This morning I attended the 5th World Homeless Cup News Conference along with the finalists out of 48 countries to have competed here in 100 matches ... Scotland and Poland are now set to play later this afternoon -- in the presence of HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark -- to determine who wins the World Homeless Cup, which was designed by Art Partners of Scotland's Big Issue.
As far as I know, I am the only person as a vendor connected with The Big Issue right here in Copenhagen. I wasn't asked by The Big Issue to represent them anyway as I came here first as an accredited news photographer for NEWS SCOPE.
Whatever, I have spend time with our English team and its first class coach Louie Garvin, who I first met last year at the Manchester playoffs. He instantly remembered me and we had a great encounter once again ... Of course, I photographed the players and Louie, for sure. I have now taken around 250 photos of the various matches, players, and coaching staff from around the world ... Also I have taken the scenes of local homeless folkz and recorded such for my ever growing ''Faces of Homelessness'' from yet another capital of the world ... Copenhagen seems to have alot of homeless from what I have seen on the Danish streets. Alcohol seems to be the biggest social and emotional problem for those who are down and out due to such addiction and
lifestyle ...
I must run now to cover the arrival of the Crown Prince and the all-important
match between Scotland and Poland. One of them will carry the Cup home and I hope
lads from Bonnie Scotland pull it off ... I have their photographs already!! Bravo from København ... as they say here in Copenhagen ... I'll also be posting some of my photos
of 5th World Homeless Cup at a later date to share with you all ...
Thanks, too, to Eric ''The Bushman'' of Australia, dear Jill Ferguson of Covent Garden, Soleh Zizzih of Iran, Marge Bridges of Oregon, Davy O'Kieth of Ireland, Rev´d Jamie Madison of
Rome, Christy Paulson of Alberta, and quite a few others for their supportive messages as I'm getting to travel further afield from here onto The Faroe Islands within the next few days ...
Cheers to everybody ...
UPDATE: Bonnie Scotland beat Poland by 9 to 2. From the word go the homeless lads from
Scotland were sure footed and skilled and very hungry to win. While the Poles seemed from
almost the word go to lose their will to win once the bonnie lads of Scotland just began to ''kick ass'' on the pitch ... The closing ceremony of the 5th World Homeless Cup was pretty giddy
and a sight to behold as Crown Prince Christian was cheered as he arrived to watch the final
match ... Mel Young, the founder of the World Homess Cup, told me that His Royal Highness was eager to be supportive of such and was attentive to what Mel discussed with him about the issues of homelessness ... Certainly, the presence of the prince helped elevate this year's world street football event of 48 countries of the homeless competeing at Copenhagen, 2oo7.
I thought the feature story in the English-language ''The København Post'' was well worth reading with its frontpage caption 'Homeless, but not goalless.' The feature by Robert Cellini raised some important questions about what happens to those -- like the bonnie lads from Scoltand -- after the cheering has stopped and they're back on the streets and still homeless after all the glory and magic of winning the World Homeless Cup? I fear and suspect that many go back to nothing and that their lives are still made dark and hopeless by the street and hostel environment of homelessness. As Robert Cellini also noted very aptly that being homeless isn't the same for all homeless people. In other words, at where one is homeless may well be more severe than at some where else. For example, being homeless in Russia is far different to those in America. Some countries are more ''humane'' toward the homeless while others are not ...
I wish I could have interviewed all the homeless guyz and girlz from all the 48 countries to
gather an in-depth picture of global homelessness and to compare their experiences with those from other nations ... Such would be a monumental task to undertake, of course, but one that is worthy of doing, I think ...
A welcome e-mail from the Aussie Bushman ...
Hi Monty, Hows the weather in Copenhagen? As hot as southern Europe? Finally the weather hit double figures in the UK. Hope all is well and that you are having a good time at the world cup. I wont see you for a few weeks so as they say in Oz - keep on punchin. Catchya, Earl (Bush man)
... More Anglican Than me?
Arriving at St. Alban's Church for the 10:30am Anglican service of Holy Eucharist, I was struck by the pastoral and evergreen open setting with ducks, singing birds, and flowing water surrounding the parish at Copenhagen's Churchill Parken. The British chaplain, Rev'd Mark Oakley, 57, wasn't exactly friendly to the ''outsiders'' visiting for the first time. He didn't even ask what my name was, nor where I was from, nor what I was doing in Denmark's capital. He seemed impersonal and didn't give a damn from what I could see of him despite his pulpit sermon of grins and smiles to the congregation of about 175 parishioners. Perhaps over half were summer visitors and not regulars at the church. Under the episcopal authority of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, St. Alban's also presented the Baptism of Babies that found a couple of babies screaming for all they were worth as they were Baptized into the faith on what was The Feast of the Transfiguration that is marked on August 6th each year or at the nearest Sunday to that date ...
On the pew I sat on, the Rev'd Helen Monroe sat closest to me.
She had the airs of a lady bishop from her holy-than-thou attitude and her stiff mannerism of
upper class poshness. Yes, she even refused to be photographed although Rev'd Mark Oakley
did grant that to me at the nave. Rev'd Helen didn't officiate at the service as she pruned herself in her full clerical attire. I suspect she really wants to posture as another Duchess of Cornwall!!
With refreshments after the service held outside at the garden of the St. Alban's, nobody seemed to want to speak to any of us ''outsiders.'' We were politiely ignored to say the least. Our treatment was unbecoming of the local clergy and laity, who spoke barely a word as the cheap tea and cake was served by ourselves ... I got the feeling that they thought they were more Anglican than me!! How dare they think or act in such a cold manner!!
So with the next Lambeth Conference set for 2oo8, I hope His Grace, Archbishop of Canterbury,
The Most Rev'd & Rt. Hon. Dr. Rowan Douglas Williams, will discuss the issue of how his clergy
assigned abroad treat such visiting Anglicans like those at Copenhagen. We come to church to worship, of course, but we also come to find Anglican fellowship among us. That, Your Grace,
I did not witness at St. Alban's. The Rev'd Mark Oakley and Rev'd Helen Monroe need to be more humble and perhaps even more truly Anglican in how they present themselves to us ...
Peace by with you all, Monty.
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