Greetings,

I'm not sure about others but I tend to spend my lunch at my desk either catching up on news or email or both.  However, in the past week I've been fortunate to have been invited to two lunches with out of town visitors.  The first was to meet the Quebec Culture Minister Ms. Hélène David.  The lunch was hosted at the residence of the Quebec Delegate General Jean-Claude Lauzon and also attending were Jean-Pierre Dion (Quebec Delegation) and Joe Melillo (BAM).  We enjoyed a free wheeling conversation but spoke a lot about the important role the Quebec Government has played in investing in and promoting Quebec artists - really a template for other regions to emulate.Of course we also spoke about ISPA's upcoming Congress in Montreal (May 22-27, 2017) and the enthusiasm for the event.

Yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed a visit (and lunch) with Sanjoy Roy.  I first met Sanjoy in Edinburgh in August where we were holding a meeting regarding mentoring opportunities for young producers.  Sanjoy is the Managing Director of Teamwork Films, producer of the Zee Jaipur Literary Festival and independent producer based in Delhi.  We had a really interesting conversation with a focus on a greater engagement of ISPA with India.

So, in retrospect, I highly recommend getting out from behind your desk during lunch and engaging with the world around you (or visiting).

Wishing everyone the best for the holiday season!