AUSTRALIA:
Location:
Visit to Mowanjum Aboriginal Community
Forty years ago when I visited the Aboriginal community of Mowanjum in north-west Australia there was a team of ICA members living and working with the community.
I saw for the first time Aboriginal people being given the opportunity to make their own decisions about the future of their community, supported by people who were passing on their knowledge and skills. And most importantly they helped restore the people’s self-esteem and pride in their culture after years of being ‘managed’ by white missionaries.
The ICA presence had a profound and long term effect which is still manifest today. Last month we visited the Mowanjum
Gallery of Art and Culture, a magnificent space where the community artists can work and display their beautiful art.
The Mowanjum artists, descendants of three tribal groups, are custodians of the Wandjina image, a representation of their supreme spirit beings, the creators of the land.
David Mowaljarlai (now deceased), who was a key community leader when our staff were there, said: “Everything has two witnesses, one on earth and one in the sky. This tells you where you came from and where you belong”.
To see some of their art and read more of their story, go to
www.mowanjumarts.com/
John & Elaine Telford unfolding@smartchat.net.au
BELGIUM:
ICA European Interchange 2010
On Saturday evening, as part of the ICA European Interchange weekend in Brussels, a Skype call was hosted with ICA colleagues around the globe. On the call were: Wayne Ellsworth of ICA Japan, Nelson Stover of ICA International, Franco Voli of ICA Spain, Terry Bergdall of ICA USA and Robyn Hutchinson of ICA Australia.
In Brussels were: Martin Gilbraith of ICA:UK, Thi Lan Huong of Paris, France, Michael Pannwitz, Sabina Winteler & Mia Konstantinidou from Germany, Inge Steekelburg and Erica van den Berg of ICA Netherlands, Catalina Quiroz & Margaret Meredith of ICA Spain, Larry & Evelyn Philbrook of ICA Taiwan and Jim Campbell of ICA Belgium. Country reports had been shared prior to the meeting.
Participants on the call shared that they really wanted to connect with each other, to listen and continue to be part of the global dialogue, exploring the new image of what it means to be the ICA globally; colleagues shared and wanted support for new initiatives in a number of locations. Colleagues indicated a keenness to participate in re-shaping the future of ICA, by Skype, if not in person at the upcoming Global Forum in Talegaon, India.
Highlights from the countries represented included:
ICA:UK- are very excited about having 8 staff now, with Alan Heckman as ToP Training Manager, and new Youth Programme staff and bookkeeper.
ICA Netherlands - now focusing on GFM instead of only volunteer placement and orientation.
ICA Belgium – It is very excited to have the Parish Pastoral Manual published as a book by Catholic Publishing house in Dublin; very important to the work in Ireland.
ICA Germany - Global Futures Search conference and World Open Space on Open Space conference was held this year; very exciting possibilities
Lan from Paris is looking to develop ICA/ToP in France and get participation going for a much needed tool in France.
ICA Taiwan – Conversations with IAF now mean that the next conference will be in India, Bangalore in March 2011 and in China 2012… we are doing a six month project in Schechuan. The project – teachers training, a 6 month project
ICA Spain is developing a transformational library for a better world, and need this knowledge to be spread
ICA Japan – Finished 3rd GFM and is working in Emergency Aid and facilitation training in Haiti, and Chile and have work in Pune and Kenya.
Nelson went to J W Mathews and Bishop Mathews Legacy Event and presented the Grandchildren of Maliwada, a report on the vision of JWM and his imagery of Human Development and grassroots participation
ICA Australia is supporting another team to East Timor, in October. This continues the support over many years now. All are invited, virtually or in person, to the ICAA annual gathering in January in Victoria, Australia
ICA USA- Service Learning Program with university students, have been talking about this and now we have 25 students from Kentucky coming here… wow!
This was a great time for almost face-to-face connection, and continues to build our global network. Look out for the full European Interchange report.
Robyn Hutchinson rjhutchinson@optusnet.com.au
JAPAN:
Location: Briefs from all
Shizuyo and Wayne completed two GFMs for the Japan Physical Therapy Association.
The Haiti Team received a YES for further funding of Haiti Emergency Aid, which will construct a school building and distribute school supplies.
The Chile Team received a YES for further funding of Chile Emergency Aid to repair 35 boats, distribute 15 boat motors, and 35 diving suits, to the remote communities that had their fishing capacities reduced.
Maki returned to Japan from Pune India to document Pune activities.
Makiko travelled to Hokkaido to see her nearly 100 year old mother, who suddenly passed away while Makiko was with her.
Wayne continued to work with the Global Virtual Communications team, which now has 14 people interested in virtual communications during the ICA Global Forum and General Assembly. We are about half done contacting people and expect more than 20 people attending the meeting by virtual communications.
A new volunteer comes to ICA Japan twice a week beginning September 29.
The Kenya Isinya team finished repairing water ponds just before the fall rains begin.
ICA Japan Staff staff@icajapan.org
PERU:
Location: Lima and Cachuy
The ICA-Peru staff is pleased to announce the complete revision of our web site at www.ica-peru.org.
This revision required another look at ourselves to say what we are really doing and how we do it in detail. The revision involved our whole staff, and finally the efforts of Peter Ellins in Ottawa to get it posted and get all of the details corrected. Please take a look and share it with others.
This week Alex Borjas, Yanina Chuquizuta and Hernan Heredia returned from an 8 day trip to the Comunidad Campesia Cachuy where they worked for the second month in the process of Implementation of the leadership team after their 21 day training in Azpitia.
The big surprise in this visit was the great expansion of the involvement of the three communities, and the extension of the leadership to include all elements of the communities, including all of the political parties working together in this time of local elections.
There were over 100 people working in the three work days in the communities, planting trees, arranging parks, putting up community welcome signs, and even street signs. This level of non-political involvement is almost unheard of today where there is usually so much conflict in communities. It's very satisfying to experience the power of a shared vision and a clear action plan to mobilize a community.
The surrounding communities are now asking what they need to do to get the same results -- and the local people are telling them to do it themselves! That's what we call Community Self-Development which is the central theme of the work of ICA-Peru.
Staff admin@ica-peru.org
TAIWAN:
Location: Vienna
Evelyn and Larry are in Europe, and met last weekend with colleagues from ICA UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Spain. There was great dialogue about their work, as well as a report from ICA Bospo, and news from a colleague from Vietnam who has moved to France and is trying to get ICA and ToP activities moving there. Also, another colleague from Paris reported to be returning to Caracas and hoping to begin work there.
We did a 2 day meeting primarily in Open Space facilitated by colleagues from Germany: Mia and Michael. There were 12 different topics including expanding work across Europe, sharing ToP and other processes, understanding the gathering in Telegaon - Michael is hoping to attend - and skype calls with several colleagues, and deepening the work after the GFM. A great gathering of spirit colleagues each one driving the development of their ICA and support for each other and the global network.
Larry was in Europe to facilitate another Appreciative Leadership Program with the UN, this time in Vienna. Meanwhile back in Taiwan there was a typhoon while preparation for the GFM 1 Focused conversation is going on and preparation for the Teacher Imaginal Learning Module in SiChuan in Oct., Dec., and March is ongoing.
Larry Philbrook larry@icatw.com
ICA International:
Location: Montreal
This week Antsa attended training on workplace health and safety organized by the Government of Quebec. He will attend further training in the coming weeks. Michael worked on forest-policy issues, and supported two national ICAs in the submission of project proposals to a Montreal-based organization. We are happy to welcome back a former intern, LaTavia Desmarais, who will be volunteering at the office one day a week, helping with translations, editing and other tasks.
Call for Stories:
A Global Dialogue on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Colleagues in national ICAs may wish to contribute to this initiative of the Millennium Campaign:
“The United Nations Foundation and Devex invite you to tell policymakers how your work is helping to achieve universal primary education. This is a great opportunity to share your stories – about the successful work you (and your organization) are doing to bridge gaps in education – with the Devex community of 500,000+ international development professionals, which includes the leading companies, NGOs, and donor institutions from around the world. Join this unique, global dialogue about what development professionals like you are doing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – it’s happening on mdg.devex.com!”
Thanks to Jane Stallman who forwarded this information.
Staff info@ica-international.org
