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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>Dear Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>I would like to share my experience of the process in <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>. Here’s the
long story:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>About a week before my departure to <st1:City w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City>
I received a request from Lisa Heft asking if I would carry the invitation from
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:City> for
the OSonOS 2007. I replied that I would be honoured and delighted to do
that, but would need some more information to do the best job I could.
Lisa and I attempted to get in touch many times in the small space of time
before the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
event, but we never managed to connect. Lisa is a remarkable woman whom
I deeply respect—and so I did the best I could with what I knew.
Lisa also asked and trusted me to be sensitive to whatever energy might emerge
at the event itself. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>And energy did emerge. We were all astounded at the
quality of the invitation put forward by three very professional women from <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Ukraine</st1:country-region>, including <st1:place w:st="on">Yana</st1:place>.
They spelled out many benefits of holding the next event in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ukraine</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
They were well-informed and responsive to our questions and concerns. We
did not feel hijacked. There was no bullying. There was tremendous
energy and positive spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>Over the three days of the conference, we had come to know
these women well. We were impressed by the quality of work they were
doing in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ukraine</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Amazed at how much space they were opening in all sorts of arenas from business
to social service to government. We thought that the world community
could benefit from exposure to this remarkable energy and growth that is
happening with OS in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ukraine</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>We also had to confront some serious issues. When we
asked who could come to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:City>,
and let me be clear, this was not who wanted to come, but who would literally
be able to enter the country. Only those of us from Western countries
raised our hands (8 out of about 60 present). When asked who could come
to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ukraine</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
all raised their hands. This raised a huge question for me—one that
burns still—in this political climate can <st1:place w:st="on">North
America</st1:place> issue a truly international invitation? (Galina was
unable to obtain a visa to enter <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region>
in order to present the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
bid herself.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>It was not an easy decision and one not lightly
made. It was made after significant conversation and thought—all civil,
respectful and inclusive of all the invitations presented and all those present.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>Yana is an intelligent, delightful, professional, hard-working
woman doing excellent work in youth justice in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Ukraine</st1:place></st1:country-region>. To see her treated with
disrespect verging on hatred is distressing. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>Wendy<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>Wendy Farmer-O'Neil</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>Prospera Communications & Consulting Services</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>250.713.2351/1.800.713.2351</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Georgia'>weblog: www.wordgravity.blogspot.com</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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