The 5th and 6th editions of Enriching Encounters took place in May 2018. They shone a light on local residents' stories as a tool for building trust amongst the locals by using a version of the Human Library.

For this version the audience had a choice of two story-tellers each of whom spoke for 10 minutes followed by 10 minutes of questions. Each story was given a coloured label. At the end of the story-telling period, the audience was invited to get together with other people who had a different colour and to share what they had heard. The technique allows for an integration of stories, creates empathy and leads to sharing between people of all different backgrounds in Geneva.

The 5th edition on 18 May was a collaboration between the City of Geneva and the Antenne Sociale de Proximité Eaux-Vives/Cité Champel (The Eaux-Vives/Cité Champel Local Social Outpost). Three women, Munna Bunna, Eva Jacques-Kolbig and Giannina Chaffo, spoke during the human library as part of the “Ô Vives les Vollandes” project. This project was launched in 2017 following tension in the neighbourhood, notably as a result of noise and antisocial behaviour in the Vollandes public area. Through a variety of activities, the project has given locals a social reason to meet at the Vollandes public area. At the human libraries event, there were roughly thirty people of all ages attended the event.

Then, on 31 May, we organised the 6^th edition in partnership with the Centre de la Roseraie, which hosts, trains and runs migrant groups in Geneva. It took place in the evening and 5 speakers shared their life stories. These were Akam Majid, Jacques Guido-Stern, Anne Divorne, Natacha Spedaletti and Mirzet Cirak. Mirzet, a trainee at the Roseraie, shared his experience of the centre as well as how he left Bosnia and arrived in Switzerland with his family. About 50 people attended and the event was rounded off with a Syrian meal.

Participants in these two events had the chance to listen to several personal stories which perhaps made them think about their own prejudices or personal experiences.

We are now planning the next Enriching Encounters which will take place in the Autumn in German-speaking Switzerland. Don’t forget to come back to our website to see the exact dates!

On 31 May 2018, Initiatives of Change Switzerland facilitated the plenary sessions of the informal dialogue,  “Migrants and Refugees in the Compact Era: Ensuring that no one falls through the cracks”, organized by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) in partnership with the Action Committee in Geneva.

Civil society, governments, international organizations and other stakeholders gathered together to discuss four main gaps emerging in the processes leading up to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and  Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) : mixed migration flows; refugees beyond the 1951 Geneva Convention; victims of (sudden-onset) natural disasters; (slow-onset) environmental degradation and climate change; and migrants in vulnerable situations, in particular when they find themselves in an irregular situation.

IofC Switzerland’s facilitation supported open and honest conversations enabling representatives from civil society, governments and international organisations to exchange views and practical expertise on the four themes. From those discussions, an outcome document was produced proposing new language and good practices for both Global Compacts which participants can use for forthcoming negotiations and advocacy. 

The first women's retreat organized by the Just Governance for Human Security (JGHS) team focused on women as drivers towards positive change in their communities. Fifteen women attended the retreat, which was held in April in Caux, Switzerland.

They explored the Six Pillars of Human Security, a concept that underpins the Just Governance conference, as they relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Shontaye Abegaz, Managing Director of JGHS, emphasized that women are key to implementing the Six Pillars – Social Inclusion, Sustainability, Food Security, Healing Memory, Inclusive Economics and Good Governance.

The retreat format was unique to Caux. Each morning started with a quiet period for reflection, on such topics as how individual actions could bring about wider changes in communities and at global levels. Later, each discussion session focused on one of the Six Pillars, and its link to the corresponding SDGs.

At the Healing Memory session, for example, a Romanian participant spoke, with gravity and restraint, of the pernicious decrees that had forced women to have at least five children each during the Ceausescu era. Some 10,000 women lost their lives because of botched abortions. The other women encouraged her to bear witness, by writing a book on the subject.

During the Good Governance session, a Ukrainian participant spoke of the tensions she had experienced surrounding the rule of law, peace and justice in institutions in her country. A Rwandan participant gave a harrowing account of her flight when institutions collapsed during the genocide.

In the discussion on Social Inclusion, Marianne Spreng, a Swiss advisor to the JGHS team, described the current exclusion of refugees in Switzerland as ‘unchallenged, structured prejudice’. Fiona Goggins, chair and facilitator of the retreat, spoke of the stigma and exclusion of HIV-positive women in the Ivory Coast. In the face of such daunting challenges, facilitator Elizabeth Hall offered a possible solution, based on her own experience: 'How can I make this situation better – what small action could make a difference?’

What do we take down the mountain? The retreat gave women time to interact in ways that would be unlikely during the busy summer conference. They shared meals, connected with each other during the sessions, and left the retreat inspired and equipped with the tools necessary to support those who attend the July conference.

Shontaye Abegaz thanked the donors who made the retreat possible, and who are supporting the summer conference.

She also paid tribute to the quality and depth of the work done by the JGHS team and the eight UN volunteers, who are preparing the summer conference. They are also working on an e-book on the direct link between the Six Pillars and the SDGs. The e-book will be used at the summer forum and will also be available to the global community.

By Cathy Crétier, IofC Switzerland Communications Team

Ornella Nana, from Ireland, aged 22, took part in the Young Ambassadors Programme during Addressing Europe’s Unfinished Business at the Caux Forum 2017.

When I applied for the Young Ambassadors Programme (YAP) I wasn’t sure what to expect. I imagined it would be like all the other youth gatherings I had been to – an opportunity to network and discuss important issues with other young people from around the world. But there was so much more to the YAP than trying to solve global challenges and making great contacts with other young people.

The distinctive thing for me was the deep connection with people whose stories I would never otherwise have heard. People were given the time and space to liberate their minds and tell their stories without the fear of being judged or misunderstood. We heard their side of the story, their personal experiences and how they felt.

This changed my perspective. It allowed me to see that, no matter how different our stories, backgrounds and experiences, we shared a stronger commonality –through brokenness, fear, disappointment, forgiveness, vulnerability or even success. These were all factors that united us as humans.

Understanding other people’s journeys gave me the courage to face mine with boldness and without fear of being wrong. It inspired me to stay true to who I am, and made me aware that I can create an impact at all levels and every stage of my life. I learned that, although our realities and understanding of life may be different, somewhere in our deepest consciousness, we all have this feeling of vulnerability. Out of that place of vulnerability we can also find our greatest strength.

Being in Caux was such a journey of discovery! You never knew who you would sit beside at breakfast, lunch or dinner. The vibe and atmosphere was so peaceful and friendly. You could engage in profound conversations with older people about their lifetime experiences or hear amazing stories from peers, who showed so much bravery in their work. More important, you could also encourage someone else through your story, or simply by being yourself.

One of the most amazing habits I cultivated in Caux was taking a quiet moment every morning to reflect on my day and my life and to be inspired by a new day in which all things are possible. The programme prepared me to be a leader and taught me that leadership and true impact start from within. I began to understand that every conversation I had was important, because it not only told me a story about that person, but also revealed who I was, where I stood and what I could change.

I realised that no matter how small I am, if I really start making positive changes in my life, that has the power to make an impact. If I want to see more people smiling, I can do that by smiling first. If I want to see more peace, I can start being peaceful in myself and with others around me. You cannot always change how situations turn out. But choosing to live your life at its best can impact more people than you can imagine.

I am grateful that there is a place in the world where people can come with curiosity to learn about themselves and other people, and discover peace from within.

On Tuesday March 20th, during the ICVA's (International Council of Voluntary Agencies) annual conference, IofC was asked to facilitate an interactive session at the Centre International de Conférences (CICG) in Geneva. The conference focused on navigating the humanitarian, development and peace nexus and aimed to introduce actors from these different sectors to each other so that they could learn from one another.

The Initiatives of Change (IofC) session, entitled “Understanding our comparative advantages,” was facilitated by Rainer Gude, Strategic Partnerships Manager, and Sofia Mueller, Project Coordinator at IofC Switzerland. Over 130 participants were invited to choose one of twelve storytellers to listen to. IofC was also represented by Angelo and Daphrose Barampama of Creators of Peace. They both shared stories of how they got involved with IofC, as well as the peace and development work they do in Burundi.

Afterwards, participants were invited to form groups of 3 with individuals who had listened to different storytellers. They were asked to discuss the question, "What are you learning about working in the nexus in your group discussions?" As part of the development, peacebuilding and humanitarian nexus, participants were asked to share their impressions of the stories they had listened to and see how this related to their own work.  The session ended with the facilitators asking participants to write on a post-it one of their key learning points from the session and stick it on a flip chart before leaving the room.  Many participants were grateful for the interactive and dynamic style of the session and for the more intimate discussions, proving that conferences can also be a place for deep and meaningful conversations.

Photo: ICVA

What do cyclones, large storms and earth quakes have to do with the impact of the ongoing 4th Industrial Revolution? Well, sometimes this unprecedented fast technological revolution feels like a natural disaster shock, like a tsunami, deeply impacting our way of living and being.

Intrusive data collection, analysis and behavioral predictions disrupt our notion of privacy and human identity. On the labor market we are competing with rapidly learning machines, increasingly replacing humans at work. A growing number of permanently unemployed people will challenge social cohesion and peace. Many more innovations with new risks and opportunities are to come. It’s time to build resilience in business and society.

Let’s say that there are similarities between disruptive innovations and natural disasters. In this case we can learn from resilience programs aiming to reduce natural disasters risks through prevention, preparedness, and early warning systems and transferring it into the business world.

Prevention: In the corporate world, a key prevention measure is to encourage the development of innovative bottom-up solutions that increase the agility and thus business resilience. For rapid innovation and experimentation on all levels, businesses need to develop a values-based working culture, favoring creativity, openness and active listening. Values-based innovation will unleash employees’ innovation capacities. Why? Creativity needs boundaries as much as a open-minded environment to emerge and spark new ideas. Products and services that are aligned to ethical standards will increase businesses’ resiliency as reputation and the license to operate are assured.

Preparedness: Skills are the key element to build personal, organizational and societal agility and adaptability. It is therefore crucial that businesses develop and encourage partnerships with the public sector, academia and civil society to develop long-life learning opportunities for all. However, we should remain realistic: not everyone will find a place in the digital economy. On a society level we need to develop a model that disconnects living income from work, like the universal basic income.

Early warning systems: It’s not only about anticipating potential negative technological disruptions but equally finding opportunities of empowerment for businesses and society thanks to new innovations. Businesses can invite employees to become “Resilience Champions”. Their role is two folded: detecting resiliency gaps and opportunities within the company and develop solutions among employees. Second, connect to their counterparts around the world to exchange on ongoing trends and developments, thus giving an early warning on upcoming risks and benefits.

Learning from natural disaster risk management is helpful to tackle the uncertainty posed by the speed of change and globalization disruptive innovations.

Annika Hartmann de Meuron is Managing Director of Ethical Leadership in Business at Initiatives of Change Switzerland.

Do you also feel overwhelmed and at the same time empowered by the ongoing technological transformation? Personally, I’m fascinated by many innovations, for example artificial intelligence (AI) can help to track lost children or spot Alzheimer five years before diagnosis. Unfortunately, this technology also has a scary side, as it can be used for less nobler causes, like social citizen ranking systems.

At this innovation pace, there is very little time to find out about potential long-term impact of new technologies. Today, we simply have no idea which jobs or business models will be created or destroyed in the next five years. Time will show. But, how can we prepare ourselves and the next generation for the future?

When changes are happening fast and on a large scale, can we still rely on time-intensive legislation to assure that new innovations do not harm humanity? A lot is at stake when it comes to technological innovations. So, what kind of leadership do we need today to assure that innovations empower business and society ?

We need to build resilience on a personal and organizational level as it fortifies our ability to adapt to changes and to rebound quickly from difficulties. As individuals, as much as in businesses, we can also strengthen our resilience by working on our attitudes towards the unknown.

As solutions from the past will probably not be the right answer in today's’ setting, we need to see the new world with beginners’ eyes. Like an explorer, we can discover the novelty of today’s world and develop solutions that help us to easily adapt to new situations, for example developing innovative ideas for the education and training of the future workforce. I think that the Singapore government has developed with its stakeholders a very interesting approach.

Turning the unknown into something familiar implies that we are constantly connected and listening to those who innovate and those who are impacted by innovations. Actively listening connects us to the needs of others, their ideas and dreams.

The wealth of diverse opinions will nurture businesses’ creativity and give direction as to which products and services are relevant to innovate. But active listening is not only about others: it’s equally important to connect with ourselves.

Observing a moment of silence on a daily basis is a wonderful means to recharge our batteries. This pause can also become a source of insight, inspiration or of finding a long sought-after answer. This will also increase personal resilience to change and enable us to seize opportunities while developing solutions for minimizing risks.

Annika Hartmann de Meuron works as a Managing Director of the Ethical Leadership in Business event for Initiatives of Change Switzerland. 

Do you also feel overwhelmed and at the same time empowered by the ongoing technological transformation? Personally, I’m fascinated by many innovations, for example artificial intelligence (AI) can help to track lost children or spot Alzheimer five years before diagnosis. Unfortunately, this technology also has a scary side, as it can be used for less nobler causes, like social citizen ranking systems.

At this innovation pace, there is very little time to find out about potential long-term impact of new technologies. Today, we simply have no idea which jobs or business models will be created or destroyed in the next five years. Time will show. But, how can we prepare ourselves and the next generation for the future?

When changes are happening fast and on a large scale, can we still rely on time-intensive legislation to assure that new innovations do not harm humanity? A lot is at stake when it comes to technological innovations. So, what kind of leadership do we need today to assure that innovations empower business and society ?

We need to build resilience on a personal and organizational level as it fortifies our ability to adapt to changes and to rebound quickly from difficulties. As individuals, as much as in businesses, we can also strengthen our resilience by working on our attitudes towards the unknown.

As solutions from the past will probably not be the right answer in today's’ setting, we need to see the new world with beginners’ eyes. Like an explorer, we can discover the novelty of today’s world and develop solutions that help us to easily adapt to new situations, for example developing innovative ideas for the education and training of the future workforce. I think that the Singapore government has developed with its stakeholders a very interesting approach.

Turning the unknown into something familiar implies that we are constantly connected and listening to those who innovate and those who are impacted by innovations. Actively listening connects us to the needs of others, their ideas and dreams.

The wealth of diverse opinions will nurture businesses’ creativity and give direction as to which products and services are relevant to innovate. But active listening is not only about others: it’s equally important to connect with ourselves.

Observing a moment of silence on a daily basis is a wonderful means to recharge our batteries. This pause can also become a source of insight, inspiration or of finding a long sought-after answer. This will also increase personal resilience to change and enable us to seize opportunities while developing solutions for minimizing risks.

Annika Hartmann de Meuron works as a Managing Director of the Ethical Leadership in Business event for Initiatives of Change Switzerland.

What do cyclones, large storms and earth quakes have to do with the impact of the ongoing 4th Industrial Revolution? Well, sometimes this unprecedented fast technological revolution feels like a natural disaster shock, like a tsunami, deeply impacting our way of living and being.

Intrusive data collection, analysis and behavioral predictions disrupt our notion of privacy and human identity. On the labor market we are competing with rapidly learning machines, increasingly replacing humans at work. A growing number of permanently unemployed people will challenge social cohesion and peace. Many more innovations with new risks and opportunities are to come. It’s time to build resilience in business and society.

Let’s say that there are similarities between disruptive innovations and natural disasters. In this case we can learn from resilience programs aiming to reduce natural disasters risks through prevention, preparedness, and early warning systems and transferring it into the business world.

Prevention: In the corporate world, a key prevention measure is to encourage the development of innovative bottom-up solutions that increase the agility and thus business resilience. For rapid innovation and experimentation on all levels, businesses need to develop a values-based working culture, favoring creativity, openness and active listening. Values-based innovation will unleash employees’ innovation capacities. Why? Creativity needs boundaries as much as a open-minded environment to emerge and spark new ideas. Products and services that are aligned to ethical standards will increase businesses’ resiliency as reputation and the license to operate are assured.

Preparedness: Skills are the key element to build personal, organizational and societal agility and adaptability. It is therefore crucial that businesses develop and encourage partnerships with the public sector, academia and civil society to develop long-life learning opportunities for all. However, we should remain realistic: not everyone will find a place in the digital economy. On a society level we need to develop a model that disconnects living income from work, like the universal basic income.

Early warning systems: It’s not only about anticipating potential negative technological disruptions but equally finding opportunities of empowerment for businesses and society thanks to new innovations. Businesses can invite employees to become “Resilience Champions”. Their role is two folded: detecting resiliency gaps and opportunities within the company and develop solutions among employees. Second, connect to their counterparts around the world to exchange on ongoing trends and developments, thus giving an early warning on upcoming risks and benefits.

Learning from natural disaster risk management is helpful to tackle the uncertainty posed by the speed of change and globalization disruptive innovations.

Annika Hartmann de Meuron is Managing Director of Ethical Leadership in Business at Initiatives of Change Switzerland. The Ethical Leadership in Business event of the Caux Forum will take place from 28 June to 1 July 2018. It theme, “Driving innovation and building resilience in business and society”, enables business representatives from around that world to exchange on how to build resilient leadership in times of disruptive technological innovations.

More information on Ethical Leadershim in Business here.