News from our friend Dr Robin Wood.....

Dear Friends and Colleagues ,

Seasons greetings to you! It has been a busy autumn for Renaissance2 with six faculty and member meetings in London, Paris, Perpignan, New York and San Francisco and as a result lots of new developments and a renewed energy to make change happen. We now have over one hundred influential leaders and practitioners signed up to the R2 network who are all doing their bit to create a thriving planet and society for ourselves and future generations in the 21st century. Thanks to all of you who have contributed so much to date! If you have not signed up with R2 yet, please join us this festive season by getting involved and signing up here. We look forward to welcoming you.

There are three major developments this month we would like to share with you and which we hope you might consider participating in: 1. R2NN - Time for Action! One of the new developments, triggered by our European and US trip, is R2NN: "Renaissance2 News Network" (think CNN). R2NN is similar to a news network in that it will update you with regular newsflashes and reports on positive steps towards change from around the world, from breakthroughs in personal development approaches (think "microscope") to major geo-political shifts such as the election and new policies of Barack Obama (think "macroscope"). We will also cover the fertile ground which lies between these micro and macro developments: advances in the way we design networks, organizations, infrastructures and governance systems (think "mesoscope"). The first R2NN newsflash is availble through the R2 Blog. It brings to light the positive actions which have been taking place around the world in the past month. These include: The Obama Effect & Al Gore's Real Vision Dealing with our Global Economic Crisis- the R2 Perspective Declaration of a Global State of Emergency The Need for Real Leadership in Europe New UK Legislation & Prince Charles' Rainforest Initiative WWF's Earth Hour Actions you can take: This newsflash highlights positive actions you can take to make a difference,check it out by clicking here. If you would like to contribute material to R2NN or become one of our correspondents please join R2 (its free!)and indicate your interest in R2NN and your areas of expertise. 2. R2 Great Shift Gathering- Catalyzing the Second Renaissance- End of March 2009 The R2 network is putting together a "Great Shift Gathering" which will be held during the last week of March 2009 in sunny Perpignan in the South of France. The format of the event is configured around three main streams of activity: GENERAL ASSEMBLY - A "wiki" style series of presentations by professionals and world experts on their work and views on what is required of us in the future to create a thriving planet. These would all be put together into an online format which would work like a wiki and form the core of R2's curriculum/knowledge base. This would be done in plenary with say 50-100 people i.e. everyone who attends the event in the superb Palais de Congres here in Perpignan. FOCUS NETWORKS - A series of focus groups on specific tracks where people could respond to the plenary topics and develop an ongoing series of conversations and networking between each other. These would vary from between 10-25 people each, so if 100 people showed up (including presenters) then there could be about 5 of these. MASTERCLASSES - a select group of the plenary presenters will offer half to one day master-classes after the event itself. These would be groups of between 5-25 attendees who wanted to drill down more deeply into a topic with a "master practitioner". There should be about 5 of these master-classes as well depending on how many people show up for the main event. Actions you can take: Earmark the last week of March 2009 in your diary if you would like to present to the R2 General Assembly, attend a focus network session or masterclass. Please click here if you are interested in receiving more information about the event or in getting involved. Tell your friends and colleagues about R2 and the event- perhaps there is someone you know who would love to get involved? 3. The Great Shift: Catalyzing the Second Renaissance- A Handbook for TransActivists The first few chapters of my new book are now available in pdf format, free to R2 members. If you would like your free copies of chapters 1 and 2 (out now!) then please click here to join R2, if you are not already a member, and get your free copy!

Until next year, we wish you a wonderful festive season and a productive and positive start to 2009!

Dr Robin Wood

President: www.renaissance2.eu
Founder: www.latourapollinaire.com