Lisa -- A truly remarkable invitation -- thank you for sharing with us. There are few who could say no to this invitation, and the eloquent way you have set out Open Space Technology as being used in peacemaking.
Thank you for a brilliant start to Monday morning! with love and in peace, Judi ----- Original Message ----- From: Lisa Heft To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 12:50 PM Subject: Opening Space: The Practice of Peace - September 24-26, San Francisco [Dear colleagues - thank you for passing this along through your networks and communities - and perhaps you'll be able to join us. And much love and thanks to our dear Tova. Lisa Heft] - - - Do you wish to join a diverse community of individuals gathered for several days of deep communication and new learning - to share wisdom, experience, insight and action based on passion and personal responsibility regarding p e a c e ? Join us in an Open Space event where we will explore personal and global transformation and leadership. Join an energizing gathering of focused and creative people for 3 days of ever-deepening conversations about the practice of peace - within yourself, your organization, your community, the land and the world. Talk deeply with others, reflect on what has happened since 9/11, generate action, form community. This gathering will be facilitated using the method of Open Space Technology (OST) which has been used around the world to bring diverse (and sometimes conflicted) individuals together for shared purpose and insight. Opening Space...The Practice of Peace with your self, your organization, your local and global community, and the land September 24-26, 2002 Tuesday through Thursday, 8:30am to 5:00pm San Francisco, California, USA Facilitated by Lisa Heft "If I am 'the right person', what may my task be? What is my passion and what is my responsibility, moment by moment? This is essential for peace making in a war zone for two reasons: one is that you need yourself totally present to survive and the other is that because of the chaotic forces if you are fully present you have endless opportunities to try and make a difference." "That is a place to find some hope, when people, together, touch on something that is truthful, authentic; uniquely created and attended, being born. The feeling is revitalizing and reminding people of their wholeness and 'partness' no matter what the issues are . -- Tova Averbuch, facilitator of Open Space peace gatherings in Israel "I use Open Space in organizational settings (a battle for life in many industries in Israel - as in many places in the world), between organizations (a battle zone of "world fixers" who are not paid well, who give their souls out and end up fighting one another instead of fighting for the cause), in municipalities (a communication canal to enable a dialogue between the anonymous individual of a big city and the crowd, that listens), and also in Israel Jewish-Arab and Israeli-Palestinian work. I see any Open Space as peace making: between person to person, authority and ordinary people, personal yearning and passion and their manifestation. I would love you to find a way to convey that too by presenting me as I am: Opening Space in various 'war zones' in Israel." Event Description We will take a three-day journey together to share thoughts and ideas, frustrations and insights. This community gathering for deeper understanding is not designed for teaching the method of Open Space Technology - for that you may wish to take one of our Introduction to Open Space workshops. In the Opening Space...The Practice of Peace workshop we will not be discussing how to use the method of Open Space; rather we will be convening in Open Space to discuss issues of personal and global intention and response. We hope that as a group we will create challenge, deep engagement and full-on new thinking. Let's push our learning to the edges, feel the challenge and go beyond. These times demand not just awareness, but transformation. Let's see where we can take it. People of all ages and abilities are welcome. Thank you for sharing this announcement with others in your communities and networks. You may wish to learn about this process being used all over the world for communication and the weaving together of community during complex times. We recommend that you read Harrison Owen's "Open Space Technology: A User's Guide" to learn about the process in advance - and feel free to discuss it in advance with the facilitator. We will also be offering a learning workshop on the method: An Introduction to Open Space, on December 11-13 this year in San Francisco. For More Information contact facilitator Lisa Heft at lisah...@pacbell.net
