Congress 2007 archive

This page includes three speeches:

• President's opening speech
• President's address to the SIETAR Europa General Assembly
• President's address to the Open Space NGO session

Opening speech

Dear colleagues, dear guests, dear friends,
Welcome to Sofia. Welcome to the SIETAR 2007 congress.
It was a year and a half since we last met in La Colle and so much has happened since then: the world has changed a lot, we have changed (a little), however one thing hasn’t changed – our desire to get together. And here we are tonight!

Why? Why do we need these congresses and travel thousands of kilometres to attend them?

The world is getting more and more complex. We are all involved in more and more complex cross-border projects. E.g. This is a process full of exciting possibilities and the same time not an easy one, because the old rules do not apply any more. The golden rule that we all grew up with treat others as you want to be treated has been replaced by the platinum rule. And this is our mission as inter-culturalists: Spread the platinum rule: Treat others as they want to be treated. Understanding differences and negotiating among them.

SIETAR’s fundamental role and mission has always been, to encourage the development and application of knowledge, values and skills to facilitate effective intercultural and inter-ethnic relations at individual, group, organization and community levels. As time goes our roles become more and more complex. We often work in isolation and it is critical to touch base and ensure that we exchange experience and generate new energy to fuel the field.

1. It is important to network and discuss: we are not alone in the challenges we face.
2. Connect with the experience of those we have been in the field longer and have helped shape it.
3. Stretch our thinking in the discussions and exchanges. Stretch our minds. Stretch our hearts.

What to expect?

Keynote speeches from scholars who have left their footprints on the intercultural field like nobody else

Presentations in which intercultural experts will share their newest research and insights – many from Central and Eastern Europe

Something new – festival of intercultural films

Follow up the process we started at our last congress – the NGO /humanitarian action project

Why are we in Sofia?

1. This corner of Europe has been the cross roads of ancient civilizations, kingdoms were built and destroyed, religions were created and assimilated, swallowed by the new waves engulfing the Balkan peninsula. They all left their mark on the culture that was created in this land. We are here to acknowledge and learn from it.
2. Bulgaria has existed as a state since 681. Proto-Bulgarians and Slavs united to found the new state. Since then people have lived together respecting and building on their differences. Some pagan traditions still coexist with Christianity, which was adopted in 865. The crusaders came and went, fortunes changed, political power shifted hands. But the people kept their hearts open to the others, to otherness. The Armenians found refuge here; the Bulgarian Jews were protected and saved from extradition during the Second World War. Religious tolerance is not part of the vocabulary here. Here the Christian, Jewish, Turkish and Armenian communities simply live side by side. It is taken for granted. 400-500 meters from where we are tonight, you can see on the same square a Christian Church, a Mosque and a Synagogue, Those of us who were born and lived here, never even noticed. This is part of our landscape, of our life. And this is one more reason to have the congress here.
3. The development and the expansion of the European Union have reshaped Europe. Bulgaria and Romania are the newest members: since January this year. The world finally became flat for Bulgarians and Romanians. We are here to acknowledge and celebrate that fact.

Thank you for coming here. For opening your hearts to Bulgaria. Those of you who may think that there is a bit of a personal agenda to have the congress here, you are right. I have always wanted to bring you here to explore and find out for yourself what Bulgaria is.

Enjoy Bulgaria, Enjoy the congress!

Speech to the General Assembly

BUILDING BRAND SIETAR

I would like to give a short summary of what the SE strategy was during the period we are reporting on.

 Strategy may sound as another buzz word.  It often seems obvious and superfluous. We assume that we know where we are and where we are going. As the board is constantly renewed as colleagues join in, we need to make sure that we have a common understanding of the direction we are moving our organisation

SIETAR is a very worthy organisation. Worthy, but not known. Our strategy has been focus on building a new SIETAR brand, making it worthy and known.

The SIETAR brand is based on our core values : openness, acceptance of difference, tolerance.

What do we want to be?

1. Serve  you - our members -  better: improve information services, increase value added to you.

a/ offer information

c/create a platform for publication of cross-cultural research;

d/small scale seminars and workshops,

e/on-line train-the trainer seminars

f/develop a cross-cultural trainer experience bank

2.  Promote diversity - ensure that the composition of the organization reflects the diversity of society we operate in by:

a/ local projects in communities with greater diversity

b/ financial conditions for membership that allow low income members to join. Fundraising, funding from European institutions.

3. SIETAR Europa as an active member of the global SIETAR presence, becoming the hub of a network promoting collaboration with SIETARs all over the world. (SUSA, SIETAR Japan, SIETAR Indonesia, Young SIETAR, etc.)

We need stronger European and global presence: E.g.:

a/ ensure stronger links with  SUSA, SIETAR Japan, YS congresses

b/ Work towards a joint congress in 2008

c/ Start “Friends of Young SIETAR” initiative to show our support. Mentoring programmes, TOIT event – Brilliantly organized by Young SIETAR – special mention – Betina Szkudlarek

d/ Support new SIETAR organizations globally

e/ expand links with organizations outside of SIETAR network International Coaching Federation, CIPD, etc

1. Build SIETAR Europa as an active NGO – voluntary work in local communities, NGOs and charities, as well as wider presence where needed. Developing and growing its members to meet the challenges of this active presence.

 We want to build SIETAR as an organization which is:

Great for its members

Great for its partners

Great for the community

Speech at the Open Space NGO session

1. SIETAR serves educators, trainers and researchers and facilitates the dialogue among them.  As time goes by, we seem to become a more introverted organization,  focusing on our internal needs and less on the needs of the community for “effective intercultural and interethnic relations”. 
2. Do we have the desire to be involved in solving problems in the wider community? -The discussion in the Open Space during the last congress suggested that there are members who are definitely interested in doing so. We have an active task force on the NGO idea.

We are at a point when we need to make a strategic choice _

On the basis of the questions above we can come up with 2 scenarios for the future of SIETAR Europa:

1. Stay within or existing course – Do more of what we do now, do it better, provide higher quality.
2. Act upon the promise in our mission statement and become more actively involved in solving intercultural problems within the wider community, be more present.

Why are we asking these questions now?

1. Over the last 10 years SIETAR Europa has matured as an organization and moved through important structural changes.
2. Our knowledge has developed and spread over more areas.
3. There seems to be a more clear need for what we can offer – higher awareness of intercultural problems and need for solutions (e.g.  growing importance of intercultural dialogue, more focus on European identity and values, etc).

How to move forward? – 3 main areas:

2. SIETAR Europa as an active NGO – voluntary work in local communities, NGOs and charities, as well as wider presence where needed. Developing and growing its members to meet the challenges of this active presence.

3. SIETAR Europa as a culturally diverse organization, including representatives from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds.

4. SIETAR Europa as an active member of the global SIETAR presence, becoming the hub of a network promoting collaboration with SIETARs all over the world. (SUSA, SIETAR Japan, SIETAR Indonesia, Young SIETAR, etc.)

Where are we now?

• SE has a strong presence in the majority of European countries.
• Stable membership, information and resource pool, regular communication with members through newsflashes and newsletters, active membership committee expanding the number of members.
• Regular congresses and excellent volunteer support.
• Stable administrative support from a SE office. Good links with SUSA, Young SIETAR.