (but well it rained)*

2009-06-09 9:18 p.m.

So if Vales Festival 2007 was tough in convincing people about Climate Change, and if people were more concerned about sunbathing rather that Water Aid in Vale Festival 2008, then it was even more challenging for Vale Festival 2009, my last Vale Festival as a undergraduate student at the University of Birmingham.

What I mean is that compared to the other two years combined, the turn out was really small this time. While in 2008 you couldn’t walk on the grass without stepping on people, this year the field was practically empty, even three hours into the festival. Not that the weather helped. It drizzled, then it rained, then it poured. Not a winter rain but enough to force people to scatter. Technically it is still on and Slumdog Millionaire is going to air in the evening—as I type—but well England will be England.

So it rained on “my parade”. My last time to meet up with so many that I wanted to meet up with. So many materialised to Rhys, Paul, Laura Gooden and Anna. That’s good enough but darn it didn’t get a picture with them. The usual banter with them, the usual laughter but that may be the last time I’ll ever get to have such chit chat. For some reason, it was much different with Sissi and the UNA people. Snapped pretty good pictures with President 08/09, who is really a joy to meet up with. (Oh no, she may be reading this). Because of the weather, the UNA stall was also a place of refuge, with so many different nationalities huddled together to escape the pitter-patter of the rain outside.

Another difference was that the stall was located at the bottom part of the Vale as opposed to the top in the previous two years. Instead of roving parties, the exco decided that a mass amount of pamphlets and leaflets would be sufficient to spread the word of world hunger across. I wouldn’t argue but times certainly have moved on alright. Also, the music was well disappointing this year. Not that I expect great rock and pop bands but well you don’t really match them theme with ear blasting music. Part of me was imagining Toto playing. Yes, Toto whose musicians are individually going to be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame this October. “Bottom of Your Soul,” “Only the Children,” “A Thousand Years”, “I Will Remember”, “Mushanga” and of course “Africa” would be lovely songs to be played at such an event.

I’m digressing. You can’t get what you want all the time. Hmm, that sentence fits for not just me, but those millions of people without proper nutrition daily. Less than six years to the MDGs we should only try to do our small bit to help end their plight.

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