Europe Matters

Europe Matters Forum April 27- May 2, 2009/ Sturovo, Slovakia We had a fantastic time at the Europe Maters Forum in Slovakia, in Sturovo on the border of Hungary, near Estergom. Participants were from more than 22 countries and many more cultures. See www.europematters.org. We made a documentary on Europe Matters, looking at how to transform our violent history into a creative future, and wrote a handbook on multi cultural dialogue. Contact for information on how to order. See also: Rosemary Cairns with Jean-Claude and Arlene Audergon, Europe Matters: creating community through deep dialogue, in  IAF (International Association of Facilitators) Newsletter May 2009 Photos by Boris Sopko, Michal Duda, and Kiro Zabinska  http://iaf-europe.eu/newsletter/newsletter_may09.pdf Supported with a European Commission  grant ‘Europe for Citizens’ CFOR is continuing our Europe Matters programme together with partner organisations EMF European Multicultural Foundation UK,  ANNWIN Slovakia, Udruga Mi Croatia, IPP Centre for Dialogue Poland and Diversity Matters UK ‘The focus of Europe Matters is its unusual quality of facilitated dialogue – a deeper dialogue that leads to transformation of attitudes and new initiatives and collaborations’   ‘A new kind of think tank, profoundly interactive  and with a training component so you can continue facilitating the dialogue when you go home’   Themes arose from our diverse group.  Facilitated processes in the large group; small groups; panels and roundtables; fish-bowls on specific problems; and networking sessions. Europe Matters may include: attitudes between east-west changing identities in Europe – national, ethnic, multicultural and European identities migration and asylum discrimination based on race, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, mental health and more youth accountability and how to move from our history of colonialism, memories of war and tyranny to a creative and thriving future global issues including the environment violence prevention the role of media in building multicultural societies Facilitation and leadership skills: intercultural communication facilitating  the complexities of rank - privilege, prejudice, power diversity awareness facilitating conflict transformation Deep democracy and new leadership Stepping out of cycles of  violence and building a different future Europe Matters People from 22 countries and more cultures gathered in five day forums held in Sturovo, Slovakia  in September 2007 and April 2009  -  to gain experiences and facilitation skills  and to grapple with our identities, as individuals, cultures  and countries, what matters in Europe, and where we are going.

Europe Matters is a kind of think tank
It’s a new kind of think tank because of the deeper dialogue that includes not only ideas, but facilitation of emotions, history, conflicts, dreams and direct interactions. People say the forums transform your feelings and perceptions about issues, so that you recognise how you contribute to perpetuating conflict or contribute to change. Each forum is like being in a ‘cooking pot’. In the heat of it, you gain awareness and a sense of possibility, and transform with others.

Facilitation
Jean-Claude and Arlene Audergon of CFOR, with Michael Duda IPP are international facilitators in methods of Process Work and Worldwork. The Assistants and small group facilitators were also trained in methods of Process Work, or Worldwork, developed by Arnold Mindell and colleagues. www.worldwork.org

Dialogue that transforms communities
The underlying gist is that there is a wisdom and direction in community, if we are able to welcome all voices, and  take an active part in working with the processes shaping us. This is Mindell’s notion of ‘deep democracy’.  A principle behind the Europe Matters project is that legislation promoting human rights and social inclusion is an important key to our future but it’s not enough.

Europe Matters reaches under the surface. Working with matters that touch the core of people’s lives, issues which at first may seem to divide us soon tie us together. Emotional and cognitive awareness leads to building long lasting relationships and collaborations, turning insight and experience into action.

Active ‘citizenship’ comes when you really ‘get’ that you make a difference –you have the awareness, experience and relationships to ‘give a damn’.  Motivation also comes from feeling part, recognizing you are part of history and you are shaping the future. .

The forum has both trans-national and local dimensions. We will address issues that are of immediate relevance to participants in their home communities, as well as issues and dynamics that involve all of us across Europe.  For example a participant may work with issues affecting a local Roma community. The learning and follow up may be relevant for Roma communities throughout Europe, and the learning will also be related to understanding dynamics between majority and minority groups more generally, and applicable to a range of issues that people are working with.

How Europe Matters started
We were facilitating a forum in 2004 on majority and minority issues in Slovakia and Europe, particularly looking at issues facing Roma (Gypsies)  in Europe. Peter and Viera Simkovic of ANNWIN organised the forum, supported by the British Embassy. After the forum, Peter shared his idea of organising a European wide ‘worldwork’ forum.  We began to simmer on shared dreams. During our  European ‘Social Inclusion in Action ‘  project in 2005-2006, the idea took shape, together with Tara Mukherjee, chair of EMF European Multicultural Foundation and the Director of CIO Confederation of Indian Organisations.  We still remember  the creative process we all had together on a rainy day, finding its name - Jean-Claude alighted on ‘Europe Matters ‘ and for our first forum ‘Europe Matters Europe Works’.

The first forum, September 2007
A five-day forum Europe Matters Europe Works was supported by Grundtvig , in September 2007 in Sturovo Slovakia.  Participants came from 13 European countries. It was coordinated by ANNWIN. Arlene and Jean-Claude Audergon facilitated, assisted by Stanya Studentova. The group worked deeply with themes of asylum and refuge; racism and discrimination; our  history of war, trauma and tyranny in Europe;  issues facing Roma communities; attitudes between east-west in Europe;  trafficking;  and gender and sexual orientation. Each participant contributed to panels, small group dialogue, and the large group Forum interactions. We also had training sessions each day on issues of privilege and rank, conflict facilitation, and facilitating one’s ideals and dreams.  A profound sense of warmth and connection grew among the participants. As one participant said trying to find words for the shift she felt.  ‘I realise that it is the first time I have a sense of belonging and roots, that I am European’

Roots and the future of  Europe Matters
 
Forums on xenophobia and discrimination due to race, religion, gender
and sexual orientation

Balkans
From 1996-2001, Arlene Audergon and Lane Arye facilitated large forums  in Croatia made up of people from a wide range of NGOs and government organisations, with community leader, such as educators or mayors.  Each with their own war experience, Serb, Croat and Muslim, and other and mixed ethnic/national backgrounds, they worked together on post-war reconciliation and the transition to multicultural civil society. The work was  coordinated by  the NGO Udruga Mi, and supported by UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees, OSCE Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OTI Office of Transition Initiatives, Open Society, and several embassies. In 2006, 2008 and 2009, Arlene and Jean-Claude Audergon of CFOR are partners with Udruga Mi, with grants from the UNHCR and  European Commission Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. Arlene’s book War Hotel, was also recently translated and published in Croatian, supporting the window of opportunity to support  needed dialogue for community building and to prevent future violence.  

Social Inclusion in Multicultural society
In 2004 CFOR facilitated a forum concerning majority and minority groups in Slovakia, particularly focusing on discrimination towards Roma, religious freedom and attitudes concerning gender, sexual orientation and age. Organized by ANNWIN, Slovakia, it was supported by the British Embassy. During 2005-2007, CFOR facilitated a project called Social Inclusion in Action, supported by the European Commission, Grundtvig, with  ANNWIN, Slovakia  and European Multicultural Foundation UK  and additional partners from Lithuania, Poland, Norway and  Slovenia.  Forums focused on issues of racism, asylum and migration, east-west, gender and sexual orientation, and dynamics of intercultural communication. CFOR coordinates and conducts trainings, conferences and forums  also in the UK on issues of migration and asylum, cultural and religious diversity, how conflicts in the Middle East involve us here, and attitudes towards Muslims in Britain. One outcome is that local groups have formed with enthusiasm and dedication to continue the dialogue and include wider networks. A current forum being planned is for the Burundian community in the UK who are looking for ways to talk about the issues and conflicts they face in their communities, and the trauma from the violence in  Burundi. One idea is that this will support Burundians in the UK, but also develop ways for the UK Burundian community to support the needed dialogue and steps for healing in their home country.
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After Europe Matters
Europe Matters was filmed by Jeni Vine. CFOR has created a short film, entitled ‘Europe Matters. A documentary about finding our way from the past to the future’. Contact for order information.

In addition, we have also published a handbook entitled ‘Deeper Dialogue: A handbook for multicultural societies’ The handbook is an accessible and practical tool for individuals, teams and organisations wanting to facilitate deeper dialogue. 
To get a copy, contact us at

The partners
CFOR www.cfor.info  
CFOR coordinates and facilitate interactive forums and skill training on intercultural dialogue, conflict prevention, and social inclusion. CFOR’s expertise is in supporting groups to reach a deep level of dialogue and debate, and where necessary work with heated issues of historical or current conflict.  Forums result in individual participants taking leadership within their communities, and developing creative collaborations. Its forums are known for participants coming away with skills, renewed vision, and long-lasting relationships and associations to put these visions into practice. Arlene and Jean-Claude are coordinating Europe Matters and co-facilitators with Michal from IPP

The European Multicultural Foundation (UK) www.emfoundation.eu  is a pan-European umbrella association of non-governmental organisations and persons active in the struggle against exclusion, discrimination and racism. It was established as a reaction against the persistence in Europe of hostility towards minorities and immigrants. Its approach is not political. Instead, it concerns human relationships and how to foster more positive attitudes in our multicultural society. Tara Mukherjee, an elder and leader in this field has many years of experience taking a hands on role in going straight to the top, as necessary to influence decision makers about social inclusion and multicultural society. Tara will lead up the dissemination of our learning from the forum.

ANNWIN  (Slovakia) www.annwin.sk  is a non-profit educational organization established in May 1995 to support human resources in the process of transition and development of Slovak society. It does this through organizing and leading courses, training seminars, workshops, tutorials and through educational, informational and consultation activities. ANNWIN advocates social equality, inclusion and integration of vulnerable groups, human rights protection, democracy and multicultural dialogue. Peter and Viera Simkovic are supporting the coordination of  Europe Matters,  with much experience delivering projects to support multicultural society – not to mention their extraordinary hospitality!

Udruga Mi (Croatia) www.udruga-mi.hr is devoted to improving social services, democratisation and community development. It has been a leader in building capacity among civil society organisations throughout Croatia, and working on relationships between the public sector and NGOs. It is recognised as a leading organisation for its contribution to community - its volunteer centre, programme for the elderly, and its post-war reconciliation and community building programmes. Milan and Nives are actively supporting the outreach for Europe Matters, and bring essential perspective from the Balkans.

IPP (Poland) www.processwork.pl  is an organization performing trainings for psychotherapists and facilitators and also educates adults in communication, conflict resolution, violence prevention and developing awareness around social, ethnic and political diversity. The Centre for Social Dialogue is involved in organizing forums, discussions, seminars on social diversity issues. It has also developed a network of people socially aware and engaged in various activities concerning development of civil, social, cultural and intercultural competences.  Gabrysa, Grzegorz, and Michal are active in organising and outreach. Michal, founder and teacher at IPP is a co-facilitator for this programme.

Diversity Matters (Scotland) www.diversity-matters.co.uk  operates in Scotland and more widely, offering consultancy, facilitation, training and evaluation services to support a more inclusive society within the UK. Diversity Matters facilitates individuals, families, groups and organisations in areas such as organisational change, person-centred planning, facilitation techniques, training, and Process Work.  They are involved with designing new services which support individuals with labels of learning disabilities and/ or their families to remain at the centre and in-control of their lives. Pat and Andy are supporting the overall coordination and outreach! Pat and Andy are Assistant facilitators.