Fwd: Latin American Conference in Bolivia

[Jeff Aitken]

Forwarded from the International Association of Facilitators:

From: Gilbert Brenson-Lazan <brenson at attglobal.net>
 Subject: Latin American Conference in Bolivia
 Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 08:13:31 -0800

 Good morning, all:

 More than 50 new IAF members, three new Regional Networks and two
up-coming RFLs for the 2002 conference, were just some of the results of
the Second Latin American Facilitators Conference that just finished a
week´s activities in Cochabamba, Bolivia, with the theme of "A Strategic
Leap to the Third Millennium".  Representatives from 19 countries enjoyed
the warm hospitality of the "Cochabambinos" and were the attraction for the
local press and television during the entire event.

 Conference Co-Chairs Alba Gamarra de Guardia and Walter Canelo, with the
sponsorship of the Cochabamba Chamber of Commerce, CINER and Amauta
International, and with the permanent mentoring of IAF Regional Coordinator
María Begoña Rodas Carrillo, were able to achieve a very successful
conference in spite of some tremendous odds including a rash of political
unrest and nationwide strikes in Bolivia, last minute withdrawals of
promised sponsorship by North American Companies and presenter no-shows.

 A smaller conference (250 participants) by Latin American standards, the
reduced size, nonetheless, permitted a much greater degree of intimacy,
which was very much appreciated by the attendees.  This was especially seen
in the work teams that developed during Birds of a Feather sessions on
regional social concerns.  A total of eleven, two-day Pre-Conference
Courses and sixty half-day workshops were held at the wooded Cochabamba
Fairgrounds under a bright springtime sun.  These workshops, dedicated to
such widely diverse threads as Community Development, Strategic Planning,
Team Building, Personal Growth, Dispute Resolution,  New Frontiers of
Facilitation, Ecology and others, showed a marked increase in professional
quality and reflected the growing importance of the profession of
facilitation in Latin America.  Four IAF ACT members were also in
attendance and were active participants in the event, both in the workshops
and during the informal activities.

 Social activities included formal dinners, several presentations by
different native dancers and singers,  a samba festival and the
presentation of a complete closing night "documentary film" on the event.
Even when it was over it wasn´t over; small groups spontaneously formed to
continue sightseeing throughout Bolivia and conversing together on Sunday
and Monday.

 Facilitation is clearly coming of age in Latin America.  It is now more
widely known and used in companies, communities and other groups and is
recognized as the profession it is.  The feeling of the group at this
conference was that the strategy now would be to develop and strengthen
smaller regional groups and conferences and to maintain the Latin
American-wide Conference as a biennial event.

 Warm regards to all,

 Gil



    ***************************************
    AMAUTA INTERNATIONAL, LLC
  Gilbert Brenson-Lazan - Socio-Gerente
   Tel: (+57-1) 345-2724 - Fax: 345-2072
 U.S. Voice Mail and Fax: (206) 888-4386
         e-mail: <gbl at amauta.org>
       website: <<http://amauta.org/>http://amauta.org>
       *********************************

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