Ma ‘n Pa James Travels to Europe and UK 10/07 – 19/08/14

Initiatives of Change (IofC) Conference at Caux, Switzerland

 

Background and Motivation

Chris had been to the IofC conferences at Caux as part of the “Action for Life” programme.  He was greatly impressed by the people, the place and the processes there, and urged “Mum and Dad” to get there too!

We have been wanting to do it for several years, but dissuaded by the enormous cost, and concerns about leaving our doggle-pops Bibs at home for an extended period.

To make the most of this expensive undertaking, we decided to follow the IofC conference with some additional travel in Europe and the UK, and particularly to catch-up with some relatives and friends!

The Journey

Wed 9 July

Day off-work for preparation.

Thurs 10 July

11:30am Taxi to Canberra Airport.

Qantas to Melbs.
Purchased Aust flag badges and electrical power converter etc.

Departed Melbs

Qantas A380 flights was beautiful. I could balance a $1 coin on the tray for a long time! Staff and everything were great.

In WA I noticed that we had changed course for Perth, then it was announced that due to a passenger medical emergency we would land at Perth, so dumping fuel. After being on the ground for a while, it was announced that the passenger and two others had been taken to hospital, their luggage unloaded, and aircraft refuelled. However, we had been 50 ton overweight on landing, and the 18 brakes were overheated. Several of them were still to be cooled down. Eventually we took off again and arrived in Dubai two hours late. That did not matter to us, as we had a four-hour stop scheduled for Dubai!

Dubai Airport was massive and shiny-new, with a train to the Emirates terminal and a very long bus ride to the aircraft.

The Emirates Boeing 777 flight to Geneva was not so nice. Seating and staff and food were all a bit strange.

Geneva airport and customs and train to Montreux were all OK.

Rack-and-pinion train to Caux was wonderful – very steep railway and great views over Lake Geneva!

We were warmly welcomed at Caux, by the IofC volunteers and staff.  Settled into a large and luxurious suite (bedroom, balcony and bathroom).  Fresh flowers, huge cupboards, chairs and table and numerous comforts and conveniences.  But I didn’t like the squeaky floors - ah well, the building is about 100 years old!

Explored the wonderful building.

Night-1 at Caux.

Fri 11 July

IofC Conference Day-1

Night-2 at Caux.

Sat 12 July

IofC Conference Day-2

Night-3 at Caux.

Sun 13 July

IofC Conference Day-3

Night-4 at Caux.

Mon 14 July

IofC Conference Day-4

Night-5 at Caux.

Tue 15 July

IofC Conference Day-5

Night-6 at Caux.

Wed 16 July

IofC Conference Day-6

Night-7 at Caux.

Thurs 17 July

IofC Conference Day-7

Fri 18 July

Train to Montreux, then Geneva.

*** Travels in Switzerland, France, UK and then to Holland ***

Mon 18 Aug

27:05 elapsed
05:35 (travel tram Amsterdam to Melbourne 13:25) Arrived Melbs.

30:05 elapsed
08:35 Departed Melbs. To Canberra.

31:10 elapsed
09:40 Arrived Canberra

31:40 elapsed
10:10 Arrived Watto

Home !!!

~0~

Australians Facing Global Challenges - "Just Governance for Human Security"

19 Aug 2014

See the Conference Report

Lt Gen John SandersonFormer Governor of WA and Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen John Sanderson, didn’t limit his scope when speaking at the IofC conferences in Switzerland in July. His three day workshop embraced a mega-topic: ‘Meeting global challenges – the role of belief systems’. He argued we have to create ‘boats of trust to ride the whirlpool’ during ‘a period of great global change’.
Sanderson was one of the 26 Australians participating or providing support at the annual conferences which take place at the international conference centre at Caux, Switzerland.

Australians facing global challenges in Caux

After more than a decade in Vietnam during the war, and then in Cambodia as commander of the 16,000-strong UN peace-keeping force, Lt Gen John Sanderson knows what it is to face tough situations. Having served five years as Governor of WA, Sanderson was then commissioned to report on Aboriginal disadvantage in WA. His report proved too tough for the Government to accept.

Last month, at the Initiatives of Change (IofC) conferences in Switzerland, Sanderson didn’t limit his scope, leading a three day workshop on “Meeting global challenges – the role of belief systems”. Faced by vast inequalities (where the world’s richest 83 individuals have as much wealth as half of the globe’s entire population), contending with angry terrorists and the irresistible market forces, Sanderson said no-one should doubt that we are “in a period of great global change”. Holding to the premise that “we are not alone in time and space; God wants us to succeed and has already forgiven us”, Sanderson led participants through what it will take to create “boats of trust… to ride the whirlpool”. He sees service and leadership through civil society as key to taming “the great paradigm shift that is upon us”.

Sanderson was one of the 26 Australians participating or providing support at the annual conferences in Caux, Switzerland. He contributed to a week of dialogue on “Just Governance for Human Security” which brought together 200 people from 32 countries.

Steve Killelea from Sydney (right) talks with Michael Møller, Director-General of the UN at Geneva 

Another Australian participant tackling global concerns was Steve Killelea from Sydney, who has developed one of Australia’s largest private overseas aid organisations, reaching the poorest of the poor in many countries. He founded the Global Peace Index, which examines the conditions needed to achieve peace. “We face challenges such as decreasing biodiversity and the use of the planet’s fresh water,” he said. “Yet we are still running the world on a consumer-based capitalist system. We need a philosophy that incorporates all individuals in a global vision. Unlike any other epoch in human history, peace is a prerequisite for the survival of society as we know it.”

The conference included people from many situations of tension and conflict – from Russia and Ukraine, from the Sahel region of Africa, from the Middle East. Tensions were immediately evident between the Ukrainians and the Russians. The wounds were too fresh for calm objective discussion. After several sleepless nights of debate, they managed to write a declaration which most were ready to sign, stating the common values and principles needed as they try to form “practical steps for peace-building and establishing good neighbourly relations”. See commentary by Ian Parsons, next page.

Dr Christine Fejo-King

Another participant was Dr Christine Fejo-King, chairperson of the National Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Workers Association. “Caux opened my eyes,” she said later. “What was amazing was that everyone is struggling with the same issues in their own countries and sharing the answers they’ve found. My whole focus has been working with my people. We are not struggling on these issues on our own. We have progressed things here which we have to offer to other people.”

A coordinator of the conference, and its action in the field, is John Bond, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his work with the Stolen Generations. Among other Australians participating in Caux conferences were Phil Jefferys, a NSW grazier who is international president of the Farmers’ Dialogue, part of the “Caux dialogue on land and security”. Mohan Bhagwandas from Melbourne opened the “Trust and integrity in the global economy” which this year got into subjects such as “the future of money” and becoming “doers of justice in the economy”.

See more at: http://www.cauxforum.net/node/106226#sthash.GHBjP9tR.dpuf

Jeanne and Robert J.

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