Spirit of Humanity Forum
"This group was willing to collapse hierarchy for mutual respect and appreciation there to learn the potentials of love and compassion and how to extend this into the field of governance."
- Nina Meyerhof, Founder and President of Children of the Earth
Spirit of Humanity Forum
The second "Spirit of Humanity Forum" entitled, "The Power of Love and Compassion in Governance: Sharing Actions for Effective Change" took place in Reykjavik, Iceland on April 10th -12th, 2014. The focus of the forum was to explore the potential of love and compassion in bringing about effective change through governance and leadership.
Nina Meyerhof, Founder and President of Children of the Earth, shares her experience here.
This wonderful conference was filled with the most extraordinary people, all fairly prestigious and coming from a variety of fields of professions but all be willing to truly integrate into a unified whole. This group was willing to collapse hierarchy for mutual respect and appreciation there to learn the potentials of love and compassion and how to extend this into the field of governance.
There were major panels with short individual presentations but this quickly moved into a breakout of circles with questions relating to the topic of love and compassion and how to project that into the world. The design of the program and the total willingness of the participants to walk into this conversation with exploration of the valley of the meaning of these words and how to use them . The groups within groups and circles within circles with the constant caring of all the volunteer staff created an atmosphere of the potential of what a microcosm of a macrocosm of humanity might function like if in full presence of the moment with open heartedness for love and compassion.
We were hosted by the president of the country, at his abode, and the realization there are no gates and no police and no security. This is a land of trust for 320,000 human beings who seem to be focused on the larger issues of climate change and the environment rather than their personal political agendas. Then the Mayor, a young man, who represents the BEST party…a new party standing for the best as possible if a community of people work together for a better future. This was the tone and the atmosphere. Then the land of Iceland with its expansive barren lava landscape and stillness in the pure fresh air was a platform of beauty to surround us. The people of Iceland take their time but give easily with openness and sincerity in their communication. Never did we feel a lack of hospitality but rather an ease of connecting and welcome.
The Spirit of Humanity concluded with asking for small group commitments and plans of actions unusual and a way carrying forward into another conference with sharing results and furthering the goals. We were happy in this atmosphere and felt embraced.
The speakers and contributors were filled with expertise and concern for our planet. They came from business, economics, science, environmental organizations, education and youth advocacy, spiritual leaders of religions and the arts. Each group interwove with the other no longer reflecting only a linear concern. Love, as defined at the conference, is and compassion exists for all beings. We bore witness and held this within our hearts and minds and thoughts.
Learn more on the Spirit of Humanity Forum website (http://sohforum.org) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sohforum) or join the conversation onTwitter (https://twitter.com/sohforum)
This was a magnificent opportunity.
Next time more YOUTH must come and participate.
Youth carries the dream into reality as the engine of change!
