SUMMARY OF
50TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT IN ST. LOUIS, MO ON MAY 19, 2012
One of the
events marking the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Cultural
Affairs took place on Saturday, May 19, 2012 in Ferguson, MO, a first-ring
suburb of the City of St. Louis. It was
an “Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream” symposium, an experience of
inspiring exploration into the links between the three facets of a “new dream”
for humanity and planet earth: environmental sustainability, social justice,
and spiritual fulfillment. The idea of
the symposium grew out of the Pachamama Alliance formed ten years ago among
indigenous peoples in Ecuador, Latin America and their concerns about what the
industrial nations were doing to their land and their way of life. It combines leading edge information, live
presentation, excellent video clips, and group interaction. The Ferguson symposium was held from 8:15 to
12:15 p.m. in the parish hall of the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and was
hosted by Carleton and Ellie Stock, long-time members of the ICA, living in the
community the last 14 years.
There were
27 participants, two hosts, and two facilitators from the Rockhaven Ecozoic
Center about an hour from the site. 22
were female, 5 male, ranging in age from late 40’s to 80. Two thirds were from the greater Ferguson
area via residency, job or organization.
Thirteen were newcomers and unlike the others had not attended any of
the monthly environmental video nights leading up to the symposium.
Highlights
of the event:
·
Good
attention, participation, sharing and spirit
·
Excellent
trained and experienced facilitators from the Pachamama Alliance network
·
Tears
of pain because of what we are doing to the earth, our mother and tears of joy
and hope because of what is already being done by others and can be done by us.
·
The
weaving together of the personal, the spiritual, and social justice
·
Display
table with books, videos, local organizations, and ICA video and newsletter
·
People
were introduced to the world-wide Transition Community movement
·
Focused
participation in the ICA art form project of writing promises, hopes and vision
for the next 50 years on pieces of fabric to be incorporated into one large art
form in Chicago.
·
Ellie
Stock sang a song she had recently written for the occasion, “Let the Earth
Breathe”
·
Seven
signed up for the Ferguson Transition Team, meeting in two weeks to follow up
on what all this means for the Ferguson area.
The two
biggest challenges coming out of the symposium were the need to recruit more
males and more younger participants to the event and figuring out what the
agenda for the Ferguson Transition Team will be.