Awaken, Practical Visionaries: Much depends on you

01 November 2018

"'Peace' is each individual realizing through experience that

we are not separate but connected as one, and

at the center is an accessible spirit of love."

~ Anon

"Practical visionaries are awake:

their eyes are on the horizon,

their feet are on the ground, and

their hearts are on fire.

They’re thinking like a world community,

creating a new soundtrack for Earth,

with the rhythm of a universal heartbeat and

a chorus of a million voices worldwide."

~ Corinne McLaughlin (1947-2018)

American author, educator

Below are some visionaries on fire, to be emulated where you live:

TODAY
1. Visionary of the Year - James Offuh (Cote d'Ivoire, Africa)
2. Visionary Facilitator to Humanize the Stigmatized - Elesse Bafandjo (DR Congo, Africa)
3. Visionary Camp-like Experiences to Engage and Humanize Adversaries (International)
4. Two Unlikely Visionaries in Divided America
5. Visionaries of Experiential Relationship Education (U.K.)
6. Enrichment

= = 1 = =
VISIONARY OF THE YEAR:
James Offuh (Cote d'Ivoire, Africa)
The Euphrates Institute 2018-2019 Visionary of the Year is James Offuh -- https://euphrates.org/visionary-of-the-year/2018-2/
Offuh envisions and creates a socially just, inclusive, thriving society and culture of connection by means of authentic dialogue and communication excellence that humanizes everyone.
This extraordinary citizen, husband, and father with a high school education has successes without-equal in creating and facilitating tribal healing and humanizing marginalized citizens in West Africa.

= = 2 = =
VISIONARY FACILITATOR
TO HUMANIZE AND INCLUDE THE STIGMATIZED
Elesse Henoc Bafandjo (Kinshasa, DR Congo)
Awakened to human needs and possibilities in Africa, Elesse Bafandjo is unsurpassed in inventing models of face-to-face engagement to de-stigmatize, humanize, and include misunderstood, humiliated, and violated groups of citizens with albinism, physical handicaps, hearing impairments, marriage conflicts, religious battles, and brutality between warring football fans.
In just six dedicated years, Bafandjo has created practical models of successful face-to-face Dialogue and reconciliation useful to all humankind -- http://traubman.igc.org/vidnigeriadrcongo.htm

= = 3 = =
VISIONARY CAMP-LIKE EXPERIENCES
TO ENGAGE & HUMANIZE ADVERSARIES (International)
Seeds of Peace -- https://www.seedsofpeace.org -- since 1993 has inspired and cultivated new generations of global leaders in communities divided by conflict.
Their network, GATHER, now encompasses over 7,000 alumni throughout the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and the United States who keep preparing themselves to lead Change.

GATHER: What happens, in graphics

3-min video -- Sept 2018

https://vimeo.com/290275476

and

https://www.seedsofpeace.org/video-seeds-of-peace/?bblinkid=120232070&bbemailid=10155576&bbejrid=773729642

GATHER: The entrepreneurs

2-1/2 min video

https://vimeo.com/94528392

Un-knowable numbers of other similar communities include:

ArtsBridge

https://www.artsbridgeinstitute.org

Building Bridges

https://buildingbridgesshift.org

Creativity for Peace

https://creativityforpeace.com

Global Youth Village

http://www.globalyouthvillage.org

Hands of Peace

https://handsofpeace.org

Kids4Peace

https://www.k4p.org

Science Training Encouraging Peace (STEP) Graduate Training Program -- http://www.step-gtp.org -- is another visionary initiative.
Pairs of young Israeli and Palestinian health and medical professionals or students share intensive, graduate, academic degree programs.

The diverse women and men foster enduring relationships of respect, trust and professional interdependence, while enhancing services in the communities where STEP Fellows live and work.
They intend to demonstrate how partnerships between Israeli and Palestinian STEP Fellows advance prosperity and well being within and between communities.

= = 4 = =
TWO UNLIKELY VISIONARIES
IN DIVIDED AMERICA
A former KKK member and a Syrian refugee -- residents of Georgia, USA -- formed an unlikely and extraordinary friendship.
They prove that hate is often just fear and a cry for help -- for being heard, for a relationship.

HEAR them:
We are so divided now in this country that weve forgotten what makes us strong is really reaching out to the other side.
"The catalyst for change is often as simple as someone walking across the street to greet a new neighbor."
"I let him talk first."

Former KKK Member & Syrian Muslim Refugee: An Inspiring Friendship