Regarding Thomas Herrmann's huge OST opportunity, the following is for 2 000 rather than 80 000 people, but the intent seems similar -- defining the future of a city. The following is taken from a message I received over a month ago. There is a contact point at the end of the message that may be useful in planning your 80 000 person events.
Patrick McAuley Toronto, Canada [email protected] >On November 20, Mayor Anthony Williams of Washington DC is hosting a >citizens summit of up to 2,000 Washington DC citizens at the DC >Convention Center to create a shared vision for the City. In order to >succeed, high quality facilitation of small group discussions during the >day is needed; in addition, some facilitators will be needed to assist >with the follow-through to the event. > >This is a major opportunity for our OD community to impact on one of our >nation's major cities transform itself. And while we are especially >interested in having facilitators who are DC citizens or work in DC, >anyone who is committed to helping Washington DC is welcome. Also, >please feel free to pass this information along to any other >facilitators or organizations of facilitators with which you are >acquainted. > >The following is a newsletter description of the event and time >requirements: > >"On November 20, citizens of the District of Columbia will be invited to >participate in a day-long Citizen Summit as a part of Mayor Anthony >Williams' Neighborhood Action initiative. The Summit will bring together >citizens from every sector and neighborhood in our city to discuss how >we can implement the common goals and priorities which we share for the >District. > >In order to ensure that citizen deliberations are meaningful and >informed, Neighborhood Action is recruiting volunteer facilitators to >promote authentic dialogue at this important civic event. Facilitators >will play a neutral role in the event, working to make sure that each >citizen has a chance to be heard and that conversations focus on >building consensus whenever possible. > >The time commitment for volunteer facilitators will be limited to >working at the Summit (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and participating in one >brief training session prior to the Summit. Facilitators may choose >between three one-and-a-half-hour training sessions, scheduled for >November 10 at 5:30 p.m., November 13 at 10 a.m. and November 18 at 5 >p.m. Facilitators will also be invited to attend the initiative's >celebratory kick-off on the evening of November 18, at which Mayor >Williams will present his vision for the city. > >The mission of Neighborhood Action is to empower citizens to improve >their communities by mobilizing and coordinating the resources of >government, businesses, nonprofits, the faith community and citizens >themselves. Please join us in launching this exciting initiative. > >For more information, or to volunteer, contact Joe Goldman at: > >202.727.2822 >[email protected] >441 4th Street, NW, Suite 920 South >Washington, D.C. 20001 Herrmann, Thomas wrote: > Dear friends. > I have a friend who obviously is making progress in talking the leading > politicians of a city nearby into arranging a (or probably quite a few) > Open Space meetings. The thought is to invite the whole city of 80 000 to > have a dialoge concerning the future of the city!! Has anybody bumpt into > this kind of crazy ideas? Any suggestions?? I read some about the events > arranged in Canada and I'll have a look at OSI Canada later on. > Greetings Thomas > > Thomas Herrmann > Pensévägen 4 > 434 46 Kungsbacka, Sweden > > Tfn (+46) 0300-713 89 (home) > (+46) 031-775 13 38 (work)
