open space Iraq

Harrison Owen hhowen at comcast.net
Wed Sep 15 12:17:42 PDT 2004


Good Job -- Well Done!!  It sounds as if your experience in Iraq closely
parallels mine in the Middle East. I was profoundly humbled when folks would
say without invitation that they had come with very little hope, a lack of
respect for themselves and others and virtually no trust in that present
moment or future iterations. And much to their surprise, they found all
three: respect, trust, and hope. Amazing how something so simple can
accomplish so much. In all cases I knew that Peace, in the deepest sense had
put in an appearance. And for sure I will see you in Goa.

Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
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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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Zachary
Metz
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 8:29 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: open space Iraq

Hi folks,

I just wanted to offer a quick but from the heart note about Open Space in
Iraq.  Iraq is in the news every single day, and the news is clearly grim
and mostly painful. I am here now, in Kirkuk, and we (a team from Columbia
University Center for International Conflict Resolution) just finishd two
workshops with forty people, both culminating in a one-day Open Space. In
August we did one with 20 people, so now at least 60 people have had this
experience.

I intend to write all of this up, but I just want to say that all of these
OS experiences have been very poweful for all involved. The opportunity to
listen and be heard in a safe and creative environment has profound impact
here. In the closing, many people spoke of the power of the experience and
the new opportunities this raises. Please keep in mind that these OS
experiences were happening under armed gaurd, and many participants needed
to take serious risks to get to the event. Hope is something that is slowly
but surely being drained from these communities and at least I am hopeful
that OS has helped keep people hopeful, which is all that we can ask at this
moment really.

I look forward to seeing some of you in Goa. Take care all, Zachary Metz

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