*Hello dear Open Space community of colleagues and friends,* With the holidays at our doorstep and a new decade just around the corner, how can one not feel grateful for the gift of Open Space in our lives. Many on this list got their first exposure to Open Space at International House in New York City; for others, like me, it happened elsewhere though indeed, it's at this Peace and High Performance gathering that I deepened and celebrated my continued learning and growth in the practice of this process which is so much more. A way of living really.
This year, as people I know, and others who I have yet to meet, have registered to attend, I feel the deep stirring of welcome and conviviality inside me, knowing the big issues ahead that will be discussed; knowing how influential and impactful it will be to have the folks who will be there there and who are connected to so many, will affect others before, during and after. In 2013, the WOSonOS theme in Florida was *The World is Waiting; Are We Ready*? In 2019, it was *Honoring the Ineffable Spirit of Open Space*. Both are an invitation to open more space and to continue to open space everywhere and anywhere. This year in partnership with the World Happiness Fest, that's exactly what we'll be doing. *If you want to experience* what it feels like to be at International House, watch this short 2.5 minute video (not extremely professional but through images, it conveys the spirit of what it's like to be there). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t00zgZWflig&feature=youtu.be *If you want to be reminded* of the purpose of this gathering which was inspired in large part by Harrison Owen's book The Practice of Peace, let yourself be guided by these timeless and timely words of his: *Excerpt from the back cover of Harrison's book* - *Peace is not the absence of chaos, confusion, and conflict* - *...conflict in all its forms is an essential, albeit painful, element of life, and life without conflict is only a lobotomized shadow of its former self. * - *Peace then is a process, not a thing; a journey and not a destination* - *The true power lies with the incredible capacity of self-organizing systems to create Peace for themselves and with their environments. * - *Order appears in chaos. Nobody did it. Not a committee or executive in sight, but things definitely get organized at a new and higher level of complexity. * Who can set the conditions for peace to self-organize? Anyone and everyone - - Business and political leaders - Neighbors - Lovers and friends - Engineers and sales people - Teachers and learners - Parents and children - You The *Practice of Peace* opens a space for peace to emerge in each of us and for all our collectives. *If you want to exponentially ignite and inspire* yourself and others to all that we imagine possible, *please join us at International House in 2020*. https://osius.org/peace-high-performance-2020 *Thank you and Welcome!* Suzanne, Karen, Harrison, OSI US and all of us who are part of inviting for this gathering Suzanne Daigle Open Space Facilitator NuFocus Strategic Group Cell: 203-722-2009 www.nufocusgroupusa.com [email protected]
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