An invitation to come together online with practitioners applying & inspired by the Art of Hosting

If you are a facilitator, group process person, visual practitioner, graphic recorder, participatory process enthusiast, coach, group leader, community member or someone who wants to be part of conversations that really matter and make transformative change, then this is for YOU.

Inspired by the Art of Hosting practice, this FREE full day event offers the opportunity to learn from practice stories, share practical applications, ask questions and deepen your practice. We welcome everyone who wants to explore new ways of working together and who is asking themselves what can help us bridge the divides and differences.

The day has four 3 hour sessions timed so everyone in the world can attend and runs from 9 am to midnight Central European Time (see the table below for times around the world).

It doesn't matter if you don't know anything about the Art of Hosting -- come and be in learning with us! The invitation is to take part in any or all sessions, as you choose. This event is FREE and open to everyone.   

FREE ONLINE EVENT

Art of Hosting Practitioners Gathering

Welcome to the fire! This event is hosted & harvested online by an international team of AoH practitioners. Register to receive the Zoom links.

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Attend any or all sessions during the day

What can I learn & experience? 

What is hosting now and what can our practicing together mean for us and the world?

Session 1: Open Space

 9:00 - 12:00 CET

Have you got projects that need input from other practitioners? Maybe you're looking for some fresh ideas or sparring partners? Or perhaps you've seen an exciting new possibility or a knotty problem you want to discuss with others. This is the place for you!

Join us for an Open Space session with the calling question: "What is hosting now and what can our practicing together mean for us and the world?" You'll find others there you never expected and the freedom to choose exactly what you want to focus on.  

To frame our Open Space session and spark our creative fire, we'll hear briefly from two Impulse Givers on how they are working with Hosting practice.

What have we learned – and are still learning – from hosting & harvesting conversations that matter?

Session 2: Knowledge Café

 13:00 - 16:00 CET

So what is hosting, what is harvesting and what are the foundations of the Art of Hosting practice field? That's where Session 2 starts, with the opportunity to hear from some of our founders and what they've learned over time.

Then we head into a Knowledge Café where you can choose either to focus on Hosting or on Harvesting. You'll have a choice to make in each track, because we're offering one breakout space that focuses on giving you the background to step into participatory practice, and one focused for seasoned practitioners.

Choose one of our Foundation Sessions...

You'll learn about the underpinning practices around hosting and how they've evolved over time. 

Then, we break into two simultaneous tracks...

...one on Hosting and one on Harvesting. You'll have the choice of three sessions -- one specifically focused on those new to participatory practice, one for more seasoned practitioners, and a bonus track on a special focus. 

What courageous conversations are we called to host & harvest now?

Session 3: World Café

 17:00 - 20:00 CET

What does it mean and what does it take to host courageous conversations? This is the inquiry our World Café Community friends are inviting us into for Session 3.

Come and join us for an inspiring and nourishing World Cafe! Weaving our social fabric in the most beautiful colours -- taking  time to share about conversations that you’d love to host and harvest. Let’s explore ways to support each other as we lean into the future of our global community of practice.

What are we learning about making change for good?

Session 4: Story Circles

 21:00 - 00:00 CET 

Learning about hosting, integrating your learning and starting to try it out is only the first step.  What does it take to move your practice into action in the face of real world challenges and maintain it over the long haul?

Session 4 offers us the deeply distilled wisdom of an international group of Art of Hosting practitioners. Choose a storyteller and dive deeply into what they've experienced and learned. Hear about their struggles and edges and also what they see is coming up in the future. Be inspired and uplifted as you take away new insights for your own life and work.

The storytellers are:

Quanita Roberson (USA) The difference between fitting in and belonging -- how we hold differences today  

Laura Weisel (USA) How participatory practice uplifts education

Toke Møller (Denmark)  How a simple peace practice based on storytelling is making ground after civil war in Ivory Coast

Marc Levitte (France) How a simple peace practice based on storytelling is making ground after civil war in Ivory Coast

Chris Corrigan (Canada) Making a vocation as a practitioner and exploring the edges of complexity

Alejandra Robledo (Colombia) Using graphic recording and facilitation for peace work in Colombia

Zulma Patarroyo (Colombia) Using graphic recording and facilitation for peace work in Colombia

Samantha Slade & Paul Messer (Canada) Hosting practice as a foundation for good business and business for good. Percolab as a case study for innovation in working well together

Phil Cass (USA) Hosting as a  leadership practice & the Physicians Leadership Academy.

Maaianne Knuth  (Zimbabwe) Living hosting as a community pattern -- Kufunda Learning Village at 21

The Latin American Hosting Community Hosts from Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Costa Rica share how they have overcome challenges to build and maintain a vibrant regional practitioners community

Ursula Hillbrand (Austria) Seeding the field so regional government hosts its citizens into collaboration and innovation. The story of Austria, Vorarlberg and the Lake Constance region

Alexandra Abbrederis (Austria) Seeding the field so regional government hosts its citizens into collaboration and innovation. The story of Austria, Vorarlberg and the Lake Constance region.

Tenneson Woolf (USA) Hosting in Faith Communities -- Stories, learnings & practices using AoH patterns of convening & harvesting

Is anybody taking notes?

Like the good harvesters we are, we'll be capturing our learning throughout the day in a variety of forms -- graphic recording, notes, video, etc. All this will be at home on our community Miro Board. Participants will be able to see and track the harvest as we go and everyone is invited to contribute as we co-create collective sense and meaning.

Join us at the digital campfire!

One of the most important parts -- both for meeting and for learning -- is connection with other people. During our online gathering we offer a digital campfire space in a separate Zoom room where you can meet up to talk about your experience and interact with others from around the world. In the hour between sessions, the campfire will be a hosted sensemaking space. At other times, you can simply show up and see who is there or invite others to meet you there for reflection. Oh yes -- bring your own drinks and marshmallows... 

 

Like what we're doing? 

We appreciate your appreciation! An international team has been working away behind the scenes, contributing time and talent, to make this event possible. Please support us by making a monetary contribution! Remember, all those little bits go together to support something big happening.

Make a contribution

What's the timing for this event?

Here's what the timetable looks like. make sure to check specific timings for your area. 

Find your timezone

This event is hosted by...

Core Team: Ian Andersen (Belgium), Markus Schneider (Sweden), Mary Alice Arthur (USA)

Hosting Team: Andreas Giesen (Germany), Chris Di Franco (Italy), Fanny Langner (Germany), Frans Nijs (Belgium), Gordon Carmichael (Scotland), José Barco (Colombia), Michaela Sieh (Belgium), Trang Kho Nguyen (Vietnam), Ursula Hillbrand (Austria)

Harvesting Team: Cata Ramirez (Colombia), Emilia Rekestad (Sweden), kaa Faensen (Germany), Nam Taro (Vietnam), Sue Phillips (Belgium), Viola Clark (USA), Zulma Patarroyo (Colombia), stewarded by Sabine Soeder (Germany)

Tech Team: Anne-Claire Frank Seisay (USA), Khang Nguyen (Vietnam), Parmindar Shah (Belgium), Sophie Charrois (Germany), Wiebke Herding (Netherlands), Zach Hester (Belgium)