2007-10 - October

Sandy posted the other day about the 2nd Annual International Conference on “Engaging The Other:” The Power of Compassion coming up October 25 - 28, 2007 Dearborn, Michigan. We just wanted to let our readers know that there is a Pre-Conference All-Day Institute on Thursday, October 25, 2007, from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm. In particular, NCDD friend Louise Diamond will be presenting a workshop called “Institute 3: “Re-Membering Right Relationship.” To learn more about the workshop, read on! To sign up for the conference or the pre-conference institute, visit www.cbiworld.org/Pages/Conferences_ETO.htm. (more…)

The Kettering Foundation (www.kettering.org) and the National Issues Forums Institute (www.nifi.org) are inviting people and their communities to become part of a national conversation about energy and the choices that face the public and policymakers. The Kettering Foundation and Public Agenda will be preparing a national report detailing the outcomes of 2007 public deliberative forums held around the country using the National Issues Forums issue book titled The Energy Problem: Choices for an Uncertain Future. Groups or individuals who have led forums on this issue, or who are planning to, are invited to help make the upcoming report as representative as possible of the national conversation.

There is still time to help your community, organization, school, or group, be heard in a national deliberative conversation about energy. The Energy Problem issue book and free moderator guides may be ordered by calling 800-600-4060. If you would like more information about how to convene a forum on this topic in your community contact Ginny O’Connor at or 800-443-7834, extension 870. Information from deliberative forums– especially completed post-forum questionnaires– are welcomed through November 15th, 2007. The information from forums held around the country will be included in a national report that will be released to the public and presented in Washington, DC. (more…)

The Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq is just around the corner. Organizers are seeking people in local communities around the United States and in other parts of the world to engage in this fast to seek an end to the war in Iraq. Participants join with other religious communities in their local neighborhoods to organize events such as candlelight vigils, teach-ins and public demonstrations for Oct 7th night and the 8th. Organizers should invite public officials to those events to impress upon them the need to end the war in Iraq.

At the end of the day on the 8th, participants will come together as an interfaith community for a joint celebration for breaking the fast (iftar). You can post your events on the campaign website: http://interfaithfast.org/, and search for events by zip code. On the website at this time are two downloadable resources that you may print and distribute in your congregation: Fasting – a Spiritual Discipline for Christians and Strategies for Coming Together in Interfaith Settings.

Members of the D&D community are invited to an extraordinary international conference to address the roots of negative stereotypes, prejudice, and artificial barriers of misunderstanding and distrust that separate us. Join more than 60 leading presenters to cultivate our capacity for reconciliation, appreciation of diversity, and peace. This is an important, timely dialogue that concerns everyone.

Participants at this international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conference will examine concepts of “The OTHER” from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote wider public dialogue about concepts of “Us and Them.” The conference, which is sponsored by the Common Bond Institute, will take place October 25-28, 2007 in Dearborn, Michigan

The outstanding, diverse pool of over 60 presenters includes:
Sam Keen, Danny Glover, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Maureen O’Hara, James O’Dea, Louise Diamond, Sen. John Vasconcellos, Gay Barfield, Aftab Omer, Imam Hassan Qazwini, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, Imam Mohamed Mardini, Lee Mun Wah, Sharif Abdullah, Ahmad Hijazi, Dizzy Warren, Libby and Len Traubman, Maggie Herzig, and many more.

Learn more or register at www.cbiworld.org/Pages/Conferences_ETO.htm.

This October 25-28 in Dearborn, MI, the Common Bond Institute is sponsoring the second annual international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conference examining concepts of “The OTHER” from a universal, cross-cultural perspective. The goal is to promote wider public dialogue about concepts of “Us and Them” in order to to address the roots of negative stereotypes, prejudice, and artificial barriers of misunderstanding and distrust that separate people. Participants will join more than 60 remarkable presenters to cultivate a shared capacity for reconciliation, appreciation of diversity, and peace. Participation is open to professionals and the general public. Full Program and Registration Details online at www.cbiworld.org, or Ph/Fax: 269-665-9393 or email: .

The 4-day conference program includes : 6 Keynote Speakers, 6 Plenary Topical Panels, 24 Concurrent Break-out Sessions of Workshops, Lectures, Roundtables, and Dialogues to Engage Concepts and Explore Practical Applications, Conference-wide Facilitated Dialogue Groups, Live E-conference Addresses by Leading Visionaries, Evolving Expressive Arts Interpretation of the Conference, Tibetan Buddhist Sand Mandala Ritual, Media / Art Exhibits and Events, Evening Performances, Cultural Programs, and Community Activities, Rich Networking Opportunities, Intentional Multi-cultural Community, Final Action Planning Dialogue for Beyond the Conference and 6 Pre-Conference All-day Institutes on Thursday, October 25 (9am-4:30pm).

The World e-Democracy Forum, coming up October 3rd and 4th 2007 in France has just published its program online. During the conference, 69 speakers representing 21 countries will discuss about questions raised by the Internet explosion in our everyday lives, particularly by Web 2.0 phenomenon applied to democratic life and public services. Among the questions raised, the increased personalization of public services with examples of Norway and Canada, collaborative networks for innovation towards examples of French competitiveness clusters and European living labs, need to instill confidence to citizens and to adopt a collaborative approach about e-Governement’s projects, or actions to fight the digital divide The European eGovernet project will show the future face of e-Government and many concrete examples will illustrate what are mobile public services and we will treat of e-Voting in countries like Estonia or Switzerland. The Council of Europe will present the opinions carried out around tools for active and digital citizenship while consequences of the evolution of participative democracy from the blogosphere to Second Life will be discussed. For more information about the conference, or to browse the program, visit www.edemocracy-forum.com.

The Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) seventh annual conference is coming up October 24 - 27, 2007 in Phoenix, Arizona. The theme of this year’s conference is “Rethinking the Table: People, Places, and Practices.” Conference events include training institutes, a keynote address by William Ury, Ph.D. and special workshop series including: Applying neurobiology research to ADR, the arts and conflict resolution practice, taking our work overseas, southwestern dispute resolution practices, and advanced workplace issues.

The Presidential Luncheon taking place Saturday October 27, 2007 is a focal point of the Annual Conference with its traditional awards and presidential installation ceremonies. This year’s presentation is on the theme of “The Global Context of Indigenous Peacemaking” by Rebecca Tsosie, J.D., Professor of Law, Willard H. Pedrick Distinguished Research Scholar, and Executive Director, Indian Legal Program Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Arizona State University. For more information about the conference, and to register, visit www.ACRnet.org/conferences/ac07/Registration.htm.

This fall, Simon Fraser University’s Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue is organized around the theme of “Adaptations to Human Environmental Impact.” This dialogue program focuses on how human beings adapt to the profound impact we are having on our planet. Environmental disruption threatens overwhelming consequences for our social and economic systems, but too often we are overwhelmed by the problems and lose sight of viable solutions. Citizens require thoughtful, confident planning and analysis to enable effective adaptation to these challenges. The Semester in Dialogue will address three major and connected themes: Climate Change, Energy, and Biodiversity, probing local to global solutions involving policy, enterprise, innovation, and life styles. For more information on the course and registration, visit www.sfu.ca/dialogue/undergrad/index.htm.

Large group methods, virtually unknown twenty years ago, are being used world wide to address complex organizational and community issues. These large group working sessions are task focused and results oriented. They have proven to be an invaluable method for strategic planning, organization design, working specific strategic issues, process re-design and for complex projects that cross the boundaries of functions, departments and organizations. They build the indispensable relationships needed for coherence and alignment within an organization or community.

The goal of this 3-day course, titled “Master Class in Large Group Design and Facilitation for Leaders and Consultants,” is to share with you the magic of whole systems work, and equip you with the tools to design your own large group meetings whether they involve 30 people or several thousand. The course will take place October 24-26 in Stowe, Vermont.

NCDD members receive a 15% discount on this course. The fee for the seminar is $1490 ($1267 for NCDD members). Contact Ferne Kuhn at 610-725-0444 or  for more info on the training (or go to http://gilsteil.com/), or learn more about all the discounts we’ve negotiated for NCDD members.

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Dr. Sheila Marsh from Opus Training Development & Design Ltd sent us word about an Open Space Facilitation training she will lead in London, England this October 8-10. Along with Roma Iskander, Dr. Marsh will lead a training on Open Space as a process to connect people to each other, to ideas and to stimulate great conversations that lead to action. This Open Space training is for people who want to work in ways that really engage people - in organisations, communities and around a shared issue. NCDD members may book at the reduced individual rate and if 3 or more members book you will qualify for a further 10% reduction.For more details and to book online go to: www.healthdirections.org/openspace.htm.

This year’s major By the People initiative is “Dialogues in Democracy: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Conducted in partnership with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, it will involve a range of events, designed to remind citizens that the American experience is built on their shared ownership of the democratic values of the founders.

In late October, By the People—through its local public television and community organization partners– will host Citizen Deliberations in 11 communities around the country focused on the rights and responsibilities of citizens, as they relate to issues of local importance. Participating communities and local issues featured in 2007 By the People project are: Albuquerque, NM: Healthcare; Baton Rouge, LA: Healthcare; Bowling Green, OH: Higher Education; Cleveland, OH: Higher Education; Denver, CO: Education; Houston, TX: Environment; Kansas City, MO: Regionalism (Transportation and Taxes); New Haven, CT: Immigration; Omaha, NE: Immigration; Rochester, NY: Healthcare; Seattle, WA: Housing. (more…)

Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff, creators of Future Search and co-founders of the Future Search Network, have just published a book entitled DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, STAND THERE! Ten Principles for Leading Meetings that Matter. The book shares what Weisbord and Janoff have learned in 20 years of leading meetings together in cultures around the world. The principles in the book apply to all kinds of meetings. (You can order the book now at Amazon.com for only $13.57.)

They’re also holding an advanced facilitating training called Leading Meetings That Matter that’s based on the book.  The training will be held October 14-16, 2007 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (outside of Philadelphia, PA). The training presents a philosophy, theory and method for transforming diverse work groups of all kinds. The seminar, which integrates system change and personal growth theories, is for experienced leaders who want to increase their capacity to help large, diverse groups stay task-focused and accomplish ambitious goals.

Tuition for the training is $995, although paid NCDD members receive a 30% discount, so they pay only $696.50. Click here to learn more, or contact Jennifer Neumer at or 800-951-6333.