Open Forums

Open Forums are gatherings of 30-150 participants. A forum is an arena for a community or organization to gather, to debate pressing issues, conflict and community building. Forums gather different players and organizations together. Forums actively invite and facilitate interaction among all points of view. Forums provide the possibility for an alternate course just at the point a conflict might normally erupt into chaos or people retreat into hopelessness. These points or 'hotspots' are where conflict escalates. With careful facilitation, hotspots are also doorways to creative change within community. The emotions, the history and controversial issues fueling these hotspots need focus and accurate facilitation along with recognition of people's interest and abilities to build and care for community.