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A Working Retreat at Lake Tahoe August 3-5, 2000 Thriving in the 21st Century: An Architecture to Transform Humanity's Future Day One-- Evening Session Introduction and welcome by Joseph Kruth, TCSF and Retreat Chair. The context, purpose and hoped for outcomes and process of the retreat were reviewed. Participants introduced themselves to the group. Context The dawn of the 21st century offers unprecedented opportunities and challenges for humanity. While a trend can be found to support nearly any belief, at the most fundamental level, we have the power to choose our future based on values, relationships and principles. An explosion of democratic, altruistic, values-based systemic change is emerging in communities "of place" and "of interest." Democratic movements worldwide, WTO protests at Seattle, efforts to protect biodiversity in the Amazon, and a myriad of other examples are bringing people together. Linked by shared concerns, human values and the power of the Internet, they are changing the dynamics of relationships, with the environment, each other and hierarchical authority structures. A "transformational movement" of a "million points of Light" is clearly underway, deeply motivated by a connection to Spirit or the Divine, by any name, and to others and the environment. It foretells evolution and a whole-systems transformation across all levels of scale in our rapidly changing world. Shared connection, collaboration and abundance are being offered as alternatives to relegate domination, competition and scarcity to their appropriate context. Purpose and Outcomes We believe the time is right to explore how to bring together the people, resources and knowledge to create the future we want. Our informal network described below continues to expand and align with others sharing similar values towards a common goal - creating a more equitable, rewarding and sustainable future. All of these efforts grow in influence as they link with others to build "pathways to sustainability." |
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Outcomes of our dialogue will include strengthening the personal relationships among competent, committed individuals. Another outcome will be to focus on key meta-principles and the underlying assumptions that inform choices at all levels. These principles include ideas such as whole systems, dynamic sustainability, alignment, congruence, collaboration, continual learning, integrating what we already know to the trends of the future, helping each other be successful, and taking appropriate risks. Examining assumptions of the context for systems and institutions allows evaluation of mission, actions, results and ability to meet future needs. If they can not meet them, do they need to be reformed, transformed, or replaced? Another outcome will be to agree on how to develop "capacities for transformation" that will lead to sustainable communities at the local level. We will explore how to collaborate to create an environment for transformation at all levels, from the local to the international, leading to a vital and quality future for our children and grandchildren. We will agree on these processes, definitions and identify other outcomes as part of meeting in a spirit of dialogue and collaboration. We will also explore how over time we can align with others and co-create a holistic framework and a platform for action to align systems and produce goals based on the values by which we want to live. Process In order to be able to connect to a broader community aligned with the ideas, policies and capacities related to transformation, we intend to focus on five elements: 1) values, 2) capacity building, 3) processes, 4) policies, and 5) resources. Day Two-- Morning Session The group visited what they wanted to accomplish at the gathering. Individuals examined where they came from and where they wanted to go. Themes that emerged from the prior evening's session were reviewed:
The Napa Tetrahedron of Generational sustainability was distributed and explained by Prasad Kaipa and discussed by the group serving as a connective tissue to the prior gathering in 1997. It's explanation lead into a discussion of transformation and natural systems dealing with inherent complexity and change. Transformation was examined at the individual, organizational, community and cultural levels. The group began to agree that creating conditions for people to be and do their best was essential and that a systems approach, modeled as a web, illustrated the interconnectedness of these conditions. Nature's existing organization provides historical wisdom that is past down to all of us. Nature's teachings can provide the most rapid insights into the necessary cultural conditions for saving our world in the shrinking window of opportunity. Nature must be treated as a partner as humankind establishes its intentions and patterns that must honor the past and begin now to mimic nature's organization. These conversations must be advanced to more people. It's critical that all human kind is doing it right. A set of agreed to terms that work in our heads as well as our hearts is required for the language of the process to be comfortable and accessible to break down the cultural blocks that prevent us from learning from nature. Accepting our sameness and oneness shortens the journey. The Process of Progress A discussion ensued around existing processes for changing public policy creation. Communities around the world are delving into the "art of the possible" through common statements of values and balance with nature. There is a movement away form the either or paradigm toward one of wholeness where all are doing their best and emerging groups are recognized through coexisting parallel simultaneous policy setting processes. Day 2-- Afternoon Breakout Groups Participants agreed to continue the mornings discussions in afternoon breakouts. The groups was transported by the historic Thunderbird Yacht to the Thunderbird Lodge for the afternoon sessions. Participants agreed to assemble into four small groups which condensed to three: Actions to take, Ecology, and Community. Topics emerged and were self organizing around a series of common questions: 1) what is needed to create desired conditions, 2) actions to take, 3) how must we act, 4) required processes, and 5) required capacities. A focus on creating conditions for cultural level transformation. Behaviors were examined at the individual and socially organized levels and aligned on a continuum for implicit behaviors to explicit ones. Breakout groups presented their results. Key concepts included a commitment to examining and identifying existing ecological principles and laws to select those underlying natural principles that could feed into a social process that permits the expression of an emerging constellation of community values. One group took action and began to draft the Declaration as a method for communicating the conditions required for transformational change and for initiating the political will to make the changes/capacities for extending the sustainability conversations to include social and economic justice. Upon returning to SNC Rick Smyre was asked to present an introduction to his activities with communities around the world that are positioning themselves for transformational change. An explanation of reforming vs transformational change was shared. The importance of providing a "futures context" as a framework for engaging community members in a process for looking at their future was emphasized. Such a process permits multiple parallel simultaneous efforts. Critical capacities in forging a commonly held vision of a communities future include networking (internet), agreement to emphasizing the common good, and investing in a process that will cover at least a generation. Day Two-Evening Session The group reconvened for a reception and dinner on Friday Evening at SNC. J. T. and Linde' Ravize'- local nature photographer and poet and co-authors of Hearts of Light-Impressions of Lake Tahoe presented some of their works and efforts at sharing Tahoe with national policy makers. Day Three--Morning Session The morning session focused on the language and terminology for sustainability and for describing desired future conditions. Issues of application throughout the world were openly discussed. While struggling to agree on terms the group realized that the language and terms used should emerge from the particular setting/situation/culture and its priorities. The terms would necessarily resonate with the values associated with a sustainable future and the present needs of that culture. We realized that not all cultures are as capable or prepared for transformation yet at least some of their members share values that transcends multiple cultures. The language is not critical as long as the outcomes of the actions it describes are congruent with a sustainable future's desired conditions that emerge form the world's systems (natural and man made). Day Three-Afternoon Session Group agreed to breakout and work on particular concepts while defining the actions and commitments of the group. Concepts examined included: Building a new tetrahedron Writing the A Declaration of Conscience Concerning the Necessity of Working Toward A Sustainable Future Transformational Change How will we communicate with other groups Next steps action list Resource matrix The examination took place within three overarching goals: to inspire and energize, to challenge, to provide direction. Key discoveries from the small groups: Tetrahedron 1. The real new Economy is based on abundance 2. Connect measurement of environment. 3. Create systems of distribution to stakeholders **Reinventing democracy **Value system based on interdependence and common good Interdependent living systems Declaration, draft was created and shared with all participants Language, must be developed and used which communicates our passion Transformation in a generation means 15-17 years and must involve - Energy Nurturing Partnership Collaboration Communization Community Next Steps -next year meeting confirmed -list of similar websites from groups with similar ideas to be assembled and linked -web-based communications for next year -e-groups to be created for participants and for others to join in the conversation -global list-serv. -create a bibliography of references -establish a Website -outreach for Tahoe Declaration (Take out ad in newspaper -Aug. 27th) Resource Matrix A sharing of gifts we bring to the group occurred along with receiving support commitments for completing this gathering's requests and for creating next years gathering at Tahoe. Closure: The group presented heartfelt closing comments in a linked circle under the trees of Tahoe. |