Opening addresses

Mr. Jaap Ramaker, Dutch Ambassador to Austria and Chairperson, opened the Conference, by a brief and warm welcome to all participants. Over 100 'captains of influence' from business, NGO's, religions, consultancy and other groups were seated in a wide circle. 'All of them have chosen to invest time and energy into a conference about encounter and dialogue. We are diving into the deep.'

Mr. Johan Bontje, Consultant and Chief Facilitator, invited the group to share in duo's the individual expectations of the dialogue conference and their personal dreams of a better world. This session resulted in a large amount of written ideas and dreams decorating a so called 'wall of inspiration' in a central meeting room. During the conference participants regularly visited the wall of inspiration. It expressed the longing for a better world.

Swami Veda Bharati, Spiritual Director of the Himalayan Yoga Meditation Society, guided the participants in a mediation session of about 15 minutes. According to Swami Veda Bharati it is important that dialogue must begin with a meditation. 'Only the calmest mind will find its inward way into the space of integration and harmony. It will become a clear mirror, de-conditioned and de-habituated enough, for truth that is love to emerge from any intercontemplative communication', he said.

Mr Jan Willem Kirpestein, Theologian and Chairman of the Encounter of Worldviews Foundation, shared in his welcome address that the beautiful process of dialogue already started during the preparations of the conference: 'The creative process towards this conference was absolutely a non-linear one'. Mr. Jan Willem Kirpestein experienced the conference as a gathering of friends who are listening to each other with heart, soul and mind. As he explained: 'With heart, soul and min I mean, be just here and now as the human being that you are. True to your own free selves. Not to the bounded lesser self of ego, but to the free authentic greater self which is open towards all sentient beings, the self which transcends the egotism of the lesser self that cannot rise above differences of ideology and social system and the limiting reactions to differences. I mean the greater self which considers the earth as an interconnected whole'.

'Between friends', Mr. Jan Willem Kirpestein continued, 'a real encounter is possible. So we are receiving you as friends.' Quoted from Carl Gustav Jung: 'The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is an reaction, both are transformed.'

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances:
if there is an reaction, both are transformed

Mr. Jan Willem Kirpestein proposed three obstacles for a good dialogue. 'A good dialogue will be hampered when there looms a competitive attitude, a striving for personal gain, or a lack of inner freedom within ourselves.'

It is important to 'detach ourselves from every inclination to a competitive conversation' and to free oneself from hidden personal agendas and profits. 'The great personalities in the world were engaged in something greater than themselves. Important is a space for authentic feeling and behavior.' He illustrated this by a true story about the late Dutch Prince Claus, who in the middle of a speech on inner freedom suddenly, to the surprise of everyone, suited the action to the word: he untied his stock and threw it far away. 'This beautiful gathering at Vanenburg Castle is the best place to do so', he said!

The highest creative energy is born out of a free and open attitude of tenderness and grace.

Mr. Jan Willem Kirpestein finished his welcome address with a song written by Bono, the leading singer of U2. It expresses love, permitting graceful healing and tender creativity.

Grace, she takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace, it´s a name for a girl

It´s also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything

Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition

What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings

Because Grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things

Mr. Herman Wijffels, President of the Dutch Social Economic Counsel and co-founder/member of the Advisory Board of the Encounter of Worldviews Foundation, gave his view on the importance of dialogue between the various worldviews and a better mutual understanding. He also shared personal experiences in the field of dialogue.

In a time of globalization 'the anonymous world citizen has become an instant witness to events from all sides of the globe due to increased access to news and information sources. At the same time, with the availability of modern communications the individual holds more power and ability than at any previous time in history to consciously respond to situations and events far from his home. More often he is aware of global matters and holds an opinion on them. The world citizen carries responsibility due to the fact that his consciousness, his awareness and ability to respond have increased.'

'In a way', Mr. Herman Wijffels told his audience, 'we now see the balance of power shifting towards the individual citizens. Consequently the balance of responsibility moves, has to move, along with it. The individual now has to choose to become either more involved or to consciously ignore, depending on his sense of community.'

We now see the balance of power shifting towards the individual citizens

Mr. Herman Wijffels: 'a sustainable community reflects the being and well being of all individuals, regardless of heritage, race or colour and calls on their involvement and responsiveness towards each other. The manner in which we take on our personal responsibility and choose to respond to global problems will determine whether we will be able to create a true international community which will bring forth the peace, prosperity and well being we commonly desire. To me it is clear that this will not arrive without common efforts and cooperation on a global level between citizens and their organisations: corporations, governments and NGO's.'

To be able to cooperate effectively, you need mutual understanding.
This is what we had in mind while creating the Foundation and organising this conference.

As the chairman of the main advisory body of the government on a wide range of issues in the field of social and economic policies, Mr. Herman Wijffels is used in working closely together with different interest groups. From that experience he knows that 'the single most important ingredient of a successful dialogue is trust'. Trust on a intimate personal level. He mentioned that you have to work very hard to deserve it and to maintain it. He referred to a Dutch saying: 'Trust arrives by feet, walking, and leaves by horse, running'.

Trust arrives by feet, walking, and leaves by horse, running.

Mr. Herman Wijffels: 'For a dialogue to be productive, participants have to be open minded, interested, respectful and authentic.' By the end of his presentation he mentioned that a good dialogue just need one more ingredient: humor. Adding the right dose of humor is always helpful, but especially when the dialogue gets tense.'

Mr. Atem Ramsundersingh, Programme Director Partnership for Water Education & Research of UNESCO-IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and secretary of the Encounter of Worldviews Foundation, explained the organizational set up and process of the dialogue conference. The participants were invited to address four central questions in groups of 7'8 parallel interactive workshop sessions. Top facilitators would guide the sessions, fostering the exchange of ideas in groups containing 10-15 participants.

Atem Ramsundersingh mentioned that it is important to truly listen to what people say when they express their feelings on the four central questions during this conference:

Mr. Johan Bontje closed off the morning session by explaining the principles for encounter and dialogue during this conference. To remind all participants on the importance of these principles, he promised to make sure that in every workshop room the below mentioned principles were written down on a big piece of paper.

Mr. Johan Bontje invited all participants to make use of a Talking Stick during the dialogue sessions. The Talking Stick is a method used by native Americans, to let everyone speak their mind during a council meeting, a type of tribal meeting. According to the indigenous American's tradition, the stick is imbued with spiritual qualities, that calls up the spirit of their ancestors to guide them in making good decisions. The stick asks for silence and attention by making a rustling sound. It ensures that all members, who wish to speak, have their ideas heard. All members of the circle are valued equally. When matters of great concern come before the council, the leading elder would holds the talking stick, and begins the discussion. When he finished what he had to say, he holds out the talking stick, and whoever likes to speak after him takes it and listens first till its sound has ended. In this manner, the stick passes, in an atmosphere of profound silence, from one individual to another until all who like to speak have done so.

Mr. Johan Bontje on an important rule about the Talking Stick. 'Whoever holds the Talking Stick has within his hands the power of words. Only he or she can speak while he or she holds the stick, and the other members of the group must remain silent. It is healing for all participants. As each individual listens, in silence and reverence, a whole world of understanding opens up.'

It is healing for all participants as each individual listens,
in silence and reverence, a whole world of understanding opens up