January, 2015

Happy Anniversary!

2015 marks the World Caf�'s 20th birthday! (and the 10th anniversary of World Caf�: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter, which has now been translated into 13 languages!)

As you know, we sent out a survey late last year to see how and what you want to celebrate and the responses were clear: you said wanted more learning opportunities, more chances to experience and practice hosting World Caf�, more information about and resources for World Caf� as a research tool, and - in addition to more communication and global connection - more engagement in your local communities.

Well, we're listening!
Here's what's on the horizon for 2015 so far:

Regional Engagement
We look forward to hearing from YOU about what's happening in your region throughout the year, and to prime the pump, we've included some inspiration for you in this issue...

PLUS: Stay tuned for more about a community-wide regional & global World Caf� celebration beginning to take shape for September/October of this year.

World Caf� Learning Programs
We've expanded the current World Caf� Learning Programs with a number of brand new opportunities to learn & grow together (including some long-requested new programs and timing/language options). See below for more details.

World Caf� Research
There's a lot happening here but it's mostly under the radar, so we're currently exploring ways to connect the dots and best support the use of World Caf� for research and evaluation purposes. Stay tuned for more.

Experiencing World Caf�
Following on our Wiser Together collaboration with Berrett-Koehler Foundation in December, we're hosting two new Wiser Together Cafes - one on the ground and one online. You are most welcome to join us at one or both (see details below). If you are hosting an open World Caf� or Wiser Together Caf�, let us know and we'll share the news here.

Global Community
Those of you who are members of the World Caf� online community will see many changes happening in the next month - and we've created a short survey (4 questions & contact details) that will allow you to impact them directly. Please take a few minutes to share your ideas.

Sneak Community Preview: There are plans afoot to host regular monthly community "office hours" where senior World Caf� hosts (including, rumor has it, World Caf� co-founder David Isaacs) will be on hand to consult and answer your questions. Look for the first date to be scheduled soon.

Welcome to 2015!

Warmly,

Amy Lenzo

And the World Caf� Community Foundation Stewardship Council

In This Issue

Regional Initiatives

World Cafe Learning Programs

Wiser Together Online Cafes

WISER TOGETHER ONLINE CAFE

FEB 22, 2015
10-12:30 Pacific Time

Regional Initiatives

Each month we'll be featuring a window into what is happening now in the world of the World Caf� - great examples of community stewardship and regional initiatives to inspire you and stimulate your own ideas for "on the ground" community engagement.

To start us off, I was able to interview Japanese World Cafe steward Kazuo Katori about the monthly "World Caf� Evenings" he's been hosting in Tokyo over the last year. Here's audio file of that interview:

MP3 File

For upcoming dates and a written summary of the interview, see the story in StoryNet.

If you'd like to nominate your own World Caf� community to be featured in upcoming issues, or if there is a community group that has inspired you, please send details.

World Caf� Learning Programs

people sitting around a table in conversation Read on and you'll notice we've added several new opportunities for World Cafe hosts at every level to learn from & with each other.

They include a juicy collaboration with our friends at the Art of Hosting, long-requested offerings for hosting World Cafes in an online environment and an Advanced Practicum, an Introduction to World Caf� program in Spanish and another with Asia-friendly scheduling.

Look for more learning opportunities to be added as the year goes along.

FEBRUARY

The Art of Hosting - Applied Practice
A juicy collaboration with friends from the Art of Hosting, featuring direct engagement with senior World Cafe hosts like Bob Stilger, Chris Corrigan, Maria Scordialos, Tuesday Ryan-Hart and others. This course is a chance to dive into the challenges and issues that effect all hosts, whatever methodologies and practices we are using, but it is designed to be especially valuable for World Cafe hosts with mid-level experience and a current or future project in mind (this course is not appropriate for beginners).

Six 90-minute sessions, every other week starting February 18, 2015
10:30am - 12pm Pacific Time
PRESENTED ONLINE

PLUS: Peer Learning Circles
Hosting Team: Amy Lenzo, Rowan Simonsen, Simone Poutnik, Kate Seely & Nina Nisar

For more information and to register

MARCH

Hosting in the Digital Realm

Finally! The long-requested course on hosting World Cafe in an online environment.

Four 2-hour sessions
Every Wednesday, March 5th - 26th
10:30am - 12:30am Pacific Time
PRESENTED ONLINE

This series will focus on both the basics and deeper levels of hosting World Cafe - not as just a method, but as a pattern of engagement.

Together, we will practice being fully present and connected to both the collective wisdom in our Caf�s & the innate wisdom of the earth. We will also become comfortable using MaestroConference, the ultimate technology for hosting World Caf� and other interactive practices online.

Hosted by Amy Lenzo & FireHawk Hulin

For more information and to register

APRIL

Introduction to World Caf�
Three 2-hour sessions

Every Tuesday, April 21 - May 5th

5:30 - 7:30pm Pacific Time /

Wednesdays 9:30 -11:30am Singapore

NOTE THE ASIA-FRIENDLY TIMEFRAME

PRESENTED ONLINE

Hosted by Samantha Tan & Amy Lenzo

Registration & More information to come

MAY

Introduction to World Caf�
Three 2-hour sessions

Tuesdays: May 12th, 19th, & 22nd

9 - 11am Pacific Time /

PRESENTED ONLINE

Hosted by Samantha Tan & Amy Lenzo

Registration & More information to come

JUNE - JULY

World Cafe Advanced Practicum
PRESENTED ONLINE
This is the advanced practicum we have all been waiting for!
Four 2-hour sessions , every other week
June - July
PRESENTED ONLINE

Plus: off-line weaving between sessions, & an optional face-to-face gathering in October
Numbers Limited to 30
Advanced-Level Experienced World Caf� Hosts

Hosted by Frances Baldwin, Juanita Brown, & Amy Lenzo

Registration & More Information to come

SEPTEMBER

Hosting World Cafe: The Fundamentals
w/Fielding Graduate University
PRESENTED ONLINE
This rigorous, in-depth 8-week program will give you all you need to host World Caf�.Includes assignments in small group table forums and "real time" study group sessions with key hosts.
Registration and More Information to come

OCTOBER

Introduction to World Caf�
Three 2-hour sessions

PRESENTED ONLINE IN SPANISH

Hosted by Maria de los Angeles, Carlos Mota & Amy Lenzo

Registration & More information to come

Wiser Together & Community Caf�s

The idea that we are wiser together than we are alone is at the very heart of the World Caf� process and ideology.

So the Wiser Together initiative is the core DNA of World Caf�, AND it makes the invitation explicit for people of all generations to be an active and valued part of World Caf� conversations.

Wiser Together champions cross-generational collaboration, and by having cross-generational hosting teams, Wiser Together Community Cafes tend to be a little more open and creative than World Caf�s hosted in other contexts.

There are two Wiser Together Caf�s currently being offered - one "on the ground", hosted by Common Ground in Santa Cruz, California and the other online, hosted by the World Cafe Community Foundation Stewardship Council. Both are available to the public and everyone is welcome.

Wiser Together Online Cafe
February 22, 2015
10 - 12:30am Pacific Time
ONLINE
To Register

The World Caf� Stewardship Council invites you to join us for a conversation about what's possible for the World Cafe community - in 2015, our 20th anniversary year, and for the next 20 years.

Wherever you are in the world, whatever your age, come. Tap into the collective wisdom & creative force we hold between us...

We hope this online Community Caf� will kick off a regular series of World Cafes to support you and our international community, which is still actively growing after 20 years. If you have ideas for a topic or are interested in co-hosting one of these Cafes, please let us know.

We are Wiser Together:
Igniting Possibilities through Inter-generational Connections
April 26, 2015
12-2:30pm Pacific Time
Kresge Town Hall, UCSC Campus
Santa Cruz, California

Fresh farm lunch prepared by students from the Kresge Common Ground Centre and Kresge Garden Coop included with pre-registration.

For more Information

The World Caf� Community Foundation

Email: [email protected]

Webite: www.theworldcafe.com
Community: www.theworldcafecommunity.org