Past events - Initiatives of Change UK

Thursday 24^th November – 5:30-7:30pm (online)
Saturday 26^th November – 10am-5pm (in person)
Sunday 27^th November – 10am – 5pm (in person)

This intensive weekend Peace Circle explores 10 themes centered around creating peace that include listening to others, the power of forgiveness, and inner peace.

This hybrid program starts with an introductory evening online and then 2 days in person.

The Peace Circle is designed to flow from one gathering point to another and so participants need to commit to all the sessions. The course is unique in that it also offers an opportunity for each participant to share their own story, which allows for self-empowerment and development of ones own peacemaking skills.

Peace Circle’s are facilitated in the style of a ‘talking circle’, where all voices are heard respectfully, and a safe space is established at the beginning of each session to allow individuals to explore diverse perspectives.

Peace Circles are free to join. If you are joining us from an organisation or business please consider making a donation. Peace Circles are subsidized by donations, grants and volunteers which allows them to continue to be delivered without charge.

At the end of a Peace Circle we encourage contributions from participants as a way to ‘pay it forward’ so we can continue to offer all women the opportunity to participate in exploring their role as a peace creator.

Please note that due to the connected nature of Peace Circles you will need to commit to attending all sessions in a course.

Peace Circles are only open to women, including trans women, as a way of creating safe space. Thank you for your respect and cooperation. Please note that all sessions are held on Zoom – we advise that you ensure your Zoom application, whether on desktop, browser, or mobile device, is the most current version. Please see Zoom Updates for more details.

Please use the ‘Contact Us’ button below to request more information!

Facilitated by Anton Smith, this series of Business Circles will centre around Leadership Values with reference to the Initiatives of Change’s Core Values identified below.

The question will be how Leaders can incorporate these values into their organisations. Of course, all 6 Values are interrelated – we can’t have Honesty without Trust Building but within each topic there are distinct aspects that matter.

1. HONESTY
2. UNSELFISHNESS
3. LOVE
4. PURITY OF MOTIVE
5. TRUST BUILDING / COOPERATION
6. QUIET TIME

Business Circle 3 – LOVE
To some, the concept of Love within a workplace and Leadership environment may seem out of place, or “fluffy”. But we need to recognise what Love really is. I chose to use the definition put forward by M. Scott Peck in his groundbreaking book on relationships “The Road Less Travelled”

“Love is the willingness to extend oneself for the sake of one’s own and others’ spiritual growth”

The premise is that Leadership involves the process of growth in both Leaders and their teams – to encourage the best possible performance from everyone and for the organisation.

We’ve already explored Honesty and Unselfishness which, in themselves, are aspects of Love and the remaining topics in this series of Circles are, likewise, other aspects – Purity of Motive, Trust Building/Cooperation and the need for Quiet Time.

Spaces are LIMITED for this session; first come, first served. Please note that all sessions are held on Zoom – we advise that you ensure your Zoom application, whether on desktop, browser, or mobile device, is the most current version. Please see Zoom Updates for more details.

This event is for anyone who’d like to share their experiences of Leadership, whether as a Leader, a Leadership Trainer or as one who has observations to make of their Leaders.

Creators of Peace UK host Advocates For A New Story of Our Shared Humanity.

5-session conversation for small groups designed to explore the dominant narratives in the world and in our lives.

Meeting once a week for 2 hour session for 5 weeks on Zoom.

This will be delivered in English, you must be over 18 years, all genders welcome.

Free to attend – donations welcome.

This programme is designed for the following purposes:

To raise awareness of the power of narratives to shape our world and identity
To gain a deeper understanding of how stories can harm or heal
To listen respectfully and appreciate others’ lived experience
To invite deep reflection to consider the stories that have shaped us personally
To explore the change needed to become advocates for a new story of our shared humanity

We also hope that this guide will serve as a vehicle for meaningful conversations in modern cultures that often have little time to connect deeply.
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What is the significance of a shared story?
Story sharing from the beginning of time has been used to inform and educate, to record and entertain, to remind and restore. Whether in prose, poetry, song or through art of all mediums, it is our prime tool of communication. Our collective national and international experiences combine to form the grand narratives that inform our relationships and identities. Throughout history, dominant cultures have distorted the meaning of a shared humanity to a restricted interpretation that only included those people necessary to the status quo, excluding those people considered lesser. Whole peoples and histories have been marginalized, rights denied, voices unheard and genocides sanctioned. Colonisations and conquests have been based on a hierarchy of human value to legitimise greed for wealth and power. We all matter and we all are of value. Addressing our individual stories alongside the huge challenges of planetary devastation, food shortages and human displacement among other issues, requires a new-found appreciation of our togetherness and mutual value.
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How much time does ANS take?
The programme is designed for five 2-hour conversations (10 total hours).

Refugees as Re-Builders™ invites you to London to join them in marking this year’s UNESCO International Day of Education!

This free event is aimed at those working or interested in the educational sphere and support the notion that EVERY child has the right to education!

Lunch will be supplied followed by hearing from RRB™ alumni who are working to rebuild education in their home countries. From tackling period poverty in Northern Uganda to raising funds to build schools in rural Somalia, register today to learn more about two incredible efforts to bring education to children across the globe.

Please note that spaces are limited and we will be operating on a first come first served basis.

Join us for an online Zoom event to mark this year’s International Women’s Day!

Women make up approximately half of the world’s population yet research has found that there is a significant disparity in opportunities to help women flourish in their lives and communities. This can have significant impacts. Here are some facts from UN Women that helps us begin to understand the gaps:

Join us on International Women’s Day and be part of our conversation focused on understanding and change.

This event is hosted by Initiatives of Change UK and led by Creators of Peace UK, with support from other initiatives and programmes.

OUR FEBRUARY SESSION IS FULLY BOOKED – PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR MARCH SESSIONS OR KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FUTURE QSP COURSES.

Qualities and Strategies of Peacemakers (QSP-online) is a course of five short modules, each based on a film about outstanding peacemakers.

The films show examples of reconciliation after conflict in a variety of contexts: inter-national, inter-religious, inter-ethnic and post-colonial. After an introduction and viewing of the film, participants take part in an interactive analysis facilitated by Dr Omnia Marzouk and/or Peter Riddell.

Please click HERE to get a more in depth understanding of the content and layout of the course.

QSP is for anyone over the age of 18, in particular those who want to respond to past or present instability in their countries. It aims to enrich their understanding of peace-making and stimulate new ideas for ways forward.

QSP is free of charge, but voluntary donations to extend the programme are appreciated.

Qualities and Strategies of Peacemakers (QSP-online) is a course of five short modules, each based on a film about outstanding peacemakers.

Please click HERE to get a more in depth understanding of the content and layout of the course.

QSP is free of charge, but voluntary donations to extend the programme are appreciated.

Join us for the UK launch of the new book published by Relational Peacebuilding Initiatives (RPI, )‘No other way to Peace in Korea? A Practical Path to Reunification’ written by Michael Schluter.

In his new book, Michael Schluter offers a framework that could resolve the impasse on the Korean peninsula — building close and strong relationships resulting in greater social interdependence between the North and the South.

At this event, Dr Michael Schluter will outline the main thesis of the book, give reasons as to why he remains optimistic about the feasibility of this process, and how it could get started. There will then be an opportunity for your questions and feedback.

Initiatives of Change UK is delighted to host this book launch as our values-based approach to building trust across the world’s divides aligns with that of Relational Peacebuilding Initiatives. IofC UK believes that everyone has the power to create personal and global change, often by having difficult and honest conversations as a means to reconciliation.

Relational Peacebuilding Initiatives (RPI) has track record of facilitating behind the scenes consultations that have helped turn major political conflicts into lasting and satisfactory settlements. RPI’s peacebuilding process draws on widely from ‘Relational’ values to act as a catalyst and as a consensus builder.

Dr Michael Schluter (President & CEO, RPI) is a seminal thinker, respected author, and social scientist who has launched a number of significant peace initiatives.

Facilitated by Anton Smith, this series of Business Circles will centre around Leadership Values with reference to the Initiatives of Change’s Core Values identified below.

1. HONESTY
2. UNSELFISHNESS
3. LOVE
4. PURITY OF MOTIVE
5. TRUST BUILDING / COOPERATION
6. QUIET TIME

For this session we’ll be considering aspects of Unselfishness. What do we mean by this in the context of Leadership?

If we define Selfishness in Leadership as promotion of oneself, having one’s own personal agenda, using power at the expense of others (and the organisation), unwillingness to listen, unwilling to accept criticism, greed and any other behaviours that can best be described as self-centered/narcissistic, we can say that Unselfishness consists of all the opposites to these undesirable traits.

Unselfish Leaders are not concerned with their self-aggrandisement but with the development of their people and therefore the organisation. The Unselfish Leader will give time and consideration to all aspects of decision-making and treatment of people, be generous of spirit, emotionally aware and treat all with unconditional positive regard.

This event is for anyone who’d like to share their experiences of Leadership, whether as a Leader, a Leadership Trainer or as one who has observations to make of their Leaders.

Join host Simone Müller for ‘Mindful Self-Compassion: Soothe The Negative Voice‘, featuring guest speaker, Lauren Ziegler!

Who is this aimed at? Female professionals from across all sectors; academia, entrepreneurs, coaches & consultants.

Please note that all roundtable sessions are held on Zoom – we advise that you ensure your Zoom application, whether on desktop, browser, or mobile device, is the most current version. Please see Zoom Updates for more details. We understand not everybody will be able to attend due to this session taking place in the GMT time zone. Please keep an eye out for future sessions held at a more favourable time for you.

All attendees must arrive on time and be available to stay for the full session to avoid disruptions. It is not guaranteed late arrivals will be granted admittance.

Host

Simone holds a Masters in Business Administration from the CAU University of Kiel (Germany) and has worked in international management roles at a multinational corporation for over a decade. Since leaving her corporate career, Simone focused on International Leadership Development and Business Coaching. She is an accredited coach, trainer, and NLP master practitioner.

Guest Speaker

Lauren is a Certified Yoga Therapist and Sleep Coach empowering people to better manage stress, improve relationships and get restful sleep. She is on the leadership team at Colorado State University Center for Mindfulness, works as a mind/body practitioner at an integrative medical clinic, and on some top meditation apps. She has been teaching for 12 years and specializes in pain management, spinal decompression and deep sleep. She is helping people bring mindfulness and meditation into their lives in her program My Still Life.

Dates

Please use the ‘Contact Us’ button below to request more information!

Host

Guest Speaker