Opening Space for a Closing World

Tue Apr 6 06:01:24 PDT 2004

Dear Mikk,
I was very impressed by your letter. Especially by your wish to organize a
vision conference about the future of Estonia.
I was twice in Estonia and have some friends there. If you would need any
help from Russian speaking facilitator of Open Space Technology, Future
Search Conference, Genuine Contact, Essential Peacemaking/women and men, Art
of hosting events - write to me, please.

I've been touched by your compassion to Harrison and I just felt the fresh
air and heard the sounds of birds singing and lifestock moo-moo with your
opening space for spring and different feelings. It was very refreshing and
inspiring after rather long lurking reading about openness-closeness of the
list.

I joint the list rather recently and because of archives - I subscribed to
have access to archives, but never went there as I began to get so many
letters from the list that I had no time to go back and read old postings.
It was fun and lot's of learning.
The current discussion was kind of hard for me as I love Birgitt and feel
her concerns for protection against searching engines (can't really imaging
what is it, but sounds awful) and really want to comfort her with
satisfactory decision. But also I see the good intention  and lots of
volunteer work of Michael H. and outstanding example of total openness of
Harrison. The community of the whole Planet - it's a big vision. Sometimes
to see better we have to close eyes.

Dear Harrison,
if you want to know how wide the space opens in the closed world I will say
that in December I have facilitated an Open space for about 70 women-leaders
from 6 regions of Russian Far East and Siberia in Khabarovsk, in March for 9
of their representatives in Seattle at the end of their study tour to
Washington state. Thanks to Birgitt and our canadien friends Michelle Cooper
and Judi Richardson I'm mentoring my sister who opened space for nurses in
Siberia facilitating 10 OST meetings with nurses in Novosibirsk and Omsk and
the last one in March with 195 nurses in Lensk, Yakutiya. And it works.

About eco-tourism and Croatia:
I have facilitated and co-facilitated two Future search conferences( with
Open Space at the third day) on Eco-tourism development in the Russian
FarEast (in Khabarovsk, 2001) and in Altai Republic(2002), and all what was
needed - to invite a diverse group of stakeholders involved in tourism and
caring for the nature and culture.
 I was in Croatia in 2002 in Vukovar at the European Earthstewards Gathering
and in Latinovac at Peace Trees Project which is a living example of
eco-tourism. Happy to share my contacts on request.

Pictures:
Harrison, I enjoyed your pictures, especially with reflections. Try to turn
them 90 degrees to see the whole picture - it's fun.
I took a set of wonderful pictures kind of like yours at Whidbey Island at
the end of February at the training "The Art of hosting events" at
Aldermarsh house. On the way back to ferry we (with Susan Partnow) visited
the Whidbey Institute and I took some pictures. And on the ferry we bumped
into the hosts of the Whidbey Institute and talked with them all the way.
What a miracle!
Judi and Michelle brought to me your book "Practise of Peace", many of my
friends from different networks were there in November with you and I look
forward to coming to one of the next trainings, probably in Sweden.

Love to all from gloomy Novosibirsk with lots of melting snow and round
rainbows,

Marina Tyasto,

Novosibirsk, Russia
tyasto at sapa.nsk.su

-----Original Message-----
From: mikk sarv [mailto:mikk at elfond.ee]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 2:13 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Opening Space for a Closing World

Dear Harrison!
I was just thinking about same topics these days. In 1099 crusaders defeated
Jerusalem. The Holy Town for Muslims, Jews and Christians was in blood. But
the  God, whom they all share, calls for openness, love and compassion.
The power of endurance of persons, organisations and govrnments lies in
sustained openness. The Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and all other
dictatorships close down because they were closed themselves.
I am preparing a paper for vision conference "What kind of Estonia we want?"
My paper is about openness and learning outdoors. While writing the
presentation, I realised, that openness has been highly evaluated in our
culture and language. Especially important is it in springtime, when all
Nature opens up. The first of April was a day, when farmers had to deliver
cattle from stables. The 14th of April is a day, when the work on fields has
to be started, even when the snow is on field. The first symbolic act has to
be done, just to prove, that you are out and ready to get started with
openness for the springtime.
Next week we are celibrating this day, 14th of April as Outdoor Learning
Day. The day is opened by our Minister of Education and Minister of
Environment. For the period from 14th of April till 14th of October all
schools, kindergardens and universities try to run as  much as possible of
the curriculum outdoors.  All buds, sprouting seeds, bird fleddglings etc
are opening up to learn the world around. To learn together with them and
open up ourselves for it is the best we can do for the time.
Your bad sight might be a challenge to pay more attention to other ways of
openness - like listening to all the spring sounds around.
I enjoyed much your photographs, they are excellent, thank you!
With best greetings from Estonia,
Mikk Sarv

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harrison Owen" <hhowen at COMCAST.NET>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 8:57 PM
Subject: Opening Space for a Closing World

As reported, I have been dealing with the after effects of a cornea
transplant which largely involved stumbling into things which I couldn't
see, and putting endless amounts of drops and salve into an eye that had
clearly seen better days. Minor inconvenience on the macro scale of world
affairs, but it has turned out to be an interesting metaphor for whole mess
of other feelings and associations that have been bumping into my
consciousness. With my eye shut down, although constantly reminding me of
its presence with annoying jabs of pain, I found my world getting smaller
and smaller. Space just closed down, leaving me scant room for anything I
thought to be useful or fun. Truthfully, I was looking for all the sympathy
I could get, and my favorite source of supply, my wife Ethelyn, had just
about run out.

One thing I could do (sort of) was read my email - and as my world closed
in, the vista of little notes from foreign places became sweet indeed. Of
course, I loved to hear from you all - but perhaps most sweat was a note
from a young Croatian student. Never heard of her before - I assume she is a
she, name is Mirja - but what do I know? She wrote at length (you will find
the whole note below) about how she and some colleagues wanted to start an
eco-tourism project in Western Croatia, and could I help. I informed her
that I knew absolutely nothing about Eco-Tourism, but I thought opening a
little space might help. Who knows what will happen, and have yet to hear
back from her - but I just loved how she closed her letter.

"I really do hope you understand the importance your response would have for
my near, as well as for my distant future. Any feedback would be valued and
would benefit our effort in ensuring a better tomorrow!"

Made my day. Opened my space! And I found myself thinking about other ways
of opening some space. Photography has always been a favorite of mine. I
shoot pretty constantly, and I just love the opportunity to see what I see.
However, I have to confess that at the moment, thoughts of photography come
rather bitter-sweet, since I can't rightly see. But I do have a whole mess
of pictures, some of which I think are rather nice. As it happened I got a
call from Ranger Rod, the local Park Service ranger who said he had heard
about my pictures, and would I consider doing an exhibit at the Ranger
Station. And if I had nothing else to do, would I come over this morning so
that we might talk. Sounded good to me - certainly better than sitting
around feeling sorry for myself and getting absolutely no sympathy. When I
arrived at the Ranger Station, Ranger Rod was sweeping the floor, wearing a
dust mask. His eyes were watering, and he looked pretty bad, but when I
flopped down the book of shots, he came over, took off his mask and silently
started flipping through the pages. He didn't say a word for about 5 minutes
- then he said "These are Beautiful, and they are all from my park. Since
our budget has been cut, I have been chained to a desk and just can't get
out much any more." Opened a little more space, I think.

The morning newspaper comes with all sorts of stores about space closing.
Israel is building a fence, the Marines have closed off Falujah, we in the
US struggle with the Patriot Act, folks in Spain are wondering when the next
terrorists will strike, and how to keep them out . . . It is getting pretty
close. And the closer it gets the more our possibilities are limited, and
the human Spirit withers. In an odd way, the more we try to preserve that
Spirit, the more it seems in jeopardy. Some wise soul remarked that after
studying history for a long time he had concluded that the telling end-stage
of any country or civilization showed up when they spent more time trying to
protect what they had than growing what they might become (my words, but his
thought). Definite closure of space.

So I thought to myself, thought I, how to open some more space - anywhere,
anyhow, with anyone???? Doing an OS is cool, but surely that represents but
a tiny fraction of the opportunities available.  So come on Folks (Lurkers
included) how do we open up some more space? And how are we doing right now.
Perhaps if we shared we cold give each other some really good ideas.

Harrison

PS  And if you are interested in some of my photo-spaces check out
www.ho-image.com

****************************************************************************
*************

First, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Mirja Sekulovic and I am
a senior student at the American College of Management and Technology, in
Dubrovnik, Croatia. A long-time interest in the tourism industry motivated
me to engage in a hotel/resort management Bachelors Degree, which I will
obtain this May. Being so, I chose to research the possibilities of
ecotourism development in Dubrovnik area for my senior project. I am highly
motivated by this topic because after hearing and learning a lot about
ecotourism, I came to realize this kind of development is exactly what
Dubrovnik area needs. More specifically, I decided to focus on Konavle area.
Konavle is located in the Dubrovnik County, in its southern part of Croatia.
It comprises a variety of attractions: unique culture, history and
traditional customs (traditional costumes, folklore, handcraft, viticulture,
authentic foods, farming) and beautiful unspoiled nature and sea. To my
knowledge these features are potentially applicable for ecotourism
development. Various travel agencies have recently started offering various
activities (safari tours, horse back riding, and silk manufacturing) as
their excursions, but that is all on individual basis, and therefore can not
create a complete vacation for an eco tourist. The interest from the side of
the local community is present, and it can be seen by various attempts of
developing individual rural tourism lodging units. I personally see
ecotourism development as my future profession. My colleagues have also
researched ecotourism development in Konavle for their senior projects, and
therefore we are familiar with this concept.

I would kindly like to ask for your advice in steps that should be taken in
order to start with the ecotourism development in Konavle. I would like to
know how you would organize the development in the described circumstances.
What type of organization would you create to achieve the goals?
What does a specific area need to posses (in terms of infrastructure and
amenities, as well as activities) in order for you to consider it as an
ecotourism destination?  What do you think are the major benefits of
ecotourism development?

I really do hope you understand the importance your response would have for
my near, as well as for my distant future. Any feedback would be valued and
would benefit our effort in ensuring a better tomorrow!
Mirja [mirja.sekulovic at du.htnet.hr]

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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