Welcome to November 2005!

Greetings from the new Cultivation Team! We have recently formed as volunteers to cultivate, operate and govern the Pioneers of Change network. This is something of a change from the structures past, and you will be reading introductions from us over the coming months. Some of us have been involved in the network in a core capacity for some time, and some of us are coming to it new. Either way there is a new air of excitement around the network.

Danielle, Felix, Femke, Fodé, Moraan, Pablo, Sean and Sera.

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>>IN FOCUS: INTEGRATION LEARNING JOURNEY

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Reflections on the Learning Journey about Immigration and Integration that took place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands in September.

In a beautiful house somewhere in Rotterdam ten people gathered over five days. We had all answered the call to join each other for a learning journey that would provide a deeper insight in the problems Dutch society is experiencing with the integration of immigrants. Rather than focus on the problems, we wanted to also look at the opportunities that cultural diversity might offer. We tried to find ways to improve our own practices to contribute to the creation of a future society that works for all.

The mostly multi-cultural participants represented five continents, with interests and professions varying from acting to anthropology and from consultant to photographer. Following a U-process we went on field visits during the first three days, then had a day of reflection and finally a day of action planning. We shared points of view with religious leaders, migrant organisations, politicians, media makers, cultural workers, entrepreneurs and more. We discovered that the topic is a very personal one for many of us, that the situation is very complex and that the current systems are shifting only very slowly and not always in a direction that will improve today's reality.

One of the outcomes has been a play, where current immigration issues in The Netherlands are mixed with Pinochet's Chile and South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Committee. There is also a group interested in learning about and experimenting with the U-process. Insights from the learning Journey also provided useful input to the Sustainable Development learning journey conversations in Brazil around the social dimension of sustainability. A group in London is looking into the possibilities for another learning journey about immigration and integration, where we hope to forward and deepen our learning.

For more information contact Moraan Gilad (Moraan@pioneersofchange.net) or Tatiana Glad (Tatiana@engage.nu).

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>>Events

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Dutch Network gathering: Looking Forward 2 December 2005, 6-8pm Amsterdam

Do you see yourself as someone: "who is willing and committed to go into unknown territory without a manual or a map - to take part in a course of action that leads the way for others to follow. Someone who is seeking to create or transform systems, that they may come to serve Life, and operate in life-affirming ways... Pioneers of Change is an emerging global learning community of committed, young people in their 20's and early 30's, from diverse cultural, social, and professional backgrounds.

We would like to call the Dutch PoC network (and any pioneers in the area) together to: - connect to other like-minded and -hearted individuals - share what we are passionate about, interested in and what questions we hold - explore what 2006 means for us and what we can do together here

1. December, 6-8pm, in Amsterdam with dinner/drinks (optional) to follow

If you want to join us, please RSVP to Brenda, brenda@pioneersofchange.net or Tatiana, tatiana@engage.nu before Nov 20th!

(Location to be confirmed)

Inner Peace for World Peace 29 December 2005 - 5 January 2006 Nepal Youth Conference- Serving Humanity How spirituality and consciousness foster PEACE. Youth are invited to join us in Nepal for the "Inner Peace for World Peace -Youth Conference- Serving Humanity" starting on the 29th of December for a period of one week. You are invited to explore groundbreaking mystical and scientific approaches for creating peace in our world. Many facilitators and Spiritual leaders from all religions will share their wisdom and viewing points of how to go beyond the religious perspectives into the heart of our spiritual nature. In addition, scientists will explain the growing body of information that exists and offer the understanding that consciousness is in the "space between form" and will share techniques of how to tap into this wisdom and enter the universal field of "Silent Knowledge". Contact: oran@livingpeaceproject.org

World Leadership Program Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania 15-29 January, 2006 Outward Bound, in collaboration with the Global Leadership Network is organizing a learning expedition in Tanzania in January 2005 bringing together young global leaders to participate in an exciting and challenging adventure program. Together they will build important relationships, establish a peer network and develop important leadership capacities. The participants will be emerging leaders ages 25-40. The program will be a rewarding and unforgettable experience for those who attend.For more information on the program, please visit http://pioneersofchange.net/library/globalevents/glp/ or contact Elizabeth at bethanglin@outward-bound.org

African Living Learning Journey Kufunda Village, Zimbabwe 1-12 March, 2006 The March Learning Journey is drawing nearer. It will take place March 1-12. In the face of an incredible economic meltdown and in the midst of political distress, life goes on and people continue to make the most of what they have. And they have much. This is a journey to share the gems and riches of Kufunda, the communities we work with and Zimbabwe as a country. It is an opportunity to connect with wonderful people from around the world, and incredible folks from rural and urban Zimbabwe. We will spend time together at Kufunda living the life of the village, and getting more of a sense of Zimbabwe today. After this initial settling in, we will go on a trip to a rural community, and then out into the wilderness of the African bush, and Victoria Falls. Email Marianne@kufunda.org or visit www.pioneersofchange.net/library/globalevents/ for a full programme and/or registration form.

Arts for Social Change Johannesburg, South Africa 21 - 30 April 2006 Arts for Social Change will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, bringing together young artists and changemakers from around the world, interested in artistic and creative processes as tools to address various social issues. The learning journey hosted in February 2005 received wonderful reviews and we would like to carry the excitement further, exploring how the Arts has and is affecting change in South Africa as well as the rest of the world. For more information, please contact Nicole Antonie on nicole@pioneersofchange.net

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>>Invitations & Announcements

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Kufunda Village Job Opportunity

Kufunda Village is looking for a Income generating projects co-ordinator at Kufunda. It is two year position open to anyone from outside Zimbabwe as a part of a programme run by Belgian development organization Volens.

Kufunda?s intention is to support communities in moving towards economic self-reliance. The job is a two year position to focus on building economic self-reliance in both our partner communities and at Kufunda itself. The position includes business training, coaching and on-going support to project teams. You will also be developing Kufunda?s strategy around economic self-reliance through income generation. You will work with a team of people at Kufunda engaged in income generating projects and community outreach. Current projects at Kufunda which you will be supporting include bee keeping, mushrooms, permaculture and a herbal project. In the communities it is a little more varied. Start by January 2006. For more information please email Marianne@kufunda.org

Diversity Caravan

The Diversity Caravan is a virtual and physical project where people are invited to post sustainable change projects on a web site. Later a physical caravan will drive to the selected places (starting in South Africa) and document the projects by film, photo, texts or other material. With this documentation material the ideas can be shared with the rest of the world. Networks can be formed, leaders can get inspired, projects can be analyzed, and there are probably many more possibilities.

You can get involved by joining the mailing list by e-mailing caravan-join@lists.pioneersofchange.net or joining the physical caravan, please let me know if you're interested in any or several of these options.

More information please visit http://pioneersofchange.net/ventures/caravan/

Social Entrepreneurship in Sweden

In Stockholm the PoC connected NGO ?Association for International Social Entrepreneurship? has launched it?s website at www.aise.nu. The activities for the autumn is being planned, amongst them a ?Learning Circle? where a group of AISE members will be meeting once a month for discussing publications from the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. AISE representatives will also take part, by giving a talk about poverty and structural injustice, at the art event Human Works arranged by Andrea Hvistendahl at the 11th of September in the Gallery below Café 44.

The preparations for the Learning Journey Social Entrepreneurship has taken a big step forward as planning meetings where held with PoC the 13-14 of August in Copenhagen. The LJ will consist of exchanges where AISE members will visit PoC in SA (April 2006), and PoC members in South Africa will visit AISE in Sweden (May 2006). For any inquires or interest in activities in AISE you are welcome to contact harry@mcneil.se or info@aise.nu. AISE Newsletters are now available. Sign up at http://www.aise.nu/tibet/shoton/template/Index.vm?pageid=1475

The Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations in Israel/Palestine

The Centre for Individual Recovery and Reconciliation (www.cirr.org) is offering The Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations from 21 to 23 November 2005, at the Everest Hotel, Beit Jala, Israel/Palestine. We invite Palestinian, Israeli and International community & religious leaders, psychologists, trainers, teachers, consultants, politicians, entrepreneurs, social innovators - people who are committed creating individual recovery and reconciliation within the Israeli and Palestinian conflict - who want to experience a different perspective of community building, which sets free other people's creativity and intelligence in order to achieve better cooperation and results together.

After this meeting CIRR will also be hosting a Village Square Meeting on 25 and 26 November 2005 at the same location. Palestinians, Jewish Israelis, and Arab Israelis will join with a few people from around the world in a process of open-hearted communication. This dialogue is leading toward the co-creation of partnerships dedicated to building recovery and reconciliation - a few people, a few families and a few villages at a time.

Please contact Moraan Gilad (moraan@pioneersofchange.net) for more information.

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>>FINANCIAL MATTERS

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Pioneers of Change is an independent network that believes it is critical to retain a free and unbiased position. We also believe that financial barriers should not be a constraint to learning and engaging. As such we work hard at ensuring that our learning is available to as wide and diverse an audience as possible.

We invite you to make a donation to support us in our work. We encourage you to think of this donation as an investment into learning that has the potential of enriching all of our lives. If you have any ideas of individuals or organizations that might like to support us, let us know, sera@pioneersofchange.net

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>>SMALL PRINT

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What is Pioneers of Change?

Pioneers of Change is a global learning network supporting practitioners in their mid-20s to mid-30. Founded in 1999, by a group of people from 16 countries and now includes participants from around the world.

Pioneers are people who questions underlying assumptions and move into new territory in order to create the change we want to see in the world. We include social entrepreneurs, member of the business, government and non-profit communities, as well as artists, teachers, and free agents from a variety of cultural and social backgrounds.

When you join Pioneers of Change you explicitly commit to the following principles:

Be yourself Do what Matters Start now Engage with others Never stop asking questions

For more information on Pioneers of Change, see http://www.pioneersofchange.net

To have something included in an upcoming Newsletter contact femke@pioneersofchange.net ---------------------------------------------------------

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