Fwd: Open Space in Batavia, Illinois

[Harrison Owen]

Looks like some space will be opened -- which is just grand. I wish Roger 
well, as I am sure all of you do to. And by the way, if this inspires you 
to do something similar, so much the better. And just so you know I am 
walking my talk, at least a little bit, I am off to new York to 
co-facilitate (with Karen Davis) an Open Space for an International student 
group with representation from all over the world. Theme of course is 911, 
Now What? Interesting side piece is that all this will take place in a 
Jewish Facility that is opening specially for us on the Sabbath. I'll let 
you know how it all turns out.

Harrison


>From: REBreisch at aol.com
>Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 16:00:43 EDT
>Subject: Open Space in Batavia, Illinois
>To: owenhh at mindspring.com
>X-Mailer: AOL 6.0 for Windows US sub 10536
>
>Harrison,
>
>I just wanted you to know that we are going do to a two-day Open Space in 
>Batavia, Illinois entitled "September 11, 2001...Now what."  It is only 
>happening because of your generous invitation of last week.
>
>We will have the first session on Saturday, Nov 3 from 8am until 4pm and 
>the second on Tuesday from 4pm until 9pm.  This way we can have access to 
>the maximum number of people.
>
>If you are interested I have included a draft of my invitation letter below.
>
>Thank you again for your generosity.
>
>Regards,
>
>Roger Breisch
>*********************************************
>
>September 11, 2001…Now what?
>
>Please join us for an open forum on Saturday, November 3 and Tuesday, 
>November 6 to discuss what we are called to do differently as a result of 
>the tragedies the world recently experienced.  I am organizing this forum 
>under the auspices of the Batavia ACCESS Committee with generous support 
>from local citizens, the City, Park District and School District.  I know 
>I am asking for a significant time commitment, but these times demand much 
>from us.  Join us for any portions of the forum you can.
>
>No event in my lifetime has called me to rethink who I am—as an 
>American, as a human being, as a citizen in the 21st century world—more 
>than the horror I witnessed on September 11.  In my remarks at the recent 
>Batavia memorial, I suggested that “if we do not allow the deep sadness 
>to change us…if we do not demand the very best from each other beginning 
>today and every day ahead, than thousands of our friends and relatives 
>will have died in vain, and that is simply unacceptable.  We dare not 
>take one further step into the future if we cannot do it as better human 
>beings…better citizens of the world.”
>
>I want to understand, better than I do now, how humans can come to hate so 
>much.  What can I do to foster understanding?  What can I do to help 
>create a new world for future generations?  If I do nothing, I will not 
>be able to face my children and grandchildren when they ask why I remained 
>silent at a time when silence did not serve us.  I want to talk with 
>friends and neighbors about how we might live into the dream of a world in 
>which such horror needn’t be a human companion.  If it’s not possible 
>to eliminate such suffering, then I need a new context in which to 
>understand it.
>
>I hope you will help me explore how I can step more gently and generously 
>into the future.

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh

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