MY GLOBAL ENERGY PARLIAMENT (GEP) 2017 EXPERIENCE
by Lady Carla Davis, MPH, GEP Minister for Environment
It was just after midnight when I arrived in Trivandrum, India. In spite of a grumpy
immigration officer, I was pleased that there were no restrictions on the health foods that I brought with me and elated to be back in India, after a great deal of preparation.
Once out of the terminal, I was warmly greeted by Mira Purn (GEP Coordinator), Ricardo Jimenez Gomez (Coordinator of GEP Spain), Dr. Rahul Jindal and a few others. It was a short distance to the Mascot hotel where I had previously stayed in 2010. The warm balmy air, chaotic traffic noise, and floral scents, so uniquely Indian, were reminiscent of my previous trip to India. When I entered the hotel lobby, I had vivid flashbacks of the delightful time I had spent there in November 2010, with Dr. Masaru Emoto, Sir James Mancham, Dr. Rahul Jindal, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the musician Ramesh Narayan, and so many other amazing personalities, who attended the first GEP.
This time, I was coming for the 8th international session on December 9-10, 2017, which was to be held in Kerala State’s first Assembly Hall. This historical building has been kept like a museum, with all its original wooden furniture in a circular arrangement, large paintings of historical political leaders, brass name plaques on the desks of each MLA, and microphones at each seat. The theme for this year’s GEP was “Science for Freedom & Happiness,” which I found very appropriate.
The next evening, which was the day before the big event, a group of us were generously
treated as guests of Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose (GEP Speaker), to a divine dinner at the nearby
Vivanta Taj Hotel. The welcome, in the Indian tradition, was truly heartwarming; candles,
flowers, a beautiful hand woven local sari, and all. The hotel Manager, V.K. Prasad, who
coincidentally, sat next to me on the flight there, met us in the lobby and escorted us into their dining room to ensure that we were all well looked after. Because of my special food requirements, the chef kindly came to our table and took notes. Then, prepared the most delicious meal of fresh prawns, local unpolished rice, and steamed vegetables with an Indian flavor. The company of those at the table made everything even more special.