[Oe List ...] Oklahoma City University March 7-8 2014

[Bill Parker]

Terry Bergdall sent out an invitation to come and hear Robertson Work speak at the "Creative Peacemaking Symposium" at Oklahoma City University, March 7-8, 2014. He added the link to registering. and I'll add it too.

http://www.okcu.edu/creativepeace/

I, too, encourage you to come to Oklahoma City and participate in this symposium. 

As many of you know, OCU and ICA have collaborated a number of years, initially on the interconnection of the ICA's experience and history and OCU's initiative to become a different type of learning institution that is grounding its academic curriculum in social and ecological responsibility. Secondly, there was a symposium on environmental sustainability. Thirdly, was the symposium on social justice, and this year it is on creative peacemaking. 

The results of these efforts, many of which you helped define, reflect some very good work. Out of this work emerged a new metaphor we are calling the Human Community Network as a way of: 1) coming to terms with the reality of the unsustainable situation; 2) developing a discipline for deliberating and creating while staying away from the paralyzing cultural dualism; 3) engineering the plausibility of a non-violent, constructive reality of systemic transformation for the benefit of the entire human community. 

This Human Community Network is another metaphor for Those Who Care about the future of the human species and the conviction that the processes of life must be for the benefit of all people. Yet, its focus is in the convergence of forces of a global movement toward human community in its global and local context. 

In other words, what brings plausibility to the surface is when many faces, seemingly independent of each other yet are profoundly connected in a conscious relationship and commitment to systemic transformation, come together at any given point of change. 

This will be given substantial shape in May 11-30, 2014 when we do a three week training program for college students called World House Institute. This is an accredited, 3 semester hour credit, meeting many of the university requirements for graduation. Go to the OCU website to see it. We plan to do another three week in 2015, then in 2016 we want to have a stand alone 6-8 week institute that would represent our best thinking of what needs to happen in the 21st century, the make or break century of our planet, and our people. 

Think about this. Your support is needed for this in order for it to be what is needed and we need financial support to make it independent from the usual suspects. But come to the Symposium March 7-8, 2014 and lets work on creative peacemaking. While you are here we will have the chance to go deeper into detail on the larger picture. 

Bill Parker

Terry's message:

Come and hear Robertson where he will be one of the keynote speakers at the Symposium.

Oklahoma City University | March 7-8, 2014

The 2014 Creative Peacemaking Symposium will be held in the Marvel Williamson Center in the Kramer School of Nursing.

The Symposium is co-sponsored by the Oklahoma City University Oikos Scholars Program, the Social & Ecological Responsibility Initiative at Oklahoma City University, VOICE Oklahoma City, and the Institute of Cultural Affairs in the USA

This collaborative two-day symposium will be exploring systemic approaches to peacemaking in education, networking, and advocacy. using on challenges and opportunities facing students, community leaders, and social and cultural organizations, we will explore effective ways for creating community-based programs and partnerships to address issues related to peace. Come join us as we work together toward a more peaceful planet.

For additional details, see limk below and view the agenda.
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