Building Trust, Breaking Barriers: an opportunity to re-imagine the future
5 - 19 July 2020: Workshops & Community Building
Climate change, deforestation and overgrazing are leaving vast swathes of land across the drylands of Africa and Asia degraded and marginally productive. Violent conflict and migration often result, making it more difficult to implement measures to mitigate or adapt to climate change. In the worst cases, ungovernable areas emerge, sustaining non-state armed groups such as Boko Haram and Al Shabaab. Thankfully, all is not lost. There is growing evidence that the vicious cycle of land degradation, conflict and fragility can be reversed. Integrating land restoration with community-based peacebuilding can create a virtuous cycle leading to both environmental and social recovery.
The Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security 2020 looked for ways to initiate the virtuous circle of environmental regeneration and peace, focusing on cross-pollination of knowledge and best practices. Through workshops and panels, the participants learnt about the latest developments in the fields of peace and environment, and also had the opportunity to present their own initiatives and to meet like-minded people.
The first online Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security (CDES) offered four plenary sessions, three of which were livestreamed on the CDES website and Facebook, and 12 workshops, including panels, hands on learning, and a sound meditation.
- Read the full report
- Learn more about the Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate
- Discover the CDES Emerging Leaders Programme
Thank you!
Working with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the forum has brought together policy makers, farmers, NGOs, community leaders, businesses and entrepreneurs in one of the first international forums to spotlight the links between sustainable land management and peace.
Initiatives of Change and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy also co-designed the Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate as part of the Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security 2020.
We are deeply grateful to our partners and all those who by making a donation have helped make this conference possible and accessible to those who need it the most.
If you would like to support our efforts to raise awareness and educate on land degradation and security, you can donate here.
What's next?
The conversations will be carried forward in monthly calls. We look forward to hearing about the initiatives and collaborations which develop out of them.
Watch the replays
1 July 2020: Anticipating the security risks of land degradation and climate (Livestream Plenary)
Climate change and land degradation pose potentially devastating threats to human security. Can we anticipate future scenarios? What will it take to respond accordingly? Three global experts from France, Nepal and UK shed light on questions that will affect the future of humanity.
With:
- Dr Thomas Gauthier, Professor of Strategy, Emlyon Business School, France
- Oli Brown, Associate Fellow, Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs) and Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
- Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti, Advisor, Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research, Kathmandu
Chair:
- Anna Brach, Head of Human Security, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
2 July 2020: Community Action: entry-point to holistic solutions (Livestream Plenary)
From villagers replenishing groundwater in India to pastoralists mapping land rights in Darfur; from farmer-managed natural regeneration in Niger to communities managing wildlife in Namibia: durable solutions are based on effective community action. Meet practitioners from Australia, India, Namibia and Senegal who are leading the way in catalyzing community-based solutions.
With:
- Oumar Sylla, Acting Director for the Regional Office for Africa in the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat)
- Tony Rinaudo AM, Senior Climate Action Advisor, World Vision Australia
- Maxi Louis, Director of the Namibian Association of Community-Based Natural Resource Management Support Organisations (NASCO)
- Dr. Himanshu Kulkarni, Executive Director, Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), India
Chair:
- Louise Brown, Climate Finance Specialist, Namibia
3 July, 14:00 - 15:00 (CEST): Plenary 4: Climate Finance: catalyst of holistic solutions (Livestream)
Global resources are streaming into efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. How can such efforts benefit the world’s poorest? Expert practitioners and scholars from the African Development Bank, Earthbanc and pioneering academic centres will share insights and prospects.
With:
- Gareth Phillips, Manager, Climate and Environment Finance Division, African Development Bank
- Chau Duncan, Chief Operating Officer, Earthbanc, Australia
- Rishabh Khanna, Executive Committee, Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace
- Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India
Chair:
- Dr Irina Fedorenko, Managing Director Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security
Workshops
- Rural Futures: Ecosystem Restoration for Universal Basic Assets in the Eastern Himalayas
- Enterpreneurship and Innovation: building the world you want to live in
- Land degradation and remediation: latest developments and best practices
- Is the environment the missing dimension of peace?
- Interactive sound meditation
- La terre et la sécurité en Afrique Subsaharienne: évaluer les risques et chercher une réponse
- Arts and love in politics (60 min)
- First Caux Ocean Dialogue: Science, Policy, Conservation and Finance - The Future is now!
- Creativity for Sustainability - a journey from the personal to the global
- Possible Futures
Click here to see the detailled programme.
Speakers & Facilitators
- Members of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
- Members of Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace (ILLP) Steering Group
- Ranjit Barthakur, Founder & President, and Saurav Malhotra, Co-Founder & Designer Balipara Foundation
- BetaEarth Ventures Lab Team
- Louise Brown, Climate finance specialist, Namibia
- Oli Brown, Associate Fellow, Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs) and GCSP
- Kaleigh Carlson, Environmental conservationist, MSc candidate in Environment, Resources and Sustainability, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
- Dr Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director for Natural Capital at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment
- Stéphane Delogne, Founder and Manager of the Highland d'Ardennes Beef Farm in the Belgian Ardennes
- Archana Dubey, Artist, IC Centre for Governance, and National Coordinator, Ecoskillarts, India
- Chau Duncan, Chief Operating Officer, Earthbanc, Australia
- Dr Papa Faye, Executive Secretary of Centre d'Action pour le Développement et la Recherche, Senegal
- Josef Garvi, Founder and CEO of Sahara Sahel Foods
- Dr Thomas Gauthier, Professor of Strategy, Emlyon Business School, France
- Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, CEO Human Security Research Centre of Ghana, former AU High Representative for Counter-Terrorism
- Dr Raphaëla le Gouvello, Expert in marine coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture-dependent territories, sustainability, blue growth
- IofC Bardic circle, coordinated by Sven Snygaard, ILLP Steering Group
- Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India
- Dr Himanshu Kulkarni, Executive Director, Advanced Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), India
- Olivia Lazard, Deputy Researcher at the Environment and Development Resource Centre, France
- Maxi Louis, Director of the Namibian Association of Community-Based Natural Resource Management Support Organizations (NASCO)
- Bengt Mattson, Policy Manager, Swedish Association of Pharmaceutical Industry
- James Nikitine, Marine scientist, consultant, filmmaker, CEO Manaia Productions and Blue Cradle
- Mukhtar Ogle, Executive Office of the Presidency, Secretary for Strategic Initiatives in the President's Office, Republic of Kenya
- Dr Guillermo Ortuño Crespo, Postdoctoral researcher, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Youth Focal Point for the UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- Cecilia de Pedro, Head of Sustainability, Apotek Hjärtat
- Gareth Phillips, Manager, Climate and Environment Finance Division, African Development Bank
- P Niroop Reddy, Environmental Lawyer, Advisor to EnvirohealthMatters
- Tony Rinaudo AM, Senior Climate Action Advisor, World Vision Australia
- Oumar B Samake, Anthropologist, Programme Coordinator, Association Malienne d’Éveil au Développement Durable (AMEDD)
- Dr Mahamadou Savadogo, Consultant on violent extremism in the Sahel, Burkina Faso
- Nicolai Schaaf, Programme Manager, Swedish Water House, SIWI (Stockholm International Water Institute)
- Neal Spackman, Founder and CEO of Regenerative Resources Co, USA
- Oumar Sylla, Acting Director for the Regional Office for Africa in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
- Torsten Thiele, Ocean finance and governance expert, Founder, Global Ocean Trust
- Nathalie Tops, Regional Resilience and Livelihoods Coordinator at the Danish Refugee Council
- Abasse Tougiani, Chief researcher, Institut Nationale de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), Niger
- Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti, Advisor to the Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research
- Wim Zwijnberg, Project on Humanitarian Disarmament at PAX for Peace
back
Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security - Programme
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1 - 4 July: Panels
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5 - 19 July: Workshops & Community Building
programme
Wednesday, 01 July
Climate change and land degradation pose potentially devastating threats to human security. Can we anticipate future scenarios? What will it take to respond accordingly? Three global experts from France, Nepal and UK shed light on questions that will affect the future of humanity.
With:
- Dr Thomas Gauthier, Professor of Strategy, Emlyon Business School, France
- Oli Brown, Associate Fellow, Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs) and Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
- Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti, Advisor, Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research, Kathmandu
Chair:
- Anna Brach, Head of Human Security, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
Thursday, 02 July
From villagers replenishing groundwater in India to pastoralists mapping land rights in Darfur; from farmer-managed natural regeneration in Niger to communities managing wildlife in Namibia: durable solutions are based on effective community action. Meet practitioners from Australia, India, Namibia and Senegal who are leading the way in catalyzing community-based solutions.
With:
- Oumar Sylla, Acting Director for the Regional Office for Africa in the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat)
- Tony Rinaudo AM, Senior Climate Action Advisor, World Vision Australia
- Maxi Louis, Director of the Namibian Association of Community-Based Natural Resource Management Support Organisations (NASCO)
- Dr. Himanshu Kulkarni, Executive Director, Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), India
Chair:
- Louise Brown, Climate Finance Specialist, Namibia
This plenary will dive into the challenges and opportunities for sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry, in the context of COVID 19. We will draw on diverse perspectives from industry and civil society on the sustainable production and consumption of medicines. The dialogue will highlight antibiotic resistance as one of the most pressing challenges facing the world. Lastly we will touch upon technical, political and legal solutions and explore how we can use the current crisis to transform the sector by building a more transparent supply chain.
With:
- P Niroop Reddy, Environmental Lawyer, Advisor to EnvirohealthMatters
- Cecilia de Pedro, Head of Sustainability, Apotek Hjärtat
- Bengt Mattson, Policy Manager, Swedish Association of Pharmaceutical Industry
- Nicolai Schaaf, Programme Manager, Swedish Water House, SIWI (Stockholm International Water Institute)
Moderator:
- Rishabh Khanna, Executive Committee, Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace
Friday, 03 July
Global resources are streaming into efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. How can such efforts benefit the world’s poorest? Expert practitioners and scholars from the African Development Bank, Earthbanc and pioneering academic centres will share insights and prospects.
With:
- Gareth Phillips, Manager, Climate and Environment Finance Division, African Development Bank
- Chau Duncan, Chief Operating Officer, Earthbanc, Australia
- Rishabh Khanna, Executive Committee, Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace
- Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India
Chair:
- Dr Irina Fedorenko, Managing Director Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security
Monday, 06 July
The Eastern Himalayan region stretches across two biodiversity hotspots and over 220 indigenous communities, prompting a battle for resources where human aspirations threaten the region’s biodiversity. The Rural Futures model reconciles these human and biodiversity needs through promoting habitat-mediated livelihoods for indigenous communities, thereby alleviating the economic incentives to destroy habitats. The programme enhances natural assets, creating a system for sustainable natural capital optimization that builds the capacity of indigenous communities to become stewards of their natural inheritance. In the long term, sustainable liquidation of this natural capital will facilitate the delivery of universal basic assets to forest-fringe communities.
With:
- Ranjit Barthakur, Founder & President, Balipara Foundation
- Saurav Malhotra, Rural Futures, Co-Founder & Designer, Balipara Foundation
Moderator:
- Dr Bremley Lyngdoh, Founder and CEO Worldview Impact Foundation, ILLP
Tuesday, 07 July
Build your future world and retrocast back to today – a method for designing your life, business or community. This process will help you create and take action on a strategy for developing regenerative ecosystems. With others, you’ll frame a challenge to identify current barriers, project into the future, build your ideal world and work backwards from that future to create a plan for getting there. Create a vision for your future, a plan for getting there, an inspired sense of direction and a new tool for your innovation toolbox.
With:
- Robert Suarez, Founder and Director of the Forest Venture Lab
- Dr Lauren Fletcher, Co-founder BetaEarth
- Greg FitzGerald, Principal at Venture Stem
Moderator:
- Dr. Irina Fedorenko, Managing Director Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security
Wednesday, 08 July
Land degradation springs from the interplay between the degradation of traditional management systems, ignorance of modern insights into restoration science, poor governance and competing claims. We tend to associate such conditions with poor countries, yet they can also affect the world's richest nations. Join this workshop to learn about the latest developments in the relationship between land degradation and exile, to discuss how EU environmental policy can effect change globally and to witness astonishing innovations in areas ranging from the rich temperate soils of Belgium to the most degraded landscapes on Earth, the saline flats of desert shores and the shifting boundaries of the Sahel and the Sahara.
With:
- Dr Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director for Natural Capital at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment
- Dr Papa Faye, Executive Secretary of Centre d'Action pour le Développement et la Recherche, Senegal
- Josef Garvi, Founder and CEO of Sahara Sahel Foods
- Neal Spackman, Founder and CEO of Regenerative Resources Co, USA
- Stéphane Delogne, Founder and Manager of the Highland d'Ardennes Beef Farm in the Belgian Ardennes
Moderator:
- Patrick Worms, Senior Science Policy Advisor, World Agroforestry Centre
We will consider the nexus of environmental restoration, peacemaking, trust and security. Violence may come from communal tensions, ideological preconceptions, disruptions of livelihoods, mistrust and fear, or criminal exploitation. Environmental degradation can exacerbate many of these drivers of conflict, and we need new tools to reverse the downward spiral and rebuild hope and trust. We also need to scale up the re-creation of environments which provide the physical and spiritual sustenance on which we all depend. The panel will bring perspectives that cut across the usual silos, and will explore the opportunities for tackling local and global risks through innovative and familiar approaches, restoring physical environments and human relationships alike. From community activists to security forces, from pastoralists to climate researchers, these issues matter for everyone, and everyone can contribute to addressing them.
Moderators:
- Peter Rundell & Olivia Lazard
With:
- Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, CEO Human Security Research Center of Ghana, former AU High Representative for Counter-Terrorism
- Nathalie Tops, Regional Resilience and Livelihoods Coordinator at the Danish Refugee Council
- Wim Zwijnberg, Project on Humanitarian Disarmament at PAX for Peace
- TBC Mukhtar Ogle, Executive Office of the Presidency, Secretary for Strategic Initiatives in the President's Office, Republic of Kenya
Thursday, 09 July
Reunite the inner and outer world through an interactive meditative musical trip. We will go inwards to reconnect with the feeling of oneness with the world, reinforcing and broadening the quality of compassion, guided by improvized music, the sound of the flute and occasionally a few words. This zoom session will only use sound (no visuals, cameras off) and will offer a moment of relaxation for conference participants.
With:
- Žofie Kašparová, Prague, Czech Republic
Coordinator:
- Sven Snygaard, ILLP
Friday, 10 July
Pour beaucoup de communautés d’Afrique subsaharienne, un drame est en train de se dérouler. Sous la pression d’une population croissante, du changement climatique et parfois de mauvaise gouvernance, les terres fertiles se font rares. Les gens s’appauvrissent, les jeunes cherchent une vie qui semble meilleure en ville ou en Europe, voire en rejoignant des groupes armés. Mais il est encore possible de mobiliser des ressources humaines et techniques pour restaurer la terre et la confiance. Cet atelier cherchera à mettre en lumière des scénarios positifs qui permettent d’attaquer les causes de l’extrémisme violent. En réunissant des représentants des secteurs de l’environnement et de la sécurité, l’atelier favorisera une perspective plus holistique sur ces questions complexes et contribuera à amorcer les grandes lignes d’une réponse conjointe.
Organisateurs :
- Rainer Gude, Co-Directeur général (Initiatives et Changement Suisse)
- Carol Mottet, Conseillère principale (Division Sécurité humaine du Département fédéral des affaires étrangères de Suisse)
Modérateur :
- Rainer Gude, Co-directeur général, Initiatives et Changement Suisse
Invité-e-s:
- Olivia Lazard, Chercheuse adjointe à Environment and Development Resource Center (Centre de ressouces sur l’environnement et le développement), directrice de Peace in Design Consulting Ld
- Oumar B. SAMAKE, Anthropologue, Coordonnateur de Programmes, Association Malienne d’Éveil au Développement Durable (AMEDD)
- Dr. Mahamadou SAVADOGO, Consultant sur les questions de l'extrémisme violent au Sahel, Burkina Faso
- Abasse Tougiani, Chercheur principal, Institut Nationale de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), Niger
Saturday, 11 July
How can artistic expressions be combined with real life politics as part of the same drive for good in the world? How can one imagine a wonderful world and still be realistic and practical about what needs to be done to get there? Lisa Yasko will share her personal journey as a member of the Ukrainian parliament and politician.
With:
- Lisa Yasko, Kiev, Ukraine
Coordinator:
- Sven Snygaard, ILLP
Monday, 13 July
Since 2012, the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security has explored issues of desertification, deforestation, conflict, and such solutions as land restoration, agroecology, peacebuilding and innovative green finance. But land only actually represents 29% of the world’s surface.
Now that the Caux Dialogue is focusing more on the environment in general, it can begin to explore crucially important issues concerning the remaining 71% of the Earth’s surface: the ocean, the world’s largest source of protein, which directly provides a livelihood to more than 3 billion people.
Through a collection of viewpoints, from the science, conservation, policy and finance sectors, this session will pave the way for several more Caux Ocean Dialogues.
The future of life on our planet indubitably lies in our ability to save the ocean: this is not to exclude terrestial issues, as everything is connected. The future is now. (Find out more here).
With:
- James Nikitine, Marine scientist, consultant, filmmaker, CEO Manaia Productions and Blue Cradle.
- Dr Guillermo Ortuño Crespo, Postdoctoral researcher, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Youth Focal Point for the UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- Dr Raphaëla le Gouvello, Expert in marine coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture-dependent territories, sustainability, blue growth
- Kaleigh Carlson, Environmental conservationist, MSc candidate in Environment, Resources and Sustainability, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
- Torsten Thiele, Ocean finance and governance expert, founder, Global Ocean Trust
Tuesday, 14 July
Creativity holds the power to communicate without borders. This power has been harvested in the past to put across messages of equity, equality and social causes. Creativity offers the flexibility to move through different media – especially the visual arts – to work for nature conservation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic we have all learnt that if we take care of nature, nature will take care of us. In the four sessions of this workshop, we will take you on a journey, starting from the personal and moving to the global, towards deeper connection with sustainability in your daily life.
Participants must commit to all the four sessions, two each day. Facilitation will take place in two or three groups, depending on the facilitators.
Please note that this workshop is held on 2 consecutive days. Participants are expected to attend on both days to get the full experience!
With:
- Kjersti Webb, Actor, Artist, Educator, Founder, Everything Theatre Company, Sweden. More on Kjersti here.
- Archana Dubey, Artist, IC Centre for Governance and National Coordinator, Ecoskillarts, India. More on Archana here.
Coordinator and Moderator:
- Pinaki Dasgupta, Secretary, Shristi & Coordinator, The Bhumi Project, India
Wednesday, 15 July
Creativity holds the power to communicate without borders. This power has been harvested in the past to put across messages of equity, equality and social causes. Creativity offers the flexibility to move through different media – especially the visual arts – to work for nature conservation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic we have all learnt that if we take care of nature, nature will take care of us. In the four sessions of this workshop, we will take you on a journey, starting from the personal and moving to the global, towards deeper connection with sustainability in your daily life.
Participants must commit to all the four sessions, two each day. Facilitation will take place in two or three groups, depending on the facilitators.
Please note that this workshop is held on 2 consecutive days. Participants are expected to attend on both days to get the full experience!
With:
- Kjersti Webb, Actor, Artist, Educator, Founder, Everything Theatre Company, Sweden. More on Kjersti here.
- Archana Dubey, Artist, IC Centre for Governance and National Coordinator, Ecoskillarts, India. More on Archana here.
Coordinator and Moderator:
- Pinaki Dasgupta, Secretary, Shristi & Coordinator, The Bhumi Project, India
Thursday, 16 July
- Nina Runa Essendrop, Denmark
- Tim Dendy, UK
- Members of the steering group of Bardic circles within IofC
Please note that this programme is subject to change. For technical reasons the Caux Forum Online will be held mainly in English with some sessions in French. No interpretation will be offered. Thank you for your understanding.
Together for Change
The Creative Leadership conference explored what leadership is and how we can all embody it. A six-day programme with webinars, quiet times, dialogue groups and times for social interaction enabled participants to learn from inspiring young leaders, to connect with each other and to reflect on the change they want to bring in the world.
The conference offered two similar programmes in parallel, to accommodate time zones, with common sessions. Each day offered participants an opportunity to learn in webinars, to reflect on their leadership skills in quiet times, to share authentically with fellow participants in dialogue groups, to hear stories in the Human Library and to connect more informally with each other and with speakers during ‘tea times’.
Human Library
The Human Library was a chance to listen to various people sharing stories from their lives, often revolving around leadership. This was a powerful and moving experience and enabled the participants to gain a greater understanding of how to surpass obstacles and to find a sense of solidarity that leaves us less alone in our own endeavours.
Discover our Human Books:
- Osama Alrantisi (Palestine)
- Maria del Pilar (Colombia)
- Bilal Khan ( India)
- Sahiti Maley (India)
- Ary Marrufo (Mexico)
- Tinotenda Mhungu (Zimbabwe)
- Arshad Mozumder (UK / Bengal)
- Temantungwa Ndlangamandla (Eswatini)
- Fatouma Tabet Salem (Djibouti)
- Afsaneh Seifinaj (Iran)
- Anubha Sharma (India)
- Aseel Sobah (Palestine)
- Olha Tymoshchouk (Ukraine)
- Olivia Wambui (Kenya)
Thank you!
We are extremely grateful to all the donors who have helped us make this event possible and to the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme network for their engagement and support.
If you would like to support our conference and the CPLP network please donate here.
What's next?
Participants will stay connected as they start to practise what they have learnt during the conference. One participant has already realized a long-time dream: creating her own Youtube channel.
Peoples' thoughts on creative leadership
"Being creative is brave, willingness to go into things or make choice when we don’t know the outcome. It is the wisdom to know how to adapt to different people, projects, and environments. 'Who we are is how we lead'". - Rachel
"Ability to think differently. How do you think creatively in a situation where there is pressure and people are dependent upon you. How do you have creative thoughts and ideas and put it into action? Discernment, what does that look like?" - Phoebe
"First identify what you want to achieve, how and for what purpose? How do I impart what I’ve learned at Caux to the world? How to use skills." - Redempta
"Involves visionary leadership and it gives direction and steps on how to get there. Peoples ideas matter in creative leadership and consensus are built from various voices/opinions . Creative leadership embraces listening ear to various opinions and ideas so as to make an informed and inclusive decision." - Romano
"In my opinion creative leadership is knowing what task is for who. Helping members reach their full potential in the right areas and not waste their time and effort in a place where they don't belong. Creative Leadership is also being able to solve problems in a fast and efficient way. In other words, working smarter not harder." - Sawsan
Speakers
Facilitators
back
Creative Leadership 2020 - Programme
programme
Thursday, 09 July
With: Maria Paula Garcia Romero
Join us for a conversation with our first keynote speaker, Maria Paula Garcia Romero. Her presentation will focus on ‘Creating a Space for Change’. She will take participants on a journey of understanding, enabling them firstly to be creative and customize an impact leadership model focused on their project; secondly to build bridges of opportunity for change and create spaces that transform community; and finally to understand the power to co-create. Maria will share a case study of how she was able to give a voice to indigenous communities in Colombia.
Friday, 10 July
Discover our "Human Books":
- Osama Alrantisi (Palestine)
- Wael Al-Afandi (Syria / France)
- Maria del Pilar (Colombia)
- Bilal Khan ( India)
- Sahiti Maley (India)
- Ary Marrufo (Mexico)
- Tinotenda Mhungu (Zimbabwe)
- Arshad Mozumder (UK / Bengal)
- Temantungwa Ndlangamandla (Eswatini)
- Fatouma Tabet Salem (Djibouti)
- Afsaneh Seifinaj (Iran)
- Anubha Sharma (India)
- Aseel Sobah (Palestine)
- Olha Tymoshchouk (Ukraine)
- Olivia Wambui (Kenya)
With: Rodrigo Martinez Romero
Join a one-hour webinar with four life travellers who will share different aspects of spiritual politics as a creative leadership journey. This is an opportunity to reflect on our own purpose, cultural heritage, calling and coalition-building work. In the context of current academic research, governance paradigms, coaching practice and IofC tradition, you will be invited to reflect on your own self-leadership journey.
Discover our "Human Books":
- Osama Alrantisi (Palestine)
- Wael Al-Afandi (Syria / France)
- Maria del Pilar (Colombia)
- Bilal Khan ( India)
- Sahiti Maley (India)
- Ary Marrufo (Mexico)
- Tinotenda Mhungu (Zimbabwe)
- Arshad Mozumder (UK / Bengal)
- Temantungwa Ndlangamandla (Eswatini)
- Fatouma Tabet Salem (Djibouti)
- Afsaneh Seifinaj (Iran)
- Anubha Sharma (India)
- Aseel Sobah (Palestine)
- Olha Tymoshchouk (Ukraine)
- Olivia Wambui (Kenya)
Saturday, 11 July
With: Sonita Mbah
This webinar will expand on the theme of ‘Who we are is how we lead’. More than ever, young people across the world are stepping up and taking on leadership roles in their communities to help find lasting solutions to the growing socio-economic and environmental crises. Most of these youths have been flung off the conveyor belt of traditional education, entering the ‘real’ world poorly equipped to navigate the complexities of community engagement. Sonita Mbah will share practical tools for connecting culture, identity and leadership: exploring how young people can be possessed by their ideas, commit their lives to changing the direction of their field and the system, spread the solution and persuade entire societies to take new leaps.
Join us on a journey through Sonita’s experiences as a youth leader:
- Touch the depth of Sonita’s work and its connection to who Sonita is.
- Learn and un/learn creative tools, holistic approaches, strategies.
- Embrace challenges and celebrate harvests that may have come from Sonita’s journey.
Monday, 13 July
Discover our "Human Books":
- Osama Alrantisi (Palestine)
- Wael Al-Afandi (Syria / France)
- Maria del Pilar (Colombia)
- Bilal Khan ( India)
- Sahiti Maley (India)
- Ary Marrufo (Mexico)
- Tinotenda Mhungu (Zimbabwe)
- Arshad Mozumder (UK / Bengal)
- Temantungwa Ndlangamandla (Eswatini)
- Fatouma Tabet Salem (Djibouti)
- Afsaneh Seifinaj (Iran)
- Anubha Sharma (India)
- Aseel Sobah (Palestine)
- Olha Tymoshchouk (Ukraine)
- Olivia Wambui (Kenya)
With: Jin In
There has never been a moment like NOW to be a changemaker. An unprecedented pandemic is not only upending our lives. It is demanding that we tackle the great sufferings and injustices we humans have created and continue to allow. But are you ready? Are you prepared? Do you have the most powerful tools for changemakers? The world is calling on you – NOW.
Discover our "Human Books":
- Osama Alrantisi (Palestine)
- Wael Al-Afandi (Syria / France)
- Maria del Pilar (Colombia)
- Bilal Khan ( India)
- Sahiti Maley (India)
- Ary Marrufo (Mexico)
- Tinotenda Mhungu (Zimbabwe)
- Arshad Mozumder (UK / Bengal)
- Temantungwa Ndlangamandla (Eswatini)
- Fatouma Tabet Salem (Djibouti)
- Afsaneh Seifinaj (Iran)
- Anubha Sharma (India)
- Aseel Sobah (Palestine)
- Olha Tymoshchouk (Ukraine)
- Olivia Wambui (Kenya)
Tuesday, 14 July
With: Tony Sakr
In our final webinar Tony Sakr will dive into the power of networking by exploring why it is important in creating success. He will speak about the ‘We Dynamic’, how we can help one another. He will describe the creation of Live Love Syria and focus on how to leverage social media to establish personal connections. Finally, Tony will cover how to become a great networker, why you need to network and ten ways to build a successful personal connection.
Wednesday, 15 July
Please note that this programme is subject to change.
NB: Please note that for technical reasons the Caux Forum Online will be held mainly in English with some sessions in French. No interpretation will be offered. Thank you for your understanding.
Shaping the Future together through Dialogue
Tools for Changemakers – Shaping the future together through dialogue was a three-day online event that aimed at bringing together people of all backgrounds, who want to make a difference in their communities and explore how dialogue can help to build a more cohesive and inclusive society.
The conference took participants on a journey of discovery of the power of dialogue through three interactive online sessions. These offered opportunities to listen to experts, to experience dialogue in groups, and to reflect and share personal experiences.
Thank you!
We would like to thanks our partners, KAICIID and Creators of Peace, as well as all the generous donors who support our efforts to promote dialogue for a more peaceful and inclusive world.
Participants’ feedback
Sincere thanks to the amazing team for a superb series of meetings. What particularly comes to my mind is how well-organized the sessions have been. You anticipated our every need before we even realized them. It felt like a very safe space and, for me, allowed very deep sharing. Hoping that next year we'll be back in Caux.
A wonderful and wonder-filled event! Thank you.
This is the gold standard for how to do a meaningful forum on line.
Thank you to everyone for a fantastic three days. I am inspired, challenged and feel connected to a wider narrative of peace and dialogue.
I was inspired by the stories. I am encouraged to overcome my fears, eager to carry out dialogue in my family, community and at work. Thank you to the organizers for bringing Caux to us.
Watch the replays
17 July: Let’s talk! – Exploring dialogue principles and learning from experienced practitioners
With:
- Simon Keyes, Professor of Reconciliation and Peacebuilding at the University of Winchester, United Kingdom
- Dr. Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska, Researcher, trainer, dialogue facilitator, Ukraine
- Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Professor at the American University School of International Service in International Peace and Conflict Resolution, Washington, DC, USA
18 July: Let’s listen! – Experiencing a dialogue
With:
- • Ebony Walden, Trainer, Facilitator, Urban planner, Community facilitator, Ebony Walden Consulting, USA
- • Matthew Freeman, Trainer, Facilitator, Dialectix Consulting, USA
- • Rob Corcoran, Training Consultant, Initiatives of Change International, USA
19 July: Let’s reflect! – Taking inspiration from stories of impact, sense making and looking ahead
With:
- Angela Starovoytova, Dialogue facilitator, Trainer in effective communication | Network of dialogue facilitators, Ukraine
- Janine Farah, Masters student in Peace and Conflict Studies, Australia
We trust our participants found the Tools for Changemakers experience inspiring and will strengthen their confidence in dialogue as a tool for addressing the challenges faced by their communities.
Speakers
back
Tools for Changemakers - Programme
programme
Friday, 17 July
For the first day we have invited experts to talk about their approach to dialogue, with examples from fieldwork, and to share how these practices could help us to respond to the challenges facing the world. Small discussion groups will give participants the opportunity to share personal experiences and their own dialogue practices. Together we will look for inspiration and vision for a more cohesive world.
I. Word of welcome
II. Getting to know each other
III. What is dialogue?
- Simon Keyes, Professor of Reconciliation and Peacebuilding at the University of Winchester, United Kingdom
IV. Conversations with invited practitioners
- Dr. Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska, Researcher, trainer, dialogue facilitator, Ukraine
- Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Professor at the American University School of International Service in International Peace and Conflict Resolution, Washington, DC, USA
V. Discussion groups
VI. Wrapping up the session
Saturday, 18 July
The second day will give our participants the opportunity to witness and then take part it an online facilitated dialogue. This will be followed by discussion groups, in which they can reflect on what they have learnt.
I. Word of welcome
II. The role of dialogue in the #BlackLivesMatter context
With:
• Ebony Walden, Trainer, Facilitator, Urban planner, Community facilitator, Ebony Walden Consulting, USA
• Matthew Freeman, Trainer, Facilitator, Dialectix Consulting, USA
Moderator:
• Rob Corcoran, Training Consultant, Initiatives of Change International, USA
III. Experiencing a dialogue
IV. Discussion groups - unpacking the learning and the experience
V. Wrapping up the session
Sunday, 19 July
On the final day we will present two inspirational stories of the impact of dialogue and give our participants further opportunities in small groups to explore their next steps in addressing local or global issues.
I. Word of welcome
II. Stories of impact:
- Angela Starovoytova, Dialogue facilitator, Trainer in effective communication | Network of dialogue facilitators, Ukraine
- Janine Farah, Masters student in Peace and Conflict Studies, Australia
III. Small groups exercise/ application
IV. Wrapping up the session
We trust our participants will find the Tools for Changemakers experience inspiring and will strengthen their confidence in dialogue as a tool for addressing the challenges faced by their communities.
- Please note that this programme is subject to change.
- Download the programme here.
NB: Please note that for technical reasons the Caux Forum Online will be held mainly in English. No interpretation will be offered. Thank you for your understanding.
Leadership for a resilient economy
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed weaknesses and strengths in our socio-economic systems. It is causing a global recession and many people have lost their jobs or sources of revenue. As we rebuild our economy, let us make it as sustainable, inclusive and resilient as possible. The Ethical Leadership in Business conference explored how we can achieve this by looking at what we need to learn and how leaders can promote those values.
For its first online edition, the conference offered three panels and one workshop. Two of the online panels were livestreamed on Facebook and on our website. They had a hybrid form, with some speakers and moderators being filmed from the Great Hall of the Caux Palace, and others joining in via zoom and other platforms.
Before each session, participants had the chance to take part in Caux Connection Times, networking with other participants or getting to know the speakers better through short interviews.
What’s next?
The discussion will be continued through a monthly check-in with all the ELB community members to exchange on a global issue; bi-monthly Ethical Leadership Business Talks intended for business leaders; and quarterly Roundtables on Entrepreneurship.
Thank you!
We would like to thank all the sponsors and donors who have made this hybrid online experience possible. We are deeply grateful for your support!
Participants’ feedback
This was my first year to attend the Ethical Leadership in Business module at the Caux Forum. Congratulations on such an excellent programme. The three sessions I attended were superb!
Jeff Berger (United Kingdom)
I would like to say a big thank you for the Caux Connection Times during the Ethical Leadership Conference. I learnt a lot during the workshop on ‘Leadership in the Community’ and hope to put all I learned into great use.
Catherine Onaifo (Nigeria)
I just wanted to say thank you very much for the fantastic panel today on lifelong learning for a resilient economy! The topic and conversation was very interesting, from soft skills versus hard skills, to ‘online space being a safe space for failure’. I really enjoyed it and I loved the 30 seconds quiet time. Great idea! I had never seen it before.
Sep Riahi (New York)
Watch the panels
25 June 2020: Roundtable - Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Africa: challenges and opportunities
The Ethical Leadership Roundtable on ’Innovation and Entrepreneurship: building resilience in the economy and society’ facilitated exchange on small and big innovations and adaptations in such fields as health care, education, work, commerce, payment services, delivery and entertainment.
Speakers
- Dina el-Shenoufy, Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Flat6Labs
- Peace N. Kuteesa, Founder / Chief Operations Officer, Zimba Women
- Darlene Menzies, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Finfind
Moderator:
- Angelica Kiboro, Acting Principal/Registrar, Strathmore Institute and Entrepreneurship Lecturer/ Kenya
25 June 2020: Livestream Panel: Lifelong learning for a resilient economy
Quality education and lifelong learning are key elements in building a resilient economy.
Speakers
- Danièle Castle, Digital Switzerland, Senior Director, Education & Talent
- Andrea Kuttner, Credit Suisse, Head Digital Learning
- Nazrene Mannie, GAN GLobal, Executive Director
- Ivan Primachenko, Prometheus, Co-Founder
-
Olga Strietska-Ilina, ILO, Team Leader, Skills Strategies for Future Labour Markets
-
Naureen Nayyar, Technology consultant at H&M Group
Moderation
- Annika Hartmann de Meuron, Managing Director Ethical Leadership for Business
26 June 2020: Livestream Panel: Leadership for a moral renewal in the economy
At a time of unprecedented crisis and uncertainty, business leaders are faced with conflicting challenges. They have to make prompt decisions, based on limited information, while anticipating future opportunities to increase business sustainability. They need to protect business performance – and to reassure employees and customers. All this requires empathy, compassion and trustbuilding.
Speakers
- Vivek Asrani, Kaymo Fastener Company, Managing Director
- Kristin Engvig, Global WIN&WIND Conference, Founder & CEO
- Brendan Kelly, Credit Suisse, Global Head of Leadership & Professional Development
- Isabella Phoenix, HP Global Channel Senior Manager and Co-Founder of Architects of Air
- Guillaume Taylor, Quadia, Founder
Moderation
- Sarah Schwab, The Experience Accelerator, CEO
26 June 2020: Leadership in the Community
What is my role in shaping our future? How can I take leadership for change in my community? What special role do companies and entrepreneurs have?
The Leadership in the Community workshop offered a place to explore how we can become the change we want to see in the world. As there are no pre-existing recipes, this workshop aimed to help each participant define their own way of engagement and leadership.
Leader
- Gabriele Segre, Director of the Vittorio Dan Segre Foundation, will guide you through a conversation and time of introspection in a safe space, where there will be no live streaming or social media sharing.
back
Ethical Leadership in Business 2020 - Programme
programme
Thursday, 25 June
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
Global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the economic crisis provide us with a chance to be innovative and to adapt the way we live and do business. Sharing experiences and expertise is a big part of leveraging such change.
The Ethical Leadership Roundtable on ’Innovation and Entrepreneurship: building resilience in the economy and society’ will facilitate exchange on small and big innovations and adaptations in such fields as health care, education, work, commerce, payment services, delivery and entertainment.
Speakers
- Dina el-Shenoufy, Chief information officer (CIO), Flat6Labs
- Peace N. Kuteesa, Founder / Chief Operations Officer, Zimba Women
- Darlene Menzies, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Finfind
Moderator:
- Angelica Kiboro, Acting Principal/Registrar, Strathmore Institute and Entrepreneurship Lecturer/ Kenya
Attendees will learn about:
- general trends in entrepreneurship and start-ups to innovate and adapt to challenging situations
- context specific challenges and opportunities in different countries
- the role of entrepreneurship in bridging the digital divide
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
Quality education and lifelong learning are key elements in building a resilient economy.
Speakers
- Danièle Castle, Digital Switzerland, Senior Director, Education & Talent
- Andrea Kuttner, Credit Suisse, Head Digital Learning
- Nazrene Mannie, GAN GLobal, Executive Director
- Ivan Primachenko, Prometheus, Co-Founder
-
Olga Strietska-Ilina, ILO, Team Leader, Skills Strategies for Future Labour Markets
-
Naureen Nayyar, Technology consultant at H&M Group
Moderation
- Annika Hartmann de Meuron, Managing Director Ethical Leadership for Business
Attendees will learn about:
- examples from business of how lifelong learning has evolved since the pandemic
- the opportunities and risks of workplace learning in formal and informal economies
- the role of education technology in building a resilient economy
Followed by a networking session with speakers and participants
- Inspiring reflections on how to lead in times of crisis and beyond
- Concrete and practical examples of overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities
- New ideas and insights from people of different cultural and professional backgrounds
Friday, 26 June
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
At a time of unprecedented crisis, business leaders have to make prompt decisions, based on a limited amount of information. Simultaneously they need to anticipate future opportunities to increase business sustainability. At times of crisis and uncertainty, it is important to reassure employees and customers – and this requires empathy, compassion and trustbuilding. At the same time, leaders need to protect business performance.
Speakers
- Vivek Asrani, Kaymo Fastener Company, Managing Director
- Kristin Engvig, Global WIN&WIND Conference, Founder & CEO
- Brendan Kelly, Credit Suisse, Global Head of Leadership & Professional Development
- Isabella Phoenix, HP Global Channel Senior Manager and Co-Founder of Architects of Air
- Guillaume Taylor, Quadia, Founder
Moderation
- Sarah Schwab, The Experience Accelerator, CEO
Followed by a networking session with speakers and participants
- Inspiring reflections on how to lead in times of crisis and beyond
- Concrete and practical examples of overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities
- New ideas and insights from people of different cultural and professional backgrounds
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
What is my role in shaping our future? How can I take leadership for change in my community? What special role do companies and entrepreneurs have?
The Leadership in the Community workshop offers a place to explore how we can become the change we want to see in the world. As there are no pre-existing recipes, this workshop aims to help each participant define their own way of engagement and leadership.
It will focus on:
- In the context of the pandemic crisis, how do we create the right conditions for change?
- How do we help to move the narrative in the community?
- What role do I want to play?
Leader
- Gabriele Segre, Director of the Vittorio Dan Segre Foundation, will guide you through a conversation and time of introspection in a safe space, where there will be no live streaming or social media sharing.
Please note that this programme is subject to change.
NB: Please note that for technical reasons the Caux Forum Online will be held mainly in English with some sessions in French. No interpretation will be offered. Thank you for your understanding.
Dr Alan Channer shortlisted for the 2019 Bremen International Peace Prize
20/11/2019
Dr Alan Channer, who has been one of the organizers of the Caux Dialogues on Land and Security since their inception, was a runner-up for this year's Bremen International Peace Prize.
The prize honours people and organizations that ‘set a good example in their work for peace, justice and the integrity of creation’. Dr Channer was nominated for his work on land, security and climate. The citation said: ‘How does one mutually foster peace and climate protection? What power comes out of local peace initiatives? Alan Channer is providing an important contribution to Muslim-Christian relationships and reconciliation between ethnic groups.’
Dr Channer’s work as a film producer, project director, researcher and writer is tightly linked to Caux. For the Love of Tomorrow Films, his film production company, has its roots in Caux. Dr Channer also met the Imam and Pastor in Caux and this meaningful encounter eventually led to the making of two award-winning documentaries. More recently, Alan launched a Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate in partnership with the GCSP which took place as part of the Caux Forum 2019.
Download the brochure of the Bremern International Peace Prize
test event schedule
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean.
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.
Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar.
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen. She packed her seven versalia, put her initial into the belt and made herself on the way.
When she reached the first hills of the Italic Mountains, she had a last view back on the skyline of her hometown Bookmarksgrove, the headline of Alphabet Village and the subline of her own road, the Line Lane. Pityful a rethoric question ran over her cheek, then she continued her way.
programme
Thursday, 14 November
Introducation
But nothing the copy said could convince her and so it didn’t take long until a few insidious Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again.
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean.
Welcome talk
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen. She packed her seven versalia, put her initial into the belt and made herself on the way.
When she reached the first hills of the Italic Mountains, she had a last view back on the skyline of her hometown Bookmarksgrove, the headline of Alphabet Village and the subline of her own road, the Line Lane. Pityful a r
Friday, 15 November
But nothing the copy said could convince her and so it didn’t take long until a few insidious Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.
notes this is the notes
Filming regeneration
Caux Dialogue on Land and Security
04/11/2019
One-man film crew, Oliver Gardiner, travels to remote regions around the world to tell stories of how people have addressed complex issues through food, farming and land use.
When he took part in the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security (CDLS) in 2017, he was making a documentary for Regeneration International about Mari Oumar Sall, a Mauritanian agri-activist who trains refugees fleeing from violence in northern Mali in dryland farming, so that they can feed their growing community. Oliver brought Mari Oumar Sall to CDLS 2017 with the support of Regeneration International and Land Lives and Peace.
In 2018 Oliver worked with other CDLS participants to film a mangrove restoration project supported by land-mapping and tree-planting drones in the delta region of Myanmar.
Oliver works as the producer and director of Trails of Regeneration, a Regeneration International video series co-produced with Kiss the Ground and the Organic Consumers Association. One of his documentaries, Khasi Mother Earth, tells the story of Kong Spelity Lyngdoh, a 98-year-old Khasi woman in Meghalaya who spent three decades fighting to protect her land from uranium mining. Despite being offered tens of millions of dollars, she vowed to protect her tribe. Society in Meghalaya is matrilineal, with women holding authority and ownership of the land.
He has also made a short film on how agro-ecology was used to stop a regional armed conflict and reverse religious segregation in the Philippines.
Saving a sacred grove
Caux Dialogue on Land and Security
04/11/2019
Bo Sprotte Kafod volunteered to help organize the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security (CDLS) in 2019, after meeting former CDLS participants at the UN climate change conference (UNFCCC COP24) in Katowice, Poland, in December 2018.
Bo is studying Forestry and Landscape Engineering at the University of Copenhagen and is President of the Danish chapter of the International Forestry Student Association. He describes his experience as part of the CDLS organizing team as a steep learning curve, which challenged his skills.
‘Events which include professionals, researchers and the private sector on a global scale tend to be bureaucratic, with slow processes, which are sometimes distanced from practical applications,’ he says. ‘This is not the case with Caux. Caux allows people to meet and discuss freely on common ground, allowing new initiatives to happen – initiatives of change. Many of my values and opinions are reflected in the purpose of Caux, and these have been reaffirmed for me.’
After contacting the Danish branch of IofC in Copenhagen, Bo participated in the UN conference on combating desertification (UNCCD COP14) in Delhi with other CDLS participants.
After the conference, Bo and others from CDLS travelled to Meghalaya in North East India to follow up on contacts from Caux and met the Chief Minister of the State, Conrad Sangma.
While he was there, Bo visited the Mawphlang Sacred Forest, a natural treasure, home to more than 500 indigenous species. Many of Meghalaya’s Khasi people trace their ancestors to the forest and often go there to pray to the trees and stones, especially to get clarity on any dilemma in life. Bo was especially touched by the spiritual importance of the space.
He discovered that the Sacred Forest is threatened by the changing climate and by disease. If nothing is done, it is expected that the trees will continue to die at an increasing rate. To the delight of the caretaker, Bo was able to diagnose the problem as the Sooty Mould fungus, and to suggest a possible solution. He is now working with others to advise the Forest Department of Meghalaya on an action plan to save the forest’s ancient trees.
How to make your meetings efficient and participative
By Brigitt Altwegg & Anna Krebs
10/10/2019
Do you think that we have way too many ineffective and non-participatory meetings? Your meeting may have not met its objectives, you may feel disengaged or that precious time is being wasted. Brigitt Altwegg, Trustbuilding Programme Manager at IofC Switzerland, and facilitation, coaching and organizational development professional Anna Krebs share some simple tips on how to change this.
Before and at the start of the meeting
Be clear about who is the convener and who is the facilitator of the meeting, and about their respective responsibilities. The convener and the facilitator may or not be the same person. Taking turns to facilitate allows all team members to practise their facilitation skills and to grow together as a group. It is also a good way to change the dynamics and break old habits.
Send a concise invitation to the participants, which mentions agenda items, context, objectives, expected output, leader of the meeting, participants, timing and required reading.
If you doubt whether people will have read the documents in advance, schedule time at the beginning of the meeting to read through them.
In the case of an ad-hoc meeting co-create a ‘flying agenda’ on the spot: ask people to write their most important topics/objectives for the meeting on a post-it, put them up on a flip chart and vote on which items to address and in what order.
Use the Eisenhower/Covey Quadrant (see image below) as a method of prioritizing items according to their importance and urgency.
Do a mindset check-in round to find out what is on participants’ minds before tackling the topic of the meeting.
Why are mindset check-in rounds important?
- They increase participation. If every person speaks within the first five minutes, they are more likely to express themselves again later on;
- They increase focus on the topic of the meeting because they acknowledge and help people to temporarily put aside other things which are on their minds;
- They allow people space to share on a more personal level what’s happening within them, to the degree that they choose themselves. When this is done regularly and authentically, coherence and trust within the team can increase. Example questions: Before we get started with the agenda, what’s on everyone’s mind? What is one thing you hope to accomplish in this meeting? What one word best describes your mood at this moment?
Shortly frame the meeting:
- Restate the meeting’s purpose and objectives, refer to the mindset which is needed for these to be achieved;
- Clarify expectations;
- Present the agenda and clarify logistics;
- Set, or remind people about, groundrules or guidelines relating to interaction and participation, confidentiality, decision-making and task distribution (i.e. time-keeping, note-taking). You can also use a timer such as a kitchen egg timer.
During the meeting
Use varying participatory formats or facilitation tools which are adapted to the situation and allow all participants to contribute to the conversation equally from the very start of the meeting, taking into account their different learning and personality styles. Empower them to manage their speaking time.
Have standing meetings if the issue can be resolved quickly.
Otherwise, remove tables and arrange chairs in a circle.
Manage participants’ speaking time. For participants who talk too much, you can for example thank them, repeat what they said to acknowledge that you have heard them or occupy them with additional tasks (photos, note-taking, time-keeping, special assistance, etc). To allow participants to speak up, you can, for example, agree on a sign that people make when they have something to say, use silence to give space to think, go around the circle, break into pairs or small groups and ask them to report back, or use other forms of facilitation which do not require speaking.
Use a parking lot flipchart for ideas that are off-topic but important.
Use a visual KANBAN board (see image on top) to keep track of how the meeting is evolving and give a sense of completion in the end.
Use ‘dot voting’ (see image below) if you need to decide on something or choose between different options. Participants vote for their chosen options using a limited number of dot stickers or marks with pens.
When conversation stalls or there is tension, take a moment of silence and a round of insights.
To close the meeting
Celebrate success: Ask one person to share a small success in their work or take a moment to give positive feedback.
Decide on follow-up:
- identify the first small next steps;
- decide who will be in charge of what and how they will keep track of their progress;
- agree on, or be aware of, the consequences of not delivering in time (what it means for the other person);
- send a summary immediately after the meeting;
it is also possible to brainstorm the agenda for the next meeting.
Review: take a few minutes to ask how the meeting could be improved next time.
Check-out: As with the check-in, you can do a quick check-out round by, for example, asking participants to state their mood or take-away in one word.
We look forward to hearing your own comments and tips on making meetings more effective. Who knows, maybe we will soon meet at an event or facilitation training?
N.B. Check out the upcoming Facilitation Training on 28-31 October in Geneva and contact us if you are interested in facilitation services for your event or dialogue!














































































































