16. – 17. avgust 2013

SOS

• Strengths of Slovenia

• Spirit of Slovenia

• Soul of Slovenia

• Skupaj o Sloveniji• Skupaj o Sloveniji

• Skupaj oživljamo Slovenijo

• Soustvarjalna obnova skupnosti

• Soustvarjalno obujanje Slovenije

• …

Purpose

• Collaboratively inquire into the DNA of this space/area.

• Reconnect with:

– our own strengths

– strengths of place/country/region.

• Collectively enter the threshold of possibility (rather • Collectively enter the threshold of possibility (rather than moaning what is broken in this country).

• Connect with one another round our longings/what drives us.

• Use community’s resources to develop initiatives.

• Collectively build more territory we can love together.

Call of the entire event

• An invitation to turn the national downward

spiral of despair on nation level to a sphere of

possibilities.

• A 1.5 day collaborative seed event was conceived • A 1.5 day collaborative seed event was conceived

to set in motion a series of conversations on the

national level on the unacknowledged strengths

and potentials of Slovenia.

• How our strengths and uniqueness might give us

new perspectives and new answers?

Calling questions

• What is the DNA of our country, its people and

statehood – the core that sustains us when crisis

hits?

• What can be learnt when we collectively inquire into What can be learnt when we collectively inquire into

the strengths & uniqueness of Slovenia that can be

transferred to our own communities/societies, as

well as help Slovenia in this time of crisis?

• How to re-awaken the power of community and co-

creation to address present challenges?

Foto: R. Kržišnik

How…

• 70 people all over the world

– 50 from Slovenia

– rest from Sweden, France, Ireland, Finland, Australia,

Germany, New Zealand, Belgium, UK, Canada,

AfghanistanAfghanistan

• reclaiming our ancient lineage of meeting in a circle, around a fire

• Storytelling

• harvesting the insights, conversations and outcomes of our gathering

What can we learn from …

• „Chicken Little story“ and „Clean up Slovenia“

about…

– New forms and practices of leadership

– new ways of working together– new ways of working together

– going viral

– resources and resourcefulness

– unique strengths of Slovenia

– edges of the future in the present

Foto: Helen T. Beeth

What new insights have these stories

awakened in us?

• We have the capacity for creative positive breakthrough.

• We are able to cooperate and join together.

• A new perception of ‘small’ - Being small is an advantage to experience /become an inspiring

• A new perception of ‘small’ - Being small is an advantage to experience /become an inspiring new model without threatening old systems.

• The best time for Slovenia is now.

• The crisis is an opportunity to develop and work together.

What new insights have these stories

awakened in us?

• Opening: Slovenia = a natural womb for conceiving new project, ideas, connections…

• Able to find our inner strength and resources (successful projects in our past). (successful projects in our past).

• Slovenia is rich with creativity that is rooted in the richness of language and space.

• Community is key – we (a village of villages that Slovenia is) still know this in our bones, minds and hearts.

• ‘Farmers wisdom in our bones‘.

What new insights have these stories

awakened in us?

• Wholeheartedness. All the inner resources we have been carrying inside ourselves, we can join together in collective wisdom.

• We have immense strengths – knowledge, ideas, connection between people, …connection between people, …

• Awareness of Life Mission gets re-awakened once one steps on Slovenian soil!

• Slovenia = ‘sleeping beauty’ that wants to awaken to its full potential & beauty.

• Slovenia as a large, beautiful, bountiful garden.

What new insights have these stories

awakened in us?

• In order to make the change & upgrade

Slovenia, we need to reclaim our unique DNA.

• How to re-connect to, and sustain, a ‘butterfly

DNA’ (instead of that of a caterpillar’s) ?DNA’ (instead of that of a caterpillar’s) ?

How can we reclaim our unique DNA?

What would become possible if we did?

• With respect, connecting diversity – example of the gardening and the earth, how rooting and technology can be connected.

• Self-responsibility – to get over our need for a control/censorship – we are used to be under control/censorship – we are used to be under surveillance.

• Reclaim our natural environment and its potential. Spread the experience to others.

• Activate and connect the experience of older people, and the knowledge of the young(motor/fuel).

How can we reclaim our unique DNA?

What would become possible if we did?

• Trust – through listening to and understanding

others and ourselves.

• Self-sufficiency - grow, seek, buy, share,

locally-produced food.locally-produced food.

• We must allow ourselves to ask for help

sometimes. We start to connect and

cooperate better as groups.

How can we reclaim our unique DNA?

What would become possible if we did?

• Go ‘back to the roots’ – re-awaken indigenous wisdom of this area .

• Re-claim our rich heritage, culture.

• Slovenian are generous, heartful hosts, • Slovenian are generous, heartful hosts, especially when hosting foreigners – what if we started hosting each other really well?

• A new “us” is being born: we don’t need an inner ‘supervisor’; we are now stepping into the driver’s seat and taking initiative.

How can we reclaim our unique DNA?

What would become possible if we did?

• Re-discovering the power of community .

• Stories, that we carry, tell of unbelievable

strength – we need MORE stories shared.

• Felt & vibrant sense of the preciousness of • Felt & vibrant sense of the preciousness of

exchange at ‘village’ level (exchange of

knowledge/goods …)

• „Thriving instead of surviving“

How can we reclaim our unique DNA?

What would become possible if we did?

• Love for nature = strong connecting point. “ - V sodelovanju z naravo” (old slogan from the 80’s) – co-creating with nature.

• Connect with nature – to re-connect with oneself & whole at a deeper level.oneself & whole at a deeper level.

• Many ancient ritual places –– activate their power and use them consciously and wisely.

• All 4 elements are present...Slovenia is clearly in between S,N,E,W (of Europe)….4 seasons…so much abundance!

How can we reclaim our unique DNA?

What would become possible if we did?

• Garden metaphor: communities are already forming around gardening …seed exchange; urban gardening …

• The change can start within a family: trust, support, appreciate family members.support, appreciate family members.

• Slovenia’s smallness fosters connectedness.

• Notice and acknowledge potential – in you & others!

• Create spaces where we can really see & hear each other.

Foto: R. Kržišnik

Proaction café

Projects:

• Local learning company – developing local

communities and opportunity for young people

to find their career and support local to find their career and support local

development.

• An international foundation for revitalisation and

preservation of Statenberg manor.

• Different school: How to bring this shape of

conversation and joint exploration into schools.

Proaction café

• Exchange circle in Maribor

• A section for holistic tourism of the sacred mountainBoc.

• Integral Economy Slovenia as a new model of economy in society, good for Slovenia and the world. in society, good for Slovenia and the world.

• The society Key of Life

• A farm based on biodynamics and permaculture, where there would be not one owner or small group of owners but would be open to everyone who wants to contribute.

• Urban learning farms: solving self-sufficiency and youth unemployment.

• …

Proaction café

• Exchange circle in Maribor .

• A section for holistic tourism of the sacred mountainBoc.

• Integral Economy Slovenia as a new model of economy in society, good for Slovenia and the world. in society, good for Slovenia and the world.

• The society Key of Life

• A farm based on biodynamics and permaculture, where there would be not one owner or small group of owners but would be open to everyone who wants to contribute.

• Urban learning farms. We are trying to solve 2 problems: self-sufficiency and youth unemployment.

Foto: Miha Širca