L

ast January, on a cold morning in a metro station of Washington DC, Joshua Bell, the renowned violinist, played a most intricate piece on a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. It was rush hour and thousands of people passed him by. In the 45 minutes he stood there playing, only 6 briefly stopped to listen, another 20 gave him money but continued to walk. No one recognized him; no one seemed to perceive the extraordinary quality of his performance.

Can people recognize talent in an unexpected context?

For three days this month (March16-18), WBFN will be holding its Annual Exhibit in the Atrium of the Main Complex building. Thousands of WBG staff will be passing through. Can we make them stop and listen? Can we make them discover what a gem of an institution WBFN is?

The task of showcasing WBFN’s multifaceted achievements as well as the talents of its individual members falls each year on the President-elect. This year, Anne Folliet is performing with flair and determination. Aided by Amy Bojang and Nanette Deduque, she is putting together what promises to be an attractive lineup of an African fashion show, a Tai Chi presentation, and a choral performance—a telling reflection on the diversity of our members’ interests.

Featured too are the numerous activities of WBFN. Anne’s marketing and public relations background is coming in handy with the use of colorful visuals as well as practical demonstrations (The quilting group is proposing to hold a quilting session right there in the middle of the Atrium! The investment club might also hold its regular meeting in front of the booth displaying WBFN’s financial literacy classes…)

Individual talents will also be on display. Some of our WBFN members are sophisticated artists and handcrafters, and this will be their chance to share their talent with the rest of the WBG community.

Our younger members will be featured too. In one corner of the Atrium the colorful entries to the WBFN’s Children Art Competition will add a joyful note throughout the week. Kudos to Swati Srivastava and her smiling and energetic organization of this Event.

In short, the Annual Exhibit will present to the WBG community the diverse faces of WBFN and the remarkable feats it continues to achieve year after year. So, come and join this yearly celebration, be part of the excitement, contribute with your time and your help, so that the passers-by feel compelled to stop, listen, and appreciate us!

Rula Ghani