WE INVITE YOU THIS
YEAR TO:
an international working conference examining the role of transgenerational
trauma, compassion, and healing in our relationships with "The
OTHER" from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to
promote a wider public dialogue about images of "Us and Them"
JOIN
us to take part in 2 days of dialogue and action planning for compassionate
healing to bridge the divide and cultivate our capacity for appreciation
of diversity, reconciliation, and genuine engagement.
PURPOSE AND
GOALS:
Overall Goals of the Conference:
This year's ETO program focuses on unresolved communal trauma
and transferance of the trauma experience into future generations as
potent fuel for future animosity and violence, including:
- the implictions for fear-based belief systems, negative stereotypes,
prejudice, alienation, polarization, scapegoating, and forming enemy
images that promote adversarial perceptions of the "The Other."
and
- the power of compassion and humanitrian service to victims in healing
communal trauma, re-empowerment, and promoting positive relations within
and between societies.
As an immediate example, the humanitarian crisis of millions of Syrian
refugees traumatized by war and violence in their country will be examined
for it's potential to fuel future violence if healing is not accomplished.
Organizations engaged in relief efforts in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey
will be presented, along with action planning break-out sessions to
explore concerted cooperation and mutual support for a larger response.
As such the 2 day gathering will serve as a focused networking and coalition
building place for a number of emergency human service programs focused
on this latest crisis of massive communal trauma.
Additional conference goals include:
Raise the level, depth, and breadth of public dialogue and awareness
on core issues. The conference examines dimensions and dynamics
of "The OTHER" on individual and group levels, and considers
how enemy identity is formed, perpetuated, and manipulated.
Identify and compile fundamental questions, dilemmas, and implications
for further deep inquiry and examination in an expanding public dialogue,
and to challenge embedded negative belief systems that promote adversarial
perceptions of the "The Other."
Tap our shared wisdom, compassion, and responsibility as a community
- from the local to the global - in developing practical applications.
Developing and sharing practical strategies for applying results to
the current state of local and world relationships to promote increased
understanding, sensitivity, and compassion as a means of countering
and neutralizing hostility, particularly inter-group hostility.
Create Networking Opportunities
to promote collaboration, action planning, and next steps following
the conference.
Formulate findings and products to make available to all -
through publications, media, the Internet, educational curriculum, networks,
community based dialogue groups, etc.
On-Site
Video Interviews and Proceedings
1 page Color Conference
Flyer (in
pdf) 1
page Black & White Conference Flyer (in
pdf)
1
page Color Conference Poster -
8 1/2 X 14 size (in pdf)
An
important, timely dialogue
....everyone
needs to be part of.
~
Donate to our Subsidy Fund ~
to help students and participants
from developing communities attend
