i played hookey this morning from conference activities and went out into the sunshine to explore the city. i walked through the central business district, through the vibrant greenmarket square, enjoying the bustle and the eclectic architecture. but it wasn’t just an aimless wander: i was on a mission to find a leather shop: woodhead’s leather for africa, which turned out to be a mecca for leather hides, tools, and every conceivable thing related to leather work. i spent more than an hour browsing through the selections and chatting with the friendly sales manager. having settled on a few exotic purchases (including antelope, springbok, and osterich) i meandered back to the hotel to change before heading in to the convention centre for afternoon sessions.
the big topic of the day was the united nations post-2015 development agenda and the impact of the ifla lyon declaration on the content of the newly released un 2030 agenda. access to information is essential for communities around the globe to attain the sustainable development goals, and ifla has done excellent work to ensure that libraries are recognized as critical partners for development.
i also attended a meeting of the national organisations and international relations special interest group (noir sig), a group i founded a few years back, and have remained involved with. we’re a small but committed group supporting people who have international relations as a major task in their daily work. we had a few interesting presentations of examples of international projects, and a lively discussion on future activities for the sig.
after a quick stop at the oclc reception at the stunning two oceans aquarium, off to the mlas dinner at gold restaurant. drumming, dancing, singing entertainment accompanied a pan-african array of food (oh, and wine, don’t forget the wine!), and great conversation with friends new and old, making for a memorable evening.