[OSList] An invitation for future invitations to WOSONOS

[Pernilla Luttropp via OSList]

Hi all!
At the inspiring WOSONOS in Kraków there were some learning conversations on
how this community  goes about when expressing and accepting invitations
from countries/places to host the upcoming WOSONOSes.
 
In the big circle there were voices that expressed some confusion and
discomfort with the process. Others said that whatever happened, they would
trust the process. There was also the mentioning of Œtraditions¹ and the
ways things are usually done at a WOSONOS. And the reminder that traditions
are made in every single now and ŒWhatever happens is the only thing that
could have¹.
 
If you are new to WOSONOS
This is how it¹s usually done (I think): the countries that wish to host the
next WOSONOS makes an invitation at the closing circle of the WOSONOS and
the participants are free to accept any of the invitations. The process of
accepting the invitation is sometimes done by some kind of Œvoting¹
procedure in order to agree on one place. There is often someone who reminds
everybody that the only way to Œvote¹ in Open Space is by applying ŒThe law
of mobility¹. There is no need to only have one WOSONOS, there could be
multiple since ŒWherever it happens is the right place¹.
 
My view
I am personally very uncomfortable to use the words Œvoting¹ or to Œmake a
collective decision¹ within an Open Space. One of the beauties with Open
Space is taking responsibility for your own engagement. If we all share the
same engagement we will walk in the same direction, eventually. But
sometimes it takes time for things to emerge.
If a group decides on voting there are many good methods and it¹s of outmost
importance for those present to understand what they are about to do, in
order to make an informed decision. Is it a majority decision? How many is
the majority? What happens if some vote no? Is it possible to have a ballot
vote? Is it the role of the facilitator to sum it up and make the final
decision? In my view, we can only express our appreciation for the
invitation at the Open Space, offer help if needed and make use of the law
of mobility. 
 
An invitation
This is an invitation to try something else and maybe to let go of a
Œtradition¹. What if we opened up at the beginning of the process in order
to see how it self organizes at the end?
There seems to be something unclear about the Œtradition¹ on how to get
information about who is inviting and why. If that information were
transparent from the very start of the WOSONOS, it might enable more
dialogue with the inviting hosts and between the hosts.
 
The countries/places that wish to host a future WOSONOS could post this on
the OSLIST and Facebook and send a gentle reminder a few weeks before the
upcoming WOSONOS. The inviting hosts would then be posted on a flip chart at
the WOSONOS and announced as a session when creating the bulletin board or
at the evening news. As always there is the opportunity to add places,
sessions and news announcements up until the closing circle, both on the
spot and via other ways of communicating. This would make it easier for
everyone to approach the hosts, express their delight or ask clarifying
questions. It would also enable the hosts (or their representatives) to come
together in a session and find out how they would like to do the invitations
in the closing circle. Maybe some will wait until next year? Maybe multiple
WOSONOSes in one year? Maybe in different continents at the same time? Maybe
with different themes/urgent questions? Let¹s embrace chaos and see what
emerges! Or ŒWhatever happens is the only thing that could have¹.
 
Since the closing circle have a more definite dead line than ŒWhen it is
over it is over¹, due to flights and other time restrictions, this prolonged
invitation process will open up time for more dialogues and invitations.
But then again, as said in the closing circle in Kraków, there is nothing
like a good mess in order to learn something new J
 
Maybe it has been tried before and in that case I¹m interested to know how
it worked or didn¹t work.

Greetings from Sweden!
Pernilla

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