<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">It is amazing what you, Claudia, and others around you, have created in such challenging times. Thank you for that recap below. </font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">You are an inspiration to all of us.</span><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">Your opening of space is creating light that is so crucial in this path towards more democracy. That light also warms up our hopes for you and for everyone on this planet. </font><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">Wishes of love and peace for the new year. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">My heart is with you,</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">Diane<br></font><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;
"><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">----- Forwarded Message -----</span><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; "><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">From:</span></b> Dr. Claudia Gross <info@claudiagross.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">To:</span></b> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org <br><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, December 28, 2011 8:48:58 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">Subject:</span></b> [OSList] Open Space development in Egypt 2011<br></font><br><div id="yiv135127869"><div dir="ltr"><font color="#000099"><font><font face="verdana,sans-serif">Dear All!<br><br>A great year is about to be over soon - and another wonder-ful year
is ready to start.<br>In Germany, we call this period between Christmas and New Year "between the years" and this is exactly how I feel right now:<br>Having a look back on the TaDa's of 2011 (its high points, successes, joys) and dreaming about 2012 ;-)<br><br>It's the perfect time to have a look back on the development of Open Space in Egypt.<br>As you already have seen in Eslam Erman's post, the short movie about one of the OS events documents our work "live and in colour":<br></font></font></font><font color="#000099" size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985133" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "><font><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l7iZ955QH8&feature=share" style="color: blue !important; text-decoration: underline !important; cursor: text !important; ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l7iZ955QH8&feature=share</a></font></font><font size="2"
class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985135" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "> . It was so fantastic and encouraging to receive your great comments and feedback - highly appreciated! :-)<br><br>In total, 10 Open Spaces </font><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985137" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">were facilitated </font><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985139" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">(+ 1 happening on Dec 31st - insha'allah) on topics as diverse as "Egypt at the Crossroads", "Unity in Diversity"/ interfaith dialogues, refugees in Egypt, voluntarism, effective citizenship - just to name a few. Over 400 women and men from over 20 Egyptian governorates have participated in the events. They are still in contact by closed fb groups and are now working on the next steps initiatives they have
identified.<br><br>Additionally, the website Open Space Egypt was created by Eslam (<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.openspaceegypt.com/" style="color: blue !important; text-decoration: underline !important; cursor: text !important; ">http://www.openspaceegypt.com/</a>) and has its own fb group (<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/257887974253169/" style="color: blue !important; text-decoration: underline !important; cursor: text !important; ">http://www.facebook.com/groups/257887974253169/</a>). Thanks to Ramy Mortada we have new great posters with the five OS principles, the law, butterflies & bumblebees and the final admonition in Arabic and English. We are currently in the process of translating more material as Arabic resources for the coming Open Space events. <br><br>To respond to the need of having Arabic speaking Open Space facilitators, I have trained a group of 13 who are now able
to facilitate their own events. Right after this training, I was asked by others to repeat the training, so the basis of Arabic speaking facilitators will increase in 2012 again. The weekend after this training, the new facilitators already run their first Open Space on Informal Areas: two of them facilitated it and five were assisting them as a core team. Can't tell you how proud I was when I saw all of them making this event happen - it was a big and inspiring success! :-)<br><br>The </font><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985141" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">development of </font><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985143" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">Open Space in Egypt has gained momentum: The new facilitators are planning to organize more Open Spaces, we all want to increase the PR to attract more sponsors and interested
participants, </font><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985145" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">we continue our OSLEX meetings to have an exchange on our learning, </font><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985147" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); ">and we keep on translating and developing useful materials to support the facilitators regarding their important work. <br>I personally believe it's just a matter of time until we start supporting other countries in the Arab world in facilitating their own Open Spaces ;-)<br><br>Wish you all a great year 2012 filled with health, love, joy and peace!<br><br>Warm regards from Cairo,<br><br>Claudia<br></font></div><div><font size="2" class="yui_3_2_0_33_1325177444985147" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "><br></font></div></div></span></span></div></div></div></div></body></html>