Plenary Sessions Led by Mark Gerzon

1. Mark Gerzon is president of Mediators Foundation.  His clients include the U.S. House of Representatives and the United Nations Develpoment Program.
   

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Group Dialogue Led by World-Class Experts

 

Participants experienced multiple approaches to dialogue and practice dkey skills to use conflict for creative problem solving, building bridges through conversation, and being responsive, not reactive.

 

Angeles Arrien and Patrick O’Neill were master facilitators of the Forum’s Youth Dialogue Project. They have been collaborating for the past 12 years on educational programs involving leadership, group dynamics, and conflict resolution that bridges both traditional and contemporary approaches. They are committed to providing people with practical skills and approaches to creative problem solving within three different modalities of conflict transformation: conflict with self, with others, and in groups. They have worked with thousands of people throughout North America, and their collaborative work has taken them to South Africa, Mexico and Brazil.

Facing History and Ourselves helps teachers around the world lead their students in a critical examination of history, with particular focus on genocide and mass violence, so they can help students think about tough moral and ethical dilemmas and realize that their choices and actions matter. Facing History’s teaching methods and materials involve sophisticated learning theory that fosters rich intellectual and moral dialogue.

         (Facilitators: Holly Hirshfield, Milton Reynolds, Adam Strom and Jack Weinstein)

Public Conversations Project (PCP) helps people with fundamental disagreements over divisive issues develop the mutual understanding and trust essential for strong communities and positive action. PCP has worked with citizens, civic leaders and political officials, clergy and people of faith, managers, consultants and mediators, educators, activists, and others. The work of PCP has covered issues that include abortion, sexual orientation, intra-and inter-faith differences, the environment, race, class, and the Red-Blue divide.

         (Facilitators: Laura Chasin, Mahvash Hassan, David Joseph and Eryn Kalish)

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-governmental organization working to transform the way people deal with conflict: away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG works in Angola, Belgium, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Liberia, Macedonia, Middle East, Morocco, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Ukraine, and the United States. The SFCG “toolbox” includes mediation/ facilitation, track two diplomacy, training, radio/TV production, journalism, sports, drama, and music.

         (Facilitators: Carole Frampton and Philip Hellmich)

The World Café is a conversational process based on a set of integrated design principles that enliven and connect networks of conversations around questions that matter. A World Café conversation is an innovative process for leading collaborative dialogue, sharing knowledge, and creating possibilities for action in groups of all sizes.

         (Facilitators: Ken Homer, Tomi Nagai-Rothe and Ryan Feinstein)

 

 

The Forum’s Dialogue Topics

 

Just Use of Force

When, if ever, is violence/force necessary and who decides?

 

Bridging Religion and Justice

What role, if any, does religion have in the political sphere?

 

Peace and Economic Justice

Is justice possible where gross economic disparity exists?

 

Re-visioning Justice

How do we re-vision justice in order to effectively and less violently
deal with conflict locally and globally?

 

 

Outcomes

 

Expand definitions of justice and explore how to deliver lasting justice.

 

Acquire communications skills to bridge diverse viewpoints.

 

Learn new ways to harness the energies of conflict and develop
creative solutions.

 

Identify personal initiatives to take back to communities to build
and strengthen a global network dedicated to cultivating non-violence.

Wellness

The Wellness Room at the Forum was designed with dedicated space for wellness classes, meditation, reflection, prayer, and practices of self-care in a quiet and calm setting. Susy and Bill Stewart, M.D. facilitated an inspiring, meaningful and relaxing experiential session on the Wisdom Practices for Self-Care: nutrition; physical activity; contemplation/solitude; and relationship/ communication/ community. Susy Stewart offered group meditation classes. Nikki Estrada offered Hatha yoga classes.