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Purpose and Principles
Images and Voices of Hope is an international conversation
initiative convened by three partners:
- Institute for Advanced Appreciative Inquiry
- The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization
- The Visions of a Better World Foundation
Purpose
Our purpose is to strengthen the role of media as agents of world benefit,
expanding awareness of the choices those in media make that raise public
trust, generate constructive meaning, and amplify human hope, thus enhancing
humanity's capacity for life-promoting action.
Principles
Principles of
Understanding
- A change in awareness precedes a change in the outer world. We
understand that the outer forms of the world are the correlates of our inner
awareness. We believe that a change in inner awareness or "inner media"
creates a change in "outer media" - in the words we speak and the actions we
take in the world. To that end we are committed to a shift in awareness among
those of us engaged in the creation of a new world story of possibility.
- Words create worlds. Images create worlds. We understand that in
creating and distributing stories and images about people and events in the
world, we are not simply reporting on the world, we are participating in the
creation of it. The words and images we choose to interpret the world do not
represent "the absolute truth," but merely one explanation of the events of
the world. We believe in the power of all of us to construct a new and better
world for humanity.
- A discourse of hope and possibility. We are aware that deficit
discourse is a conventional practice in the world, a discourse focused on
problems, threats and pathologies. We believe that a deficit discourse does
not contribute to a new story of possibilities. We are consciously exploring
the language, the stories, and the images most suited to telling a story of
hope and possibility for the world.
- A balance in reporting. We understand the vital importance of reporting
on wars, calamities and corruption in the world. We also understand in the
same communities where these events are taking place that people are
experiencing success, joy and triumph. We are committed to telling a balanced
story of the unfolding of world events so that the people of the world can
locate the seeds of possibility that they want to nurture.
- The power of a positive image of the future. We understand that words
and images hold within them certain memories, emotions, ideas, concepts, and
associations, which are unique to each person. We believe in the power of
positive images and stories to shift inner awareness, to open up
possibilities, and to inspire us to act as agents of world benefit. We are
committed to creating images and stories that diminish resignation and
magnify humanity's capacity to create a peaceful and loving world.
Principles of Design of Images and Voices of Hope Conversations:
- Locally rooted. We are convening for inquiry and conversation in places
all over the world, understanding that the larger story of the world emerges
from the collective impact of countless local stories. Images and Voices of
Hope is rooted in local communities. It may be a geographical community that
convenes a conversation (such as South Florida) or a community-of-interest
(such as. healthcare). As these individual stories become clearer, a rich
world story of Images and Voices of Hope for the world begins to emerge.
- Wisdom resides within each system. While acknowledging the role of
thought leaders and those with special kinds of expertise, we believe in the
distribution of wisdom and insight throughout a system, whether the system is
a family, a geographical community or a community-of-interest. We give
priority to conversations among peers over lectures by subject experts when
possible as a way to unearth the available wisdom in a system.
- Diversity of all kinds. We understand that each distinct kind of life
experience and life perspective brings with it a different kind of wisdom. We
enrich our conversations and ourselves by our continual commitment to
diversity. We create conversational spaces that embrace the whole system in a
given community -- all generations, races, ethnicities, economic levels and
genders -- so that we might enrich one another through our varied experiences
and locate the common qualities and aspirations that unite us.
- The role of Appreciative Inquiry. We consider Appreciative Inquiry and
related strength-based philosophies and methods of positive change to be
congruent with our principles and beneficial for our ultimate purpose. We
value broad inquiry as a way to discover the distributed wisdom in a system
and the unconditional positive question as a way to create a shift towards a
discourse of possibility.
- The importance of deep listening. We believe that the ability to
listen with deep appreciation is crucial to accessing the wisdom within each
person. It is only when one senses that another is listening with full
attention and an appreciative attitude that our deepest hopes and beliefs
come to light.
- Silence. To support a shift in inner awareness, we make use of periods
of silence in all of our dialogues. These are times when we can access our
own inner truth and reflect on our new understandings.
- The value of artistic space. We believe that the act of uncovering and
telling a new and better story of the world is a creative act. We commit
ourselves to enriching our conversations with the contributions of artists
and the remarkable spaces their work creates.
Principles of Operation for the Images
& Voices of Hope Network of Conversations:
- Open Participation. Participation in the Images and Voices of
Hope network is open to artists, media professionals and journalists and
those with a stake in a world media of hope and possibility. To convene a
conversation in the name of "Images and Voices of Hope", one must subscribe
fully to the purpose and principles and demonstrate that commitment in
one's life and work.
- Freedom to Organize. When people are representing themselves as a
center of an Images and Voices of Hope conversation, they are empowered to
organize in any manner, at any scale, in any area, and around any priority
that is relevant to and consistent with the Purpose and Principles.
- Autonomy and Resources. Every center of an Images and Voices of Hope
conversation is autonomous, focusing on topics of local relevance, supported
with local resources, and partnering with local people and institutions in
keeping with the Purpose and Principles. Wherever possible each center
commits to helping the world conversation network.
- Honoring all currencies. We believe that one of the misperceptions in
the world has been the over-valuing of financial currency as having a higher
priority than other forms of currency such as social and relational capital.
We understand that each conversation center and our network as a whole
prosper by welcoming multiple currencies to support the expansion of this
initiative and the spread of a sense of possibility in the world.
- A Benefactor Economy. We have witnessed the corrupting effects of
media that is obligated to those who pay for its operation. We have also
witnessed the "higher ground" of a media that is dedicated only to the upliftment and encouragement of humanity. We commit ourselves to behave as
trustees and benefactors of public images and stories in the belief that
dedicating ourselves to world benefit will yield a prosperous and healthy
world.
- Sharing learning. We believe that none of us is as wise as all of us,
and that when one is engaged in a task as sweeping as world transformation,
we need the wisdom of all of us. Therefore, we are committed to sharing
learning widely across our network of conversations so that we can build on
one another's wisdom and experience.
- Individual action. We believe that change throughout a system is often
the result of lighting many fires in multiple locations. We also believe that
each person in a network of conversations is uniquely placed to create a
positive impact. Therefore we support a principle of individual action,
acknowledging that sometimes the act of a single individual can set a wave of
change in motion.
- Coordinated Action. We believe, as Margaret Meade said, "never doubt
that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed it's the only thing that every has." We support coordinated action by
a collective of people as a way to affect powerful change in the world.
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