Seeds of Change - Heiner Benking's Blog - quergeist.info
Welcome to the NewsLog or Blog of Heiner Benking. A kaleidoscope of insights and impulses collected first in the DaZiBao (Rio) process Seeds of Change Viewsletter of the Club of Budapest since 1995, continually updated ever since. Now available for broader distribution and comments in this blog - enjoy, and come again !
21 Sep 2016 @ 21:32
September 21st, many millions of people around the world will acknowledge and celebrate the International Day of Peace, also known as Peace Day. The United Nations theme for 2016 is "The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace." [link]
You are invited to share with many people what you are doing on Peace Day at internationaldayofpeace.org. The following reflects how others are participating in the International Day of Peace and co-creating a Culture of Peace.
"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." ~ Pericles
"Mum" Dame Julia was awarded the Peace Prize today and many old and new players show up at this memorable day. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10154369981972626&id=824487625
Equinox and Earthday - Robert Muller and Peace Bells - Club of Budapest - John MacConnell and and .. a lots of pieces flash up in my mind and it needs some collection of bits and pieces ... I recomnend enties inthis blog: [link]
and this event docu at the UN in Geneva 5 years ago: [link]
and the documentaions with John in Geneva, Berlin, Vienna, BUdapest, New York,....
PLEASE COME BACK !! and check: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day
SDGs = Building Blocks for Peace is a big topic for me, but maybe check how the blocks might fit into a bigger picture, I can only add here: SDG at GLOBAL COMMONS last year: [link] also at MOTHER PELICAN: [link]
I need to focus more on EARTHDAY - EQUINOX, Robert Muller, and and more - but maybe tomorrow is a good day for this with the DGVN in Berlin: CONTROVERSIAL SUSTAINABILITY: [link]
20 Sep 2016 @ 17:21
Between elections this event "THE ANGRY VOTER" in the BASECAMP today was valuable and revealing. The presenters and questions where open, clear and full of insights and concern. It is obvious that out "voting" and the whole election process is new terrain ! Can implies Ought" always comes to mind ! but check out the links and maybe we resume somewhere !
#digiminds
concerns were: Are Data evil? - Who is "filtering" - Anger is associated with age... - Same biases like in Brexit
I recalled our concerns about "magnetic portals" 20 years ago and I stay puzzeled and concerend...
check: @juliusvandelaar @brentgoffv @AmericanAcademy @base_campberlin
16 Sep 2016 @ 21:30
Last night was the vernissage on a VERY IMPORTANT topic in a unique and one of my favorate LOCATION: the MUSEUM OF THINGS: [link] check this opening event last night: [link]
I think we have to be in touch with things, bodies and life ! and we have to look beyond the maze of the "digital" !
We should explore the possibilities of the "can" - but in view of the "ought".
Check Oezbekan here: [link] Often less, style, form and class is more beautiful, harmonious and useful ! and definitely less harmful.... Such issues are deep and central for me, so please come back !
Kücklehaus and senses and inteligences you find in many of my articles-so check for "spaces" and "senses".... and return.... maybe this on "senses, sensing and making Sennse is helpful: With Otto Schärli: [link]
I am struggling and rushing -but visit the website and the exhibition !
Object Lessons [link] The Story of Material Education in 8 Chapters
If you know how to fabricate a candle from fat or a pen from fishbone, you can survive in prison. If you know how blood reacts to lemon juice, you can remove stains. If you know why polylactide is more sustainable than polyethylene, you can change the world. Today, knowledge about materials, their origins and processing is valued and desired more than ever before. At the same time, such knowledge is specialized, concealed and expert-owned. How can it become available to everyone?
The exhibition recounts the story of learning with, about, and through materials in eight chapters: in science, at school, in commerce, craft, and at home, in novels and movies, in the archive and on the Internet. From tree books, slag gravel and shell silk to hares’ scuts, cork stoppers and cloud leather and from historical DIY books to a digital material archive, the exhibition shows that material literacy has always been relevant, why it was forgotten, and what it may look like in the future.
The focal point of the presentation is a book and a small box that contains over a hundred materials and objects, including minerals and shells, plaster, gold leaf, sugar and rice. The book describes exemplary dialogues, which encourage children to explore the materials in the box through looking, touching, smelling, and tasting them.
The exhibition takes the principle of Object Lessons as point of departure to tell the story of material education in 8 different chapters. Exhibits from public, private, digital, and physical collections offer an overview of the selected areas and contrast historical with contemporary approaches to material education.
Curated by Ann-Sophie Lehmann (University of Groningen) and Imke Volkers (Werkbundarchiv – Museum der Dinge). The show is accompanied by lectures, educational activities, and an academic conference. In April 2017, it will travel to the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur [link], Switzerland.
15 Sep 2016 @ 10:43
I could not resits yesterday's 2 film presentations with Wim Wenders and Angaangaq Angakkorsuaq [link] in the DW film: GREED - A Fatal Desire: [link] GIER:
[link] and: [link]
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Wim Wenders [link] is one of my raw models and examples how to to be helpful, attentive and deep ! Only two film-makers come close to him in my mind: Robert Redford [link] and Yann Arthus-Bertrand [link] in engagement and reaching people, but for me his intellectual, theoretical and cultural dimension is unique.
I like very much many of Wims films, books, exhibitions, and and - and in particular his approaches to Space, Cultures, Media, ... and even more towards libraries ! Just check:
So going yesterday to the State Library in Berlin where he received the Max-Herrmann-Preis was a must: [link] or check: https://www.berlinonline.de/tiergarten/nachrichten/4555550-4015964-freunde-der-staatsbibliothek-ehren-wim-w.html
To get an idea how rich the works of Wim are you can just start by checking the Library catalogue: [link]
my favourite is: CATHEDRALS OF CULTURES https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/film/227 - [link] -
I share not only my love of libraries and architecture with him, but today also shared with him the name of a "boss" and later "fatherly friend" of mine: ALFRED SCHINZ [link] - who was "the right hand" of SCHAROUN those days ... - I gave Wim the name and context on my "visiting card" today and lead him to this blog entry... maybe we can cross the boundaries or spaces and cultures, together...
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NEW FILM launch: GREED - A Fatal Desire
Check also "uncles" Angaangaq part KOLLAPS: [link] (as pasted from the announcement:
.... Some call it a useful dowry of evolution, others a fault in the human genetic make-up: The old mortal sin Greed seems to be more ubiquitous than ever. Why cannot people ever get enough, where is this self-indulgence leading and are there any ways out of this vicious circle of gratification? "People like to have a lot of stuff because it makes them the feeling of living forever," says American social psychologist Sheldon Solomon, who believes today's materialism and consumerism are will have disastrous consequences. Anyone who fails to satisfy his or her desires in this age of the Ego is deemed a loser. But with more than 7 billion people on the Earth, the ramifications of this excessive consumption of resources are already clear. Isn't the deplorable state of our planet proof enough that "The Greed Program," which has made us crave possessions, status and power, is coming to an end? Or is the frenzied search for more and more still an indispensable part of our nature? .... What is the essence of greed? ...
13 Sep 2016 @ 21:27
Autumn started with some strong stikes ! - towards peace !?
We met "The Elders" in VILLA BORSIG, Kofi Annan, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Richard Branson, ... [link]
Today, THE CLUB OF ROME a new report »Reinventing Prosperity. Managing Economic Growth to Reduce Unemployment, Inequality, and Climate Change« ]http://www.clubofrome.org/report/reinventing-prosperity/
besides in the same venue (Kalkscheune) Anders Wijkman (also co-president of the Club of Rome) [link] was unfortunately only on SKYPE ... a the INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY 2016 www.eceee.org/industry
and later a triple book lauch at the MERCATOR Foundation, the event I found most rewarding....
The Great Mindshift - How a New Economic Paradigm and Sustainability Transformations go Hand in Hand, Maja Goepel, Maja, [link]
The Art of Leading Collectively - Co-Creating a Sustainable, Socially Just Future, Petra Kuenkel, [link]
Change for the Audacious - a doers guide, Steve Weddell, [link]
WORK IN PROGRESS ....
beside the report today
there were 4 book releases today --- food of thought -- lots .. COME BACK !!
7 Sep 2016 @ 18:10
Again this week I was immersed by the IFA: [link]
IFA Congress for trendsetters and visionaries. The IFA+ Summit brings together decision makers who will shape our future. [link]
as we know: "Digital technologies and applications are transforming all walks of societal life, be it on the professional, personal, social or global level." but I could not resist to check back what was there 40 years ago, how much and how little we did any progress !
There was a great evening in the Marschall House, but have the movers heards about "Can implies Ought"? Are we really making "progress"? Where is the "New Level" ? and where are we going?
I just uploaded a draft on "GLOCAL": and maybe we need to revisit some "origins" of TELEMATICS and INFOGRAPHICS - maybe check this ECSA 1-pager Maybe we should look back and forward and wide and deep instead of following trends without base. (see roots and wings)....
This week also the Parliamentary Week started, so after the regional election last Sunday, the nerves are black regrding the elctions for Berlin next week and the national federal elections next year !!
As I also had our Conversation Experiments today, **** you can imagine how busy - after calm summer times - the week started.
Stay tuned - I will add links and insights and oulooks a.s.a.p.
12 Jul 2016 @ 02:31
Two days again Education for Sustainable Development. However the naming; Agenda, Decade, Learning,.... Future Learning with new Competences, Capacities, Skills,... we in Germany try to follow-up on the UNESCO Decade for Sustainable Development.
THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, so much learning was around, around Stockholm, AGENDA 21, Transfer, Club of Rome, ... but we seem to be reinventing wheels and avoid including some old learnings practives for the sake of "new thinking and learning".
But anyway, BRAVO for the exercise under the umbrella of the German UNESCO Commission.
Check Details - unfortunately little material in English at this point.
Lots to be said about the opening keynotes by a federal and regional minister, but let me start with out session about keynoted by Chuck Hopkins http://m.jsd.sagepub.com/search/keywords/advanced?options[q]=search&options[author1]=Charles%20Hopkins&options[sortspec]=date&options[submit]=Submit&options[numresults]=10&options[sortmethod]=0 and later doing a "fishbowl" to include the participants and move beyond lecturing.
Maybe I am tooo hypercritical - as it was actually a good and interesting session with the core international guests of the more local, German, exercise under the umbrella of the German UNESCO.
I am critical already on the top above as there were the efforts for the GRUNDSCHUL CONGRESS **** 20*** exactly at this place - doing not lectures and workgroups, but Open Spaces in "small" group sessions and more integration, summing-up,....
But maybe OPEN SPACES are more expensive as "open" does not mean "cheap" but facilitated with a lot of preparation...maybe check this Open-Space Worldmap moderators website: [link]
Second day again some presentations with collecting some questions....
waht I shared most? The Glocal and Global Studies [link]
my recommendation here is:
Rainer ?? Mattar Global Action Plan blended learning...
[link] Global Action Plan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Action_Plan and their ecoteams rings a bell, check it out !! [link] http://www.rce-network.org/portal/esd-experts-discuss-education-and-sdgs
see also the banner below !
before was the overview presentation by: Jörg-Robert Schreiber
presenting the orientation frame for schools and English presentations and figures...
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TRABI und Ferropolis [link] https://phoenix.de/content/phoenix/die_sendungen/von_bonn_an_den_balaton/1089008?datum=2016-07-12
6 Jul 2016 @ 18:42
Today was a very important day in the Foreign Office: Summing up Peace Making Processes and looking into Multi-Track Diplomacy - Lessons Learned.
Phantastic Visualizers and a great conclusion by Almut Wieland-Karimi and Norbert Ropers. A tight high level programme good to see old and new faces and learn a lot !
this was the Keynote speech by Gernot Erler, Special Representative for the German OSCE Chairmanship [link]
Conference: The OSCE as Mediator. Instruments – Challenges – Potentials
On 6 July 2016, the German OSCE Chairmanship 2016 will host a conference on peace mediation in Berlin. The conference is organized by the Federal Foreign Office and the Initiative Mediation Support Germany (IMSD).
Mediation as an important instrument of the OSCE within the conflict cycle has been developed and expanded over the last years. The conference intends to review different aspects of, and approaches to mediation, taking into consideration ongoing mediation efforts in the OSCE region.
The Chairmanship conference will bring together a wide range of experts from international organizations, think tanks, academia, civil society, as well as other institutions engaged in mediation activities and interested individuals from the policy side. check the Programme: [link] http://www.peacemediation.de/the-osce-as-mediator.html and docu with good posters and more comming soon & come back!
Role of the OSCE as mediator in focus at OSCE Chairmanship conference in Berlin
[link]
meanwhile maybe check: Mediation and dialogue facilitation[link]
This is Heiner Benking's News Log, a private-public diary presenting events, symposia and happenings in Berlin and elsewhere - my farings, foci, issues and concerns.
PLEASE CONSIDER THIS PERSONAL BLOG an ARTISTIC and PERFORMATIVE MEDIA INTERVENTION !
The Log links to my work and interests and presents issues and special concern of maybe a very small group of "concerned, engaged generalist" - a Global Interest Group (GIG). This needs to be seen in contrast to the ubiquitous Specialized Interest Groups (SIGs), the "scientific" approach to organize subject areas and specialization and standardization and harmonization! of means, nomenclatures, and modes of thinking. My favorite stories in the WHOLENESS SEMINAR include:
BELA BANATHY: "GENESIS
OF GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY" and "IVAN HAVEL: Longing for Unified Knowledge" where a "specialist" runs into the founding session of the early foundations General Systems, mumbling "this is not my field" or where Ivan M. Havel expresses his search for other kinds of knowledge.
As a starter I also recommend to check my MINDPRINT site, where we add the need for HANDPRINTS and MINDPRINTS, as FOOTPRINTS are good to visualize and communicate numbers, densities or consumption per area, but are not sufficient to negotiate and "harmonize" across domains and communicate gains in different cultures, technologies, times,... in short: incompatible but relevant information and our work on dialog, peace, policy-making, and multi-modal, faceted issues and consequences.
What am I? This is a "well-packed" question for which I have not the or a single answer. Some called me an in-betweener, go-getter, facilitator, hub, marvel-hero, trim-tab, bricoleur, bricoleers??? - career designeer, .... Some even "hank" which I disliked or Story which I liked very much !!
I have no single answer as I feel we need to walk the talk and sing and dance Life ! in spectra and fields in multiple embodied spaces.
To nebulous an answer? I am sorry but I do not go for overclaims and oversimplifications, under-complex and over-simplistic approaches with clan-think mindsets about real issues in clear contexts!
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21 Sep 2016 @ 21:32
20 Sep 2016 @ 17:21
16 Sep 2016 @ 21:30
15 Sep 2016 @ 10:43
13 Sep 2016 @ 21:27
7 Sep 2016 @ 18:10
16 Jul 2016 @ 10:51
12 Jul 2016 @ 02:31
6 Jul 2016 @ 18:42