International Cooperation: Conference Hall

[sweetpinkpixie]

Level Five is dedicated to supporting all immigrants who come through our doors. To that end, the DIMC has transformed this room to serve as a versatile space for division and department meetings, interviews, and investigations. A wall of windows facing the lobby allows employees to easily see when visitors arrive or when appointments show up early. The room itself is soundproof, ensuring that outside noise won't interfere with the focus and concentration needed for these activities. The room also offers adult classes for everyone, from immigrants to natural-born citizens. Occasionally, lectures are scheduled for DIMC employees and are open to the public and other departments.

Designed as a multipurpose room, it is located to the right of the main lobby and is available for training sessions or classes that can be hosted by anyone within the Ministry. Equipped with a magic lantern, screen, and sound system, it can project movies and educational materials. With a quick transfiguration, the seating can be rearranged, making it ideal for hands-on training activities or large sit-down dinners. The room has a capacity to accommodate several hundred people at a time.

When not in use, the room is open as an additional workspace for Level Five employees and can also serve as an extension for Immigration Officers conducting interviews or investigations.

[Krel Ansell]

It had been another hard morning with getting Radhika to daycare. At least this time there was no detour to the fountain. No doggie balloons to chase after. But there had been a crying fest when he had dropped her off that had lasted too long and had included Radhika wanting Sachin, not him. Did he realize the collar on his suit coat was askew? Nope. Did he realize his tie was loose? Nope. All he was focused on right now was the cup of tea in his hand. He needed caffeine. And breakfast, because he hadn't eaten anything before he left the house. Getting Radhika to daycare had been his primary concern. But unlike the caffeine, breakfast was going to have to wait. He'd survive. It wasn't the first time he'd missed a meal and it wouldn't be the last.

He made his way to the front of the room where two chairs had been set up behind a table. One for him and one for Peggy. The magic lantern lowered and the screen was down. Good, everything was set up. Maybe he should have arranged for refreshments, Conley found himself wondering as he sat down in his seat. His stomach gave a loud growl in affirmation. Hopefully nobody heard it.

[FearlessLeader19]

Brody heard the rumble for it was quiet when he arrived. Coincidentally, he entered the room at the moment his boss stomach decided to speak. Conley skipping meal times was not something new to him though he really didn’t care to figure out why anyone would want to skip breakfast today. Brody also figured that Conley's husband would someday blow a fuse about the entire recurring issue. He himself was full and happy, and prepared for the meeting. See? He had even brought along Lucas. Well, Lucas would have been here anyway since he was the Quidditch Division Manager but his uncle had stopped by at Brody’s desk so… “Collar and tie, Mr. Singh-Phora. They need to be neatened up.” The Coordinator had sharp eyes, you know.

Under his right arm was tucked a notepad that he no doubt would be needing. Lucas followed his nephew into this room called the Adult Classroom. Weird name, was it not? It did not nor did it ever matter, not when there was yet another Quidditch World Cup to discuss. “Good morning, good morning,’’ he chirped. It really should come as no surprise that Lucas Hawthorne happened to be in such a good mood. “Mr. Singh-Phora. Keeping well?” He offered a bright smile to the Department Head before taking a seat next to Brody.

[Chelliephone]

Another day, another meeting.

That was certainly how it felt anyways, regardless of the fact that truthfully her department had the normal amount as necessary for operations. She was just one of those people who often was of the mind 'could this not have been a memo'? Or even a patronus! The handy things that they were when it came to passing along messages.

But on the other hand, perhaps a meeting was a good thing. Because she'd been to visit her Nana and Mama and naturally they had done their typical and sent her with far too many stuffed croissants than she knew what to do with. Rosemary Scardino liked her bread as much as the next girl, but she was only one person. So the meeting was the perfect place for her to share the wealth. And hope that there was no 'no food or drink' signs that she had missed.

After all, this was called the adult classroom.

Entering the room to see a few employees already gathered, including the department head for International Cooperation and Lucas from her own department, she gave them all a smile. "Good morning. I brought some home made croissants, though I claim no credit." She set the tray down on an empty table near the front so people could see it and help themselves, before making her way into an empty seat by Lucas.

[Waddles]

She was not late.

Peggy was right on time, trays of cinnamon buns levitating behind her as she walked up the two flights of stairs to the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Conley really didn't need to worry about refreshments for a joint meeting. She could make cinnamon buns in her sleep (and had, once or twice).

As she and her trailing cinnamon buns entered the classroom, she made note of a couple Games and Sports employees, Lucas and Rosemary, already seated. Good, good. And a table with croissants on it? Even better. Peggy set her own baked goods down with the croissants, trying to subtly look around the room and see who'd brought them. Maybe Conley had thought of it after all.

"Good morning, all," she said brightly, settling into the seat next to the Singh-Phora before pulling a clipboard, self-inking quill, and a thermos of coffee out of various pockets. "We need a room like this up on Level Seven, for training our volunteer coaches," she commented to Conley. Well. Not quite this big. They didn't get that many volunteers.

[Krel Ansell]

Collar? Tie? What? ”Oh right…thanks Brody,” He quickly started tugging on things, putting them right. ”Some day, I shall get Radhika to daycare without an issue. Today was not that day.” He gave Brody one of his charming smiles, because he was certain his coordinator was tired of hearing stories about his daughter. Just in time too because people started filing in. ”Mr. Hawthorne. I can’t complain. How have you been?”

And then came the food. Conley tracked the croissants as they crossed the room and his stomach made a loud growl. Then his nose caught a whiff of the cinnamon rolls. Merlin, those looked good too. Maybe he could sneak one of each on his way back to his office and not tell his husband because Sachin would likely make him go running again. The fact that he had nearly died (aka huffed and puffed and hated every minute of it) the last time Sachin had forced him to run had only amused his husband. ”Morning Peggy. You’re always welcome to use this room. Just let Brody know and he’ll make sure the room is available for you. And those look delicious.” He motioned to the baked good. ”Did you make them?” Conley was always enamored by people who could cook and bake. Those were skills he was not blessed with, as many people had learned at the pancake breakfast a few years ago.

After a few more people filed into the room, Conley turned to Peggy. ”Shall we get started?” He got to his feet. ”Morning everyone. Thank you for coming. I know everyone is busy with the upcoming Quidditch World cup preparations and all. But Peggy and I were talking the other day and decided that all work and no play can really put a damper on spirits. And so,” Conley pulled out his poplar wand and dimmed the lights in the room. Next he tapped the magic lantern and a list was projected on the screen behind him. ”We put together a little scavenger hunt for you all. To the winner? Tickets to the world cup as a part of the British Delegation for the winner and a guest.” He glanced over to Peggy, wondering if she had anything to add. ”Any questions?” he asked looking back out over the room.

Text Cut: Scavenger Hunt Clues

• Never tiring, we surround the Japanese National Quidditch Stadium
• In Japan, we bring fire, but in the Ministry just companionship.
• An everyday item to whisk you away.
• There's no time limit on Quidditch matches, but time is different in Japan.
• Paper folding is a charming art.
• Sweet as your memories from one trip will be, it won't taste as great as rose candy

[Waddles]

Smiling, Peggy nodded to Conley. "Home made, fresh this morning," she reassured him. Not that she really thought he'd care if she brought in store bought cinnamon rolls. She wouldn't, not when magic was a useful aid for multitasking.

And just like that, it was time to get started. Busy as they all were, it was good to have fun activities every now and again. To keep morale up, as some might put it. Plus...a little friendly competition never hurt anyone (though her wizard's chess set would disagree).

She consulted her clipboard as he explained the scavenger hunt and gave all the clues. Never one to leave a detail forgotten, she piped up before anyone had time to leave. "You can investigate the clues in any order," she said. "Each of the clues, inspired by this year's Quidditch World Cup host country, Japan, is associated with a different department in the ministry, so I hope you've worn your walking shoes." Or, she supposed they could take the elevator. She preferred to take the stairs, personally. It kept her in Quidditch shape......long after she'd given up on that.


ooc: As some clarification, this is a RP activity so you can have your character go to any or all of the threads (links for your convenience) and look for an item or activity related to the clue--check the thread descriptions or recent Department Head posts. You don't have to give us links or screenshots or anything, it's just for fun.

[Chelliephone]

She'd just barely settled into her seat when Peggy came in with a tray of delectable looking Cinnamon rolls. She made note of those in order to grab one letter, before settling in. She'd brought a pad of paper and everything to take notes for the Quidditch world cup, but as Mr. Singh-Phora and Peggy began to speak, it was clear this was supposed to be some type of reward rather than decision making and lists of what needed to be done. Part of her thought it seemed a waste of their time.

But the competitive nature in her? Well, a scavenger hunt certainly sounded a challenge. And maybe in her attempts to complete it, she could meet some of her other coworkers in different departments.

The comment about having worn their walking shoes had her glancing down at her stilettos. She'd been expecting to complete paperwork today rather than having to go out to see any teams, so she had dressed for fashion rather than comfort. A small disability for her, but not one that would be completely debilitating.

.... Was that it then? Were they dismissed or? "Is this the type of cooperative event where we are also being encouraged to work with someone from the International department?" It didn't seem like it, but best to be clear she supposed.

[Waddles]

Text Cut: Chelliephone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelliephone

She'd just barely settled into her seat when Peggy came in with a tray of delectable looking Cinnamon rolls. She made note of those in order to grab one letter, before settling in. She'd brought a pad of paper and everything to take notes for the Quidditch world cup, but as Mr. Singh-Phora and Peggy began to speak, it was clear this was supposed to be some type of reward rather than decision making and lists of what needed to be done. Part of her thought it seemed a waste of their time.

But the competitive nature in her? Well, a scavenger hunt certainly sounded a challenge. And maybe in her attempts to complete it, she could meet some of her other coworkers in different departments.

The comment about having worn their walking shoes had her glancing down at her stilettos. She'd been expecting to complete paperwork today rather than having to go out to see any teams, so she had dressed for fashion rather than comfort. A small disability for her, but not one that would be completely debilitating.

.... Was that it then? Were they dismissed or? "Is this the type of cooperative event where we are also being encouraged to work with someone from the International department?" It didn't seem like it, but best to be clear she supposed.

At a question from one of her own employees, Peggy smiled softly. After a pause to consider, she nodded, "You're welcome to work together," she said. But they didn't have to. Some, she knew, liked to focus on tasks alone and working with others was a distraction for them. She glanced at Conley, making sure he knew he could weigh in if he disagreed.

[Krel Ansell]

"But it's not a requirement." Conley added as he reached over for one of those cinnamon rolls. His stomach gave off another rumble and this time he was certain more then just Brody had heard it. If you asked him, a smart person would work with a partner. More hands make lighter the load and all that. Then again, too many cooks in the kitchen led to a salty dish...

Lord he was starting to sound like his grandfather, he thought as he started pulling apart the cinnamon roll. "Once you've found everything, bring them back to Peggy or I and we'll check your answers." He popped a piece of the pastry into his mouth and chewed for a moment before talking again. "Any more questions? No? Then shooo! Oh! And good luck!"

He took another bite of the cinnamon roll and then turned to Peggy. "These are really good. I'm going to need another batch just for me stat." He joked, but if she really felt moved to make him some, he would happily eat them all. And no, he was not going to share. OR! tell his husband... because ewww running.

[Slowfie]

If Eli was being honest, he was only here for the cinnamon buns. And the fact that this was his job and he was getting paid to be here. he was getting paid for this, right? But cinnamon buns.
Grocery shopping was a lot more complicated than his moms had made it seem and Eli had once again woken up to a house without any food.
He strolled into the room and took a seat towards the back, fashionably late but never too late to grab himself a coffee on the way in.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he tried his very best to pay attention to what was being said. Something about free tickets to the world cup? Consider Eli intrigued. He perked up at the mention of teamwork. He only barely knew where to find Japan on a map after all these QWC preparations, they surely couldn't expect him to just know at least one other thing about the place, could they?? "Teamwork makes the dream work." That was what the people said, right?

[siriusblackliveson]

Nathaniel had been listening to everything. He wasn't sure if he actually needed to participate in this to attend since he was going to be doing all of the PR like usual. Right? He didn't want to bring that up now because he was going to be a good sport and double check that all of the planning and prepping he'd been doing hadn't been for nought. Ya know?

He noticed Eli, gave him a small wave and a quiet nod to Peggy as they explained the task. Well team work wouldn't be a bad idea honestly. He could get things done easier that way... Right? Quicker and be back to prepping all his interviews and mascot sightings.

[Chelliephone]

So not mandatorily encouraged, but encouraged none the less to work together. Truthfully, she was fine either way as she looked around at the others gathered in the room. She hadn't spent too much time with any of them - though truthfully, had she spent time with really any of her coworkers as of yet? And this could probably be an opportunity to meet people. With the sudden dismissal, Rosemary stood from her seat and straightened her blouse. "Well, I suppose then if anyone is up for working together I am heading towards the greenhouses." Because that could be the only thing about surrounding the outsides of the stadium right? It had been some time, but given it was Japan she could only assume cherry blossoms - the beautiful trees that they were.

Gathering her purse and her clues, she headed back towards the door, giving a small smile and wave to the department heads and naturally stealing a cinnamon roll on her way out. She'd have to come back to collect the croissants and Nonna's tray later.

[Daemon]

A GAME. Minji loved games. She supposed she was in the right department for that fact alone, even if her father was still reluctant to come around. Honestly it's not as if she'd committed a felony, she's just a few floors away from where he'd wanted her to go. The irony of collaborating with the Department of International Magical Cooperation hadn't escaped her. To think, even if she hadn't listed her broom racing hobby in her CV, she would have been in the exact same room today. Possibly in a different chair though. There was a draft here and it was driving her mad.

Minji read through the list that was projected, squinting a little as she thought. Did she care about free tickets? Not particularly. She supposed most people knew this already about her, but she really wasn't working in the ministry for the money. A reservation to a restaurant would have been much more up her alley, preferably a good french one with meat cooked to perfection and creamy mashed potatoes and wine and yummy salads with heavenly dressing and- the broom racer swallowed, suddenly afraid she'd start to openly drool. A feast like that was what she wanted. What she always wanted, to be perfectly honest. She glanced quickly at the clock, calculating when lunch was. Perhaps she'd call So-young and they'd grab some steaks.

Regardless, a game was a game and Minji enjoying winning almost as much as she enjoyed food. She stood and dusted invisible crumbs off her velvet trousers, deciding fairly quickly that she'd start off the hunt alone. It was fun to work with others but it took more time. And if she won, she would be able to donate her tickets. That was motivation enough. "I'll go put my walking shoes to good use," Minji nodded politely to the two department heads, and then grinned as she exited the room. Time to hunt!

[Charely Potter]

There was nothing like the new year, especially in a new place for Isaek. When he walked into the Ministry, there were a few emotions going through as he remembered his past experience. Now that he made more than a few worthy connections, it was grand time for him to make use of that.

After preparing the good meals, Isaek had the spread laid accordingly on one of the tables. They were filled with baked goods such as scones, biscuits, jelly-filled donuts, and the like. Along with some finger foods such as sandwiches, salads, chips, and fresh nuggets. To the side was a pitcher with orange juice, but also a fresh kettle for coffee and tea. Nothing like something light to tidy one over or yet heavy enough for those who missed breakfast and were eagerly waiting for lunch.

Now it was the time to relax as he enjoyed one of the scones.

[FearlessLeader19]

While Brody had not missed breakfast that morning, having shared a hearty one with the husband and daughter, he wouldn’t say no to another cup of tea. There hadn’t been much time to get himself one before arriving at the Conference Hall since he had spent a little extra time at the Ministry’s daycare with Artemis. Did he have regrets? Absolutely not, because in his mind the eight year old was growing up much too quickly for his liking and he wanted to treasure all the time with her.

“Good morning, good morning,’’ the Consulate greeted the new Department Head. Setting down his notebook and pen on the table he and the others would be seated at, Brody promptly made his way to grab that tea he had been craving. “Nice spread,’’ he commented, steeping an Earl Grey teabag in a boiling cup of water.