OS Belgrade

[Harrison Owen]

As Always -- Truly wonderful -- what you do and how you do it. Many thanks!

ho

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20854
Phone 301-365-2093
Skype hhowen
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com 
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.ho-image.com 
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Phelim
McDermott
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 1:12 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: OS Belgrade

Hi Folks,

It's Phelim here from my hotel room in Belgrade lying on my bed like a  
great big butterfly! (Think of it as an alternative Kafka story with a  
positive bent). I just finished facilitating a three day open space  
event set up for us by the British Council here. It was for the  
disability community in Serbia. Our question was "How can individuals  
and institutions contribute to a more inclusive society?." I am lying  
here with my heart opened by the extraordinary experience. There were  
amazing contributions, experiences and projects which have been  
supported as both initial dreams and tangible projects to leave the  
room.  From an online forum, to a fashion clothing and catwalk project  
for disabled people, to a bus that will give children in the south who  
never see any theatre a chance to see puppet shows.  The creativity  
and spirit has been both awesome and humbling. A real diversity of  
professions,   feet and wheels! Gorgeous!

This event itself has grown out of  series of five open spaces set up  
across Europe called creative collaborations. Istannbul. Varna,  
Jerusalem, Athens, Bucharest and this final one grew from a someone  
being inspired to make it happen on our first on in Istanbul. All  
using open space to support inter country collaborations. We have  
learnt so much from tis journey as we have mentored our own company in  
facilitating different ones and learnt how wonderful open space is for  
meeting the creative spirits that inspire us in this world. The  
British council have been amazing and have embraced open space as a  
form that can really create change often we have seen processes from  
skepticism to advocates.

Chris your document came at just the right time to support me around  
opening space for convergence as I was keen to do after working with  
Lisa and Wosonos thanks for that.

Of course there is so much to talk about but in our closing circle  
people were amazed at the event and this meeting had never happened  
for this community on any level in Serbia before. I can't tell you how  
big the challenges are for disabled people here! As ever in my  
experience the answer to the question posed can be summed up simply  
"By finding ways to do what we just did: open hearts.. Open space."
Anyway must FLY off to see "Candoco" the beautiful disabled dance  
company the British council have brought to perform here as a  
celebration of disability and creativity!

Love and smiles

Phelim

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