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167 Preparing for final exams Read the article about an exhibition, then choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) for questions 1–8. Put a cross (  ) in the correct box. The first one (0) has been done for you. TASK 2 It is impossible to get through a day without reading or hearing something about the impact of man’s profligate behaviour upon the fragile environment of our planet. Could we really be in part to blame for the recent spate of natural disasters, from the devastating earthquake in Haiti to the volcanic eruption in Iceland? Many would have us believe that these events are a direct result of the way we have treated, or mistreated, planet Earth.  I have always kept an open mind when it comes to the relationship between our behaviour and the state of our planet. It is, after all, hard to pick your way through all the conflicting accounts to find your own solution. I am, however, always looking for new and challenging arguments, so it was with great interest that I bought my ticket for an exhibition entitled All We Need at the Halle des Soufflantes in Belval, Luxembourg.  As soon as I walked in, I knew that this was going to be no ordinary exhibition. I was greeted by a huge dilapidated steelworks with bare girders and pipes and the strange creaking noises of an abandoned space. What better mirror could there be of the bleakness of much of human existence?  I was impressed by the exhibition’s aims and rationale: “ All We Need explores the world as a global market through the human efforts to dream, imagine and live a happy life. The exhibition shows, in particular through the fair trade example, alternatives in consumption and life styles. It provides reflections and proposals for action on the essential questions touching the future of mankind: which are our fundamental needs, and how can we satisfy them without endangering either the survival of our planet, or human rights?”  Human needs are the same the world over. Chilean economist Manfred Max-Neef, recipient of the ‘Right Livelihood Award’, also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’, identified nine basic categories: subsistence, idleness (leisure), affection, freedom, protection, identity, understanding, creation and participation. However, while basic human needs might be the same wherever you live, the disparity between those who achieve these aims and those who do not is great and growing.  This exhibition sets out to present a series of alternative concepts, ideas and answers to the eternal question of how to live a happy life and is divided into a series of ‘spaces’, each reflecting one of the human needs. While each space was incredibly thought-provoking, challenging and often upsetting, the two which hit home most were the spaces dedicated to affection and understanding . In the former, those traditional tokens of love, roses, gold and diamonds, are juxtaposed with images of the harsh reality behind these symbols: the flower plantations and conflicts fuelled by greed. Equally thought- provoking is the understanding space. The performance group Stan’s Café have created a unique vision of the world by using piles of rice whereby each grain represents one human being. These mounds represent a wide range of human statistics and provide an extraordinary visual insight into the inequalities of this world.  The sheer volume of information in this multi-media exhibition is quite overwhelming. Anyone who is passionate about the future of the planet owes it to themselves and to the future of the world to include All We Need in their itinerary. I walked out feeling so many conflicting emotions. Coming from one of the most privileged countries in the world, I was reminded once again just how much there is to do to restore a sense of balance. All We Need: an exhibition on human needs, resources and fairness Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentu des Verlag öbv