The 3rd Annual International Conference on “ENGAGING THE OTHER:” The Power of Compassion will take place September 4-7, 2008 in San Francisco (San Mateo), California, USA. This international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conference examines concepts of “The OTHER” from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote wider public dialogue about concepts of “Us and Them.”

NCDD is an official endorsing organization of this important conference.

This extraordinary conference will address the roots of fear-based belief systems and stereotypes, prejudice, polarization, enemy images, and artificial barriers of misunderstanding and distrust that divide us. Join an international list of over 60 presenters and visionaries, and hundreds of concerned individuals, to engage in 3 1/2 days of workshops, roundtables, and focused, facilitated dialogue bridging the divide and cultivating our capacity for reconciliation, appreciation of diversity, and peace.

Registration is open to professionals as well as the general public, and continuing educational credits are available. The conference is sponsored by the Common Bond Institute and is Co-Sponsored by the International Humanistic Psychology Association, Institute of Imaginal Studies and the Institute of Noetic Sciences. It is also supported by a growing international list of over 90 organizations and universities.

Overall Goals of the Conference are to:

- Raise the level, depth, and breadth of public dialogue and awareness on core issues. The conference examines dimensions and dynamics of “The OTHER” on individual and group levels, and considers how enemy identity is formed, perpetuated, and manipulated – including fear-based belief systems, negative stereotypes, projection, prejudice, and scapegoating.

- Identify and compile fundamental questions, dilemmas, and implications for further deep inquiry and examination in an expanding public dialogue, and to challenge embedded negative belief systems that promote adversarial perceptions of the “The Other.”

- Tap our shared wisdom, compassion, and responsibility as a community – from the local to the global – in developing practical applications. Participants are encouraged to develop and share practical recommendations and strategies for applying results to the current state of local and world relationships to promote increased understanding, sensitivity, and compassion as a means of countering and neutralizing hostility, particularly inter-group hostility.

- Create Networking Opportunities to promote collaboration and action planning.

- Formulate findings and products to make available to all – through publications, media, the Internet, training programs, networks, dialogue groups, etc.

FORMAT AND CONTENT:
A 3 1/2 day program of – Keynote Speakers, – Topical Plenary Rounbdtables, – Concurrent Break-out Sessions of Workshops and Roundtables, – Ongoing Conference-wide Facilitated Dialogue Groups to Engage Concepts and Explore Practical Applications, – Interactive All-conference Experiences, – Evening Performances, Cultural programs, and Community activities, – Evolving Expressive Arts Interpretation of the conference, – Tibetan Buddhist Sand Mandala Ritual, – Media/Art Exhibits and Events, – Rich Networking and Action Planning, – Multi-cultural Community

AN OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL GATHERING OF MORE THAN 60 PRESENTERS
Confirmed Include: Huston Smith, Marianne Williamson, Don Edward Beck, Geshe Gendun Gyatso, Maureen O’Hara, Satsuki Ina, Corinne McLaughlin, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Reverend Paul Chaffee, James O’Dea, Tashi Wangdu, Stanley Krippner, Imam Zaid Shakir, Sharif Abdullah, Sen. John Vasconcellos, Gay Barfield, Aftab Omer, Maha ElGenaidi, Michael Nagler, Lee Mun Wah, Libby Traubman, Len Traubman, David Hartsough, Louise Diamond, Steve Olweean, Sandra Friedman, Sally Mahe, Sarah Talcott, Christopher Thoresen, Richard Moon, Elza Maalouf, Kim Weichel, Skip Robinson, Kirk Schneider, Leah Green, Deborah Koff-Chapin, Luisah Teish, Ihsan Alkhatib, Imad Hamad, Nadia Fadel, Pat Allen, Mukti Khanna, Marc Pilisuk, Benina Gould, Melek Totah, Eryn Kalish, Lorin Troderman, Osprey Orielle Lake, Melissa Nelson, Ahmad Hijazi, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Rita Semel, Ken Homer, Shellee Davis, Alana Lea, Eleanor Williams-Curry, Irene Nasser, Devi Gursahaney, Ryan Feinstein, Jean Marc Randin, Lyla Johnston
E-Conference Addresses: US Congressman Dennis Kucinich, US Congressman John Conyers
To be Confirmed: Danny Glover

For full details on the program, registration, fees, hotel, and exhibits, visit www.cbiworld.org/Pages/Conferences_ETO.htm or contact:

Common Bond Institute
Details at Website: www.cbiworld.org
Steve Olweean, Director, Conference Coordinator
12170 S. Pine Ayr Drive, Climax, MI 49034 USA
Ph/Fax: 269-665-9393
Email: