Announcing "The Practice of Peace"

[Harrison Owen]

Now Available! The Practice of Peace

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

One year ago late at night, I found myself on a rooftop near Tel Aviv,
contemplating the state of our world and the coming days in which Tova
Averbuch, Avner Haramati and I would facilitate an Open Space Training
Program. I confess that nothing was making very much sense. Given the chaos
of the moment (which has scarcely improved) and the paucity of our efforts
and tools, despair seemed the only reasonable option. However, in that
moment, I found myself speaking to the night, "It is all about the Practice
of Peace," --  knowing full well that I didn't have a clue what that meant.

In the months that followed I was driven to write, and as I did, the nub of
an idea pushed to the surface coming from our global experience with Open
Space. Every time space was opened in my experience (and apparently in the
experience of many others) the chaos, confusion and conflict manifest in
the groups involved were somehow acknowledged, included, and transcended,
yielding to a condition I could only call, Genuine Community. One might say
Peace. Could it be that when Peace in our lives is threatened, a first and
critical step might just be -- Open Space? Not just doing an Open Space
Event, but also applying what might be called the open space principles in
our broader activities? From there on out it was just a mass of further
questions. How and why could this possibly work? And what would we do anyhow?

I make no pretence that all the questions have been answered, but after
nine months of gestation a DRAFT manuscript emerged. In early September I
invited many of you to take a look, and 180 people responded. The comments
were detailed, pointed and helpful, but nobody said, Kill the Project. With
profound thanks to all who gave of their time, energy and thoughts, I am
pleased to announce that we now have a book -- The Practice of Peace.

I offered the result to my current publisher, Berrett-Koehler mostly by way
of courtesy because I did not think it really fit with their program. Steve
Piersanti, the publisher concurred, and so we have chosen to go a different
way. You might call it Global Chaordic Publication. Colleagues from around
the world who have been hosting the several Open Space Institutes agreed to
simultaneously publish the book in each of their respective areas. I have
waived all claims for royalties, and the  net proceeds will be used by each
Institute to support the use and practice of Open Space worldwide. We have
pegged the official price at $20(US or local equivalent) with plenty of
room for discounts in case of need or for large quantities. To receive your
copy, please contact any of the following:

Germany / Michael M Pannwitz <mmpanne at snafu.de>
United States / Peggy Holman <sales at openspaceworld.org>
Canada / Larry Peterson <larry at spiritedorg.com >
Australia / Brian Bainbridge <briansb at mira.net>
Sweden / Thomas Herrmann <thomas at openspaceconsulting.com>
Haiti / John Engle   <englejohn at hotmail.com>
Taiwan / Gail West <icataiw at ms69.hinet.net>
Israel / Tova Averbuch <averbuch at post.tau.ac.il>
Anywhere / Harrison Owen <owenhh at mindspring.com>

For a preview click on http://openspaceworld.com/intro%20to%20pop.htm where
you will find a full copy of the first chapter, located on our website,
www.openspaceworld,com .

Tomorrow I climb on board United 916 to Frankfort, and then onwards to Tel
Aviv with Lufthansa. Once again we will be doing an Open Space Training
Program in Jerusalem, and with luck, also one in Ramallah. The situation in
that part of the world has deteriorated enormously over the past year. But
perhaps it has reached that awesome crisis point where choices must be
made, and real movement is possible. I am under no illusion that Tova,
Avner and I, along with our Palestinian colleagues can single handedly
change the course of events. I feel quite comfortable, however, with the
thought that we may make a genuine contribution. It is all about The
Practice of Peace.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Harrison




Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-365-2093
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm

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