New Resource from The IPCR Initiative: "The IPCR Workshop Primer" (425 pages)

Attached to this post is a pdf file of a new resource from The IPCR Initiative: “The IPCR Workshop Primer” (425 pages). [Correction: A new pdf file of "The IPCR Workshop Primer" (with just some minor editing) was added to a February 25 post by this writer, and the file attached to this post was deleted. My apologies for any inconvenience.]

There is much that can be done to generate goodwill and promote peace that has not yet been done. There are countless numbers of "things people can do in the everyday circumstances of their lives" which will contribute to peacebuilding and community revitalization efforts, in their own communities and regions— and in other parts of the world. Even now, as you are reading this, truly inspiring contributions of genuine goodwill are being generated in a variety of ways—and in a variety of circumstances—by countless numbers of people in communities around the world.

This writer understands that many people may like the concept of Community Visioning Initiatives—which is a key concept of The IPCR Initiative, and which is brought forward in many ways in this “IPCR Workshop Primer”—but may also find it difficult to imagine how such a concept could be translated into an actual community building process. “The IPCR Workshop Primer” is an effort to provide many pieces of a “big picture” view in one place, so that there is both understanding of why there is a need for Community Visioning Initiatives, “Community Teaching and Learning Centers”, and a variety of affordable workshops at the local community and neighborhood level—and understanding of the kind of tools and resources which can help make such community building processes most effective, and relevant to the greater good of the whole.

There will be people who are inclined, regardless of the difficulties and urgencies of trying to resolve multiple crises, to focus their attention on trying to make money by preying on people’s fears and misunderstandings, or on trying to encourage people to set aside their higher aspirations, and indulge in destructive behavior. Such behavior is clearly counterproductive to the building of caring communities; it can be very dangerous for community morale, and it can become a crippling obstacle in times of crises. Responsible people will take sufficient preventative measures to encourage a high percentage of constructive thinking and constructive action in their community.

Everyone is involved when it comes to determining the markets which supply the “ways of earning a living”. All of us have important responsibilities associated with resolving a significant number of very serious challenges in the months and years ahead. We need our public discourse to be as honest, responsible, and transparent as possible, so we can identify, nurture, support, and sustain ways to build a collective force greater than the challenges we are now facing. True confidence is never really built up by merely convincing a majority of the people involved that they believe the markets are based on sound and practical principles; true confidence is built up because people believe that the efforts of everyone working together is a greater force than the challenges they are facing.

The tools and resources of The IPCR Initiative can inspire, support, and integrate many different initiatives at the same time, and thus create “constellations” of initiatives which can bring to light the many truly inspiring contributions of genuine goodwill in your community and region—and which can contribute much to the building of “close-knit” communities of people… communities with a healthy appreciation for each others strengths, communities with a well-developed capacity to resolve even the most difficult challenges, and communities which demonstrate a high level of compassion for their fellow human beings.

One of the most persistent ironies in life is that with so many opportunities to provide real assistance to fellow human beings—and with the potential for such assistance to result in happiness “to those who extend help as well as to those who receive it”—there are still many, many people in this world who cannot find a “way to earn a living” providing such assistance. This writer believes that there are countless number of “things” people—in all parts of the world—can do to remedy that deficiency.

We—collectively—can become a greater force than the challenges we are now facing.

“The IPCR Workshop Primer” is the end result of a work-in-progress which began as something else in January, 2009, and ended up as this. Readers can find pieces of this work-in-progress in many of the posts I’ve made here in the last year. [Note: “The IPCR Workshop Primer” document can also be accessed from the homepage of The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative, at www.ipcri.net , or by using the following link http://ipcri.net/images/The-IPCR-Workshop-Primer-Feb-2010.pdf (Additional Note: All IPCR documents are accessible for free.)]

I encourage readers who explore this new resource to offer any comments, suggestions, recommendations, etc. Also, if readers have any questions, I encourage them to ask the questions. There is much that can be learned in an environment which encourages positive and constructive communication in a safe environment—and the WorldPulse community has together created both a most useful format—and a most respectful and safe environment—for positive and constructive exchange.

With Kind Regards,

Stefan Pasti, Founder and Outreach Coordinator
The IPCR Initiative