Global Dialog

## The Global Dialog Project

At the threshold of a new millennium, it is time for humanity to bring the information, insight, and wisdom of all peoples to bear on the future that lies before us. Our planet and its inhabitants need our attention. The Global Dialog Project is a place for sharing the multiplicity of viewpoints among us -- for connecting, exploring, cooperating, and coordinating our emerging evolutionary path. Though we may not all agree on specifics, we can agree that it is time for us to open up a dialog on the promise and problems of the future. The graphic above, 'Circle of Circles' by Lauri Hakola and Mariposa Perkins, illustrates one of the basic ideas of the Global Dialog Project: that we need to examine many different viewpoints to fill in our personal and cultural blindspots. The Earth, in the center, represents the Earth itself - including its physical being, its ecosystems with their millions of species and billions of humans, its impact on humans from past to the future, and the future path of our planet and our own evolutionary potential. The other 'worlds' that look in toward the Earth in the graphic, represent the many different (and often opposing) positions or perspectives that different cultures, genders, disciplines, individuals, etc. have on the Earth and our future. A couple of key concepts are embedded here: that first, different perspectives are valid, and each may be capable of seeing things from its position that are difficult or impossible to see from another perspective. Secondly, positions viewing from different 'poles' of the earth may be unable to reconcile their opposing viewpoints unless they connect through all the views around to the other pole and see how other views overlap them. Lastly, this metaphor implies that in order to build a "true" image of the Earth, we need to put all these varying perspectives together. Like the story of the Blind Men and the Elephant, as individuals and as cultures we are only seeing part of the picture - and communicating our views is the foundation for seeing and understanding the 'whole' picture. Through our hesitance to look truly and deeply at the state of our world and ourselves, we lose the ability to further its potential. Our inaction results in our unconscious creation of the future, when by paying attention, and increasing the range of our perspectives, we can instead consciously create a better future for all. Please join us in contributing your thoughts and feelings, visions and solutions, on the journey that awaits us. Respectfully, The Editors

Note: This site is still very much in the first stages of creation. We are soliciting content, links, and ideas. If you'd like to help, contact us at webmaster@global-dialog.org

This site designed and implemented by Valerie Gremillion and Mariposa "Posy" Perkins
Circle of circles graphic design by Lauri Hakola and Posy Perkins