There have been many firsts for this reporter this week.
My first Small Island Developing States Conference. My first press conference with United Nations Secretary General, Tupua Ban Ki-moon.
My first time to interview Helen Clark in her capacity as the Administrator for the United Nations Development Program. And my first selfie, ever.
When I was invited to take the selfie with Miss Clark for #selfiewithHelen, I thought why not? I am the first to admit that I am not particularly social media savvy – I might share the odd news article, use the chat function with my brother or post a photo.
So as I held the phone awkwardly in front of us, I confessed to Miss Clark that this was my first ever selfie.
{googleAds}<script async src="http://www.samoaobserver.ws///pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- ads-articles(24.03.14) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-9419815128221199"
data-ad-slot="2395638412"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}
Unfazed by my confession, the Administrator proceeded to instruct me on how to take such a photo.
“Don’t hold it down there,” she said. “You have to look up into it.
“No, you need to hold it up high and look up into it, otherwise you look like you have a big round head.”
She then proceeded to take the phone out of my hand and school me in the art of the selfie.
“Here I will take it.” And she did. She took two.
“Now after you take it you go into edit, and…there” – using the enhance function on my phone.
She then proceeded to delete the second one saying she wasn’t looking into the phone and I looked well, less than selfie worthy.
Miss Clark then graciously gave me the opportunity to put what she taught me into practice.
“No, no – it must be on high definition,” she said before I took the photo.
“The thing about taking a selfie is not to think about it too much.”
I got to hone my skills taking a few more selfies before the lesson came to an end.
In a post selfie lesson interview, U.N.D.P. Communications Advisor, Lisa Hiller-Garvey, said not only was this a first for me – it was the first selfie lesson Miss Clark had ever given.
Ms. Hiller-Garvey said the hashtag began spontaneously yesterday, right here in Samoa by a U.N.D.P. staff member who captured a selfie with the Administrator.
“It just happened spontaneously,” she said.
“Helen Clark is so well known, respected and loved in this region, because she really understands the development challenges that Pacific Islanders face and is a great advocate for Small Island Developing States.
“I think that’s why so many people have been very keen to take a selfie with her.
“There have been many, many requests as Helen has gone around the conference and Apia for selfies with her.
“So far seven or eight people have managed to catch her in-between meetings for a quick snap – reporters, U.N.D.P. local staff, staff at the S.I.D.S. conference (and) heads of various agencies.”
Following my brief lesson I think it would be fair to say that I will be taking a few more selfies from here on in.
And I can think of no better reason to do so than to promote sustainable development here in Samoa.
If you want to see #selfiewithhelen visit https://twitter.com/HelenClarkUNDP.
Miss Clark will visit the village Luatuanu’u village where the community there are working to try and save the forests upon which they rely for their livelihoods.
<!-- 336x280 (bottom-article) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="1033882026"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}