Testimony on 'Sasia Story'

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Testimony The Hague, Holland - 18th October 2011

Dear France and Madanjeet,

This email is for both of you, and even though I am sure that Madanjeet's Bogota-Spanish is really good and correct, I prefer to write this email in English to not confuse you with my incorrect Venezuelan slang ;).

I wanted to comment you that some weeks ago I finally got the time to read The Sasia Story (have been very busy with the thesis lately). The book is very pleasant to read, really strong in its message, and definitely an inspiring story. It is hard not to feel pushed to do something for our planet and its people, after reading the accounts of what you two have seen, done about it, and achieved with your actions.

The book also arrived to me in an interesting moment. Since my PhD will finish this year, I have been trying to understand how I can myself contribute to latinamerican (and worldwide) development in my next steps. I had been reading materials and following courses on development policies, all of them very interesting. Your book filled an important gap: by showing a little of your daily lives and years-long struggle for peace and development, it complemented the more abstract story of my other readings. Barbara is in a similar quest, and got also touched by the reading.

I don't know yet what I'll find for my next years or whether I will manage to find something related to development (not very easy given my unrelated career until now). But I am sure that whatever it is, your story will help me in finding nice paths.

Thanks again for the book, and for the incredible perspective that gave us having meet both of you in person.

Abrazos desde Holanda y Suiza,

Pablo y Barbara

Pablo is Venezuelan, actually finishing his PhD in Physics in The Hague, Holland  and Barbara is also a PhD student actually in C.E.R.N. Geneva.