report from Nov 17th institutes meeting re: world wide open space

Birgitt Bolton birgitt at worldchat.com
Mon Nov 23 14:38:03 PST 1998


The following report will come out in the proceedings some time, but it
makes lots of sense to share our excitement with you about world wide open
space and our discussion and further explorations and actions. So here it
is. This was such a very exciting and inspiring discussion that certainly
rekindled my commitment to working with others in this world of Open Space.
And left my OSONOS experience on a high note.

Warmest regards,
Birgitt

Open Space Technology Meeting: Open Space Institutes: November 17th, 1998

Opportunity: World wide Open Space with possibility of becoming an NGO of
the United Nations

Leaders: Birgitt Bolton and Barry Owen
(Birgitt had posted the topic as above. Barry had posted the topic of Global
Open Space. They decided to combine topics)

Participants:
Paul Ash, Brian Bainbridge,Birgitt Bolton,  Chandra Christian, Leon Deking,
Diana Griesshammer, Peggy Holman, Sheila Isakson, Joelle Lyons-Everett, Roy
Mayhugh, Linda Olson, Barry Owen,  Michael Pannwitz, Katrina Petri, Larry
Peterson

Just moments before this discussion began, we had all been dazzled by a
wonderful double rainbow right outside our window, over the ocean.

Birgitt presented her desire for a world wide presence of Open Space. Her
belief is that if enough groups use Open Space throughout the world, that we
will have peace on earth. She also presented information from a meeting that
she had had with Bruce Erickson the evening before. Bruce suggested that if
world wide open space was to be, that for added credibility and contacts,
that World Wide Open Space become an NGO (non-government organization) of
the United Nations. He said that he could facilitate this as a former staff
of the World Health Organization in Geneva and that he could arrange for one
of the three critical conditions to be met---a letter of support for World
Wide Open Space from a member of the United Nations. He could and would also
supply us with the necessary paperwork. The discussion followed along the
following lines:
v The words "world wide" are preferable to "global" or "international". Each
of the other words has particular meanings in other countries
v We agreed that we met one of the three criteria for United Nations NGO
status in that we were represented by people from at least three countries.
There were four countries represented in this discussion
v As OS practitioners that gather together, we gather as a place to meet,
spread the idea of Open Space, we do not gather for profit to any one of us
v Association is a better word for us to be using than Institute
v If the Association has us all as practitioners rather than as members, it
clearly clarifies that we are not here for our own profit
v An Association under British Law is thought as a network for greater good.
In the US the concept of association is different in the non-profit sector
ie: Blue Cross which is really a large money maker
v If we move forward with intention as a United Nations NGO, there will be
many legalities we will have to deal with, the setting up of a bank account,
etc.
v The mailing address of the Association should not be in the US
v We agreed that the NGO status aught to be explored so as to achieve it.
Agreed that Birgitt would research this, and supply notes to others in this
group who would help as needed to move this forward
v World Wide Open Space (Association) would mean that we would transcend
boundaries caused by countries
v Don't disband the local institutes, in fact there should be more in as
many countries as possible
v This world wide presence is not to be a controlling body. Rather more like
an amoeba
v There was great value from the beginning that the two initial Open Space
Institutes were birthed almost simultaneously, taking care of the fact that
there never was one controlling body
v Lets use verb rather than noun "institute"
v Lets use World Wide Open Space rather than adding on any word such as
institute. However agreed that if an added on word is to be used, that the
word be "association" rather than "insitute"
v Larry Peterson then took the initiative of saying that rather than
continuing the conversation about whether or not we had a global intention


 WE HAVE NOW FORMED WORLD WIDE OPEN SPACE

v The institutes all agreed to support World Wide Open Space, to develop a
world wide consciousness through things like stating so on our
correspondence, letterhead, looking for people who can multiply awareness of
the existence of Open Space such as business clubs, do speaking engagements
when possible, do Open Space events when possible (have to experience it to
really understand it)
v Conversation continued regarding having WORLD WIDE OPEN SPACE as an NGO of
United Nations
v Larry would contact Linda Stardob (sp?) who works for the United Nations
Development Program to see what she could offer by way of information/help
v Peggy said that when paperwork needed to be filled out, could reference
the paperwork the US filled out to achieve their 501C3
v All agreed that whatever legalities and structure needed to be set up in
order to meet the criteria for the World Wide Open Space (Association) to
become an NGO of United Nations, that the group will was for this to be kept
to the minimum that we could get away with. We do not want unnecessary
imposed structure.

WE AGREED THAT REGISTRATION AS AN NGO OF THE UNITED NATIONS WOULD GIVE US
ESTABLISHED CREDIBILITY ON A WORLD WIDE LEVEL AND WE WOULD PROCEED WITH
EXPLORING THIS WITH A DESIRE FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME


Warmest regards,
Birgitt

Birgitt Bolton of Dalar Associates
www.openspacetechnology.com
55 Ravina Cres., Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
 L9G 2E8
phone: 905-648-5775  fax: 905-648-2262

>From  Mon Nov 23 21:49:49 1998
Message-Id: <MON.23.NOV.1998.214949.0600.>
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 21:49:49 -0600
Reply-To: mherman at mcs.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Michael Herman <mherman at mcs.net>
Organization: Michael Herman Associates
Subject: Re: report from Nov 17th institutes meeting re: world wide open
 space
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birgitt, thanks for all of your news.  count me in on world wide open
space, as noted below  :-)    m.


--
Michael Herman
Manager, Mediator, Educator, Writer

Michael Herman Associates
300 West North Avenue #1105
Chicago IL 60610
312-280-7838 voice
312-280-7837 fax
mherman at mcs.net

Visit <http://www.mcs.net/~mherman/> for the Global Chicago
Calendar and other resources for creating best possible outcomes...
in world wide open space.



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