News Archive

18 New Grads Celebrate Completion of Diploma Program

Name almost any complex issue on a global, national or local scale and you'll usually hear someone saying the situation needs more dialogue before rushing to an unsatisfactory solution. Finding ways to listen to all perspectives and reach a shared agreement take specialized skills and methods. The next cohort of the Diploma in Dialogue and Negotiation begins classes April 15, 2008 at SFU's Wosk Centre for Dialogue (application deadline is Feb. 15, 2008).

Nisga'a: Dancing in Both Worlds
Git-Ts'amiks Nisga'a Cultural Dancers highlight an evening of speakers and film hosted by the BC Treaty Commission, Wednesday, June 6.

2010 Legacies: SFU students host free public dialogue

A Group Photo of the Students that hosted the free public dialogue

Simon Fraser University students in the Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue program hosted a free public dialogue on the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue on March 14. "A 2010 Piece-Puzzle," focused on stimulating dialogue integrating cultural, environmental and economic aspects of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to shape lasting regional legacies. Participants, from as far away as Ontario, offered different perspectives towards the Games. One key message heard was the need for more dialogues, like this one, providing a safe environment for people to share and discuss their thoughts and opinions. SFU's Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue inspires students to engage in civic responsibility and encourages their passion to improve Canadian society.

www.sfu.ca/dialogue/undergrad

Public Reading-Reconciliation: First Nations Treaty Making in British Columbia
by Tony Penikett and published by Douglas and McIntyre | September 12, 3:30-4:30pm

The author will read from his work and answer questions on September 12, 3:30-4:30pm.

Reconciliation is a public policy work that reflects on the troubled five-hundred year history of conflict and peacemaking between America's indigenous peoples and European colonists. It also examines the faltering treaty negotiations process in British Columbia today.

Tony Penikett is a Vancouver-based mediator, and a former British Columbia deputy minister and Yukon premier. He has been involved in aboriginal rights negotiations for over twenty years.

We hope you will join us and Tony in celebrating the launch of this important book.

For more information, contact dialogue-info@sfu.ca

This event is sponsored by Simon Fraser University's Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue and Dialogue Programs, the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation and Douglas & McIntyre.

Connecting for Change: Corporate and Social Leaders in Dialogue
September 9–10, 2006

During the Dalai Lama's 2006 visit to Vancouver there were a number of well-attended public events, attracting thousands, but there was also a much smaller, by-invitation event at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue. This leaders' dialogue brought together 120 international business leaders and social innovators for a two-day meeting which began with a series of small group conversations. On Sunday September 10, the Dalai Lama joined the conference to continue the dialogue. The event brought together two groups "that don't always see eye to eye," facilitator Charles Holmes told the Vancouver Province. Session moderators included: Peter Senge of MIT, author of The Fifth Discipline, and Peter Block, author and consultant.

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Photos by Carey Linde.

2006/2007 Dialogue Maker's Series explores Animating Democracy

The September 20 Season Launch: An exploration of art animating democracy opens the 2006/2007 Dialogue Maker's Series of workshops with music, dance, theatre and visual arts.

Artists, educators and other special guests will engage participants interactively and thereby demonstrating ways citizen engagement is made possible when dialogue and creative art practices come together.

For information or registration see www.sfu.ca/dialogue/current.htm or contact dialogue-info@sfu.ca, 604.268.7925

GeoWeb 2006

GeoWeb 2006, the premier conference for web-based geographic information systems, brought more than 250 professionals from 22 countries to the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. The July 2006 conference featured 13 half-day workshops, nearly 70 paper presentations, keynoters, and a products and services exhibition for the world of professional GIS practictioners. Microsoft, Google and oracle were among the event's spsonors.

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SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue wins Awards for using Dialogue to Enhance Meetings

The Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue was honoured with the Innovation award and the Corporate Sponsor of the Year award at the 2006 Meeting Professionals International (BC Chapter) awards dinner.

"SFU's Centre for Dialogue was recognized for their role in meeting design and initiating dialogue," comments Joanna Ashworth, Dialogue Programs Director. "These are key components in the process of enhancing meetings."

The professionally trained staff match clients' objectives with the Centre's resources to assist in coordinating a successful meeting. Facilitation and dialogue services are also available to help clients design meetings that epitomize dialogue-the spirit of focused conversation among equals.

The Centre for Dialogue opened in September 2000 as a place designed for productive meetings and dedicated to understanding effective communication.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the world's largest association of meeting professionals committed to shaping and defining the future of the meeting and event industry.

Dialogue as Praxis: Beginning without an end in mind

Friday, July 21, 2006 | 6:30–9 pm

Saturday, July 22, 2006 | 8:45 am–4:30 pm

Join Joseph Dunne of St. Patrick's College, Dublin, as he guides us through an exploration of educational dialogue as a desired end in itself—dialogue as praxis.

Sponsored by: SFU's Dialogue Programs, Continuing Studies and Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue; and UBC's Department of Educational Studies.

Information or registration: 604.268.7925, DLOG 330, $150 (plus GST) or download the PDF.

Dialogue: Green is the New Black

Building on this year's Imagine BC theme of ecology and economy, students from Simon Fraser University's Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue are convening a dialogue to explore scenarios for a sustainable, shared future at the Roundhouse Community Centre on Thursday, June 15 2006.

This event includes music, art, and dance, as well as special guest speaker Spencer Herbert (current producer of the World Urban Forum Earth Village) and Daniel Sanchez (Mitote musician). For information, visit the event's website.

Medicine, Morals and Money

Join Dr. Nancy Olivieri, and special guests Michèle Brill-Edwards, Barbara Mintzes, Arthur Schafer and Hal Weinberg, at Simon Fraser University's President's Forum—Medicine, Morals and Money, Wednesday, June 7, 2006. Dr. Olivieri's legal struggles with a drug company and with the administrations of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto have provoked an ongoing public controversy about the increasing commercialization of medical research.

For more information, please see http://www.sfu.ca/presidentsforum

Dialogue DVDs Now Available

To order your copy, contact 604.268.7925 or dialogue-info@sfu.ca.

Discover Dialogue Education at May Workshop

Dr. Jane Vella's work on dialogue education will be featured at the May 1–4, 2006 workshop, Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach. Facilitated by internationally noted dialogue educator Peter Noteboom, this workshop will introduce participants to a structured and accountable method of organizing, designing and facilitating learning events of all kinds. Click here for more information or contact 604.268.7925.

Dr. Helliwell sheds new light on "progress"

Moderated by BC Almanac's Mark Forsythe and broadcast live on CBC's BC Almanac, this second Imagine BC public dialogue on BC's Future Well-Being featured John Helliwell and Imagine BC delegates, who together with other special guests, examined BC's future well-being — socially, economically and ecologically. Click here to learn more and to view pictures from Imagine BC's March 30, 2006 public dialogue.

John F. Helliwell speaks at launch of The Vancouver Board of Trade's "Knowledge for the Boardroom—Dedicated to Corporate and Public Stewardship" speaker program

Relationships with family and friends and even joining community groups are more related to happiness and satisfaction than material wealth, according to John F. Helliwell.
And in the end, that affects productivity in the workplace and the bottom line. Helliwell, who is one of the world’s foremost researchers on people’s happiness and well-being, presented his latest research at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, based on surveys of more than 100,000 people both here in Canada and around the world. He currently works at UBC as fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and director, Social Interactions, Identity and Well-Being Program. [PDF] Download article

Dialogue Maker's Network Celebrates Third Year

Now in its third year, SFU's Dialogue Maker's Network began as a monthly space for those interested in the creative potential of dialogue to learn about individual and shared values and pre-conceived understandings. Watch the QuickTime video of some of Network participants commenting on practicing and building the core capacities of dialogue in a spirit of non-judgmental curiosity.

For more information on the Dialogue Maker's Network, contact 604.268.7925 or email dialogue-info@sfu.ca.

Drummer Opens Dialogue on Sacred Space

Shasta Martinuk, an African and Latin drummer, performs at the Shared Sacred Space dialogue, February 9, 2006, 6:30-9:30 pm. This dialogue will explore what it means, and what it takes, to create sacred space through poetry, art, music, and the contributions of special guests.

For more information or to register, please see the flyer, call 604.268.7925, or email dialogue-info@sfu.ca.

Ronald Wright: Lessons from Deep History

Ronald Wright, author, historian and 2004 Massey lecturer, is the distinguished guest at Dialogue Programs' Imagine BC 2005 Bowen Dialogue on the future of British Columbia. Watch as he comments on history and the future of British Columbia in the QuickTime video

Ronald Wright: Lessons from Deep History [MP4 | 5:10].

Collective intelligence improves corporate decision-making

A Fraser Health Authority pilot project is putting company strategy under the microscope. Businesses wanting to make better decisions and improve internal relationships need look no further than the "collective intelligence" of their own organization, says Joanna Ashworth, director of programs for Simon Fraser University's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, in this recent interview [PDF] with Business in Vancouver's Andrew Petrozzi.

Imagine BC Delegates Convene on Bowen Island

Thirteen innovators from diverse disciplines and sectors who share a commitment and connection to British Columbia spent four days in mid-November in dialogue on the future of the ecology and the economy. Their discussion is summarized in the Imagine BC Year Two consensus statement [PDF]. Imagine BC is a five-year futures dialogue convened by Simon Fraser University's Dialogue Programs.

Dialogue with Jack Blaney on the Citizens’ Assembly

On Monday, November 21, 2005 a free public forum was held at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue called Learning from the Citizens' Assembly. This forum presented participants with a unique opportunity to examine the lessons and implications of the Citizens' Assembly for Electoral Reform and the applicability of this process to future public initiatives. Simon Fraser University president emeritus Jack Blaney is the former chair of the assembly and one of the founders of SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

Ending Global Poverty: Are we meeting the UN Millennium Goals?

If we can meet those goals, says Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia University's Earth Institute, tens of millions of lives can be saved. "Solutions exist, all that is needed is action," he said at the Oct. 7 President's Forum. Sachs and other participants examined the progress toward the UN Millennium Goals and the leadership required to end poverty in Africa and Asia.

Video, audio and photos of the event can be found at www.sfu.ca/presidentsforum

International Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect

Roméo Dallaire led the United Nations peacekeeping mission to Rwanda. During the recent inaugural President's Forum, Dallaire and respondents Clement Abas Apaak, president of the Simon Fraser Student Society, Senator Mobina Jaffer, special envoy for peace in Sudan, and SFU political scientist Douglas Ross examined when the duty to protect and intervene in nations involved in civic conflict does or does not apply.

A video of the event is available at: www.sfu.ca/presidentsforum

Photo from Dallaire Event

General Roméo Dallaire and SFU students celebrated the official launch of the SFU student-led campaign to raise a dollar from each Canadian university student to bring aid to the devastated Darfur region of Africa. SFSS president Clement Apaak (left of Dallaire) is founder and leader of the campaign. For more information on how you can help, visit www.csfdarfur.net.

DIALOGUE SHOWCASE LAUNCHES FALL 2005

On Wednesday, September 28, a dialogue was held to explore methodologies such as

World Café
ORID focused conversations
charrettes
organizational learning conversations and
spiral dynamics

“It's a great opportunity to connect with fellow dialogue-makers,” says Joanna Ashworth, director of Dialogue Programs. “I invite you to discover the variety of contexts in which dialogue principles can be applied.”

For more information, call 604.268.7925. Click here to download the fall brochure.

Fall Dialogue Maker's Series Launched

It is no longer good enough to tell people what to do or to think. We need to engage others in genuine dialogue. If you are a leader in human resource management, organizational learning, corporate communications, planning, facilitation or simply committed to creating environments in which people 'think together' productively, call 604-268-7925 for information on our new series of programs.

Vancouver Turns to Dialogue Program

The inaugural meeting of the Western Canadian Summit on Methamphetamine held at the Wosk centre produced a report that provides "a framework" for informing drug policy, says Dr. Ashworth, chair of the summit's consensus panel. "This document not only more clearly defines crystal meth's impact, but highlights areas of promise in terms of prevention, treatment, research and health promotion."

Read the report >>

Mary Robinson Receives Blaney Award for Dialogue

Mary Robinson, recipient of the 2005 Blaney award for dialogue, participated in a public dialogue at the Wosk centre on the right to health care. As a "thank you" SFU president Michael Stevenson presented Dr. Robinson with "Communication," a print by internationally-known Haida/Metis artist Don Yoemans. President emeritus Jack Blaney facilitiated the well-attended dialogue session.

Click here to read the full news story [PDF]

To view videos of the award presentation and luncheon address, visit www.sfu.ca/blaneyaward

Imagine BC: Bringing imagination and dialogue to the complex challenges facing British Columbia

Broadcast live from the Centre for Dialogue, CBC Radio's BC Almanac host Mark Forsythe will moderate a discussion among participants and distinguished guests as part of the Imagine BC Dialogues—a dialogue initiative of Simon Fraser University's Dialogue Programs to explore British Columbia's current reality and possible futures.

On Friday, February 4, 2005 tune in to CBC Radio 690 AM and listen to BC Almanac live from 12:00–2:00 pm. As a lead-in to the dialogue, daily interviews starting from Monday, January 31, 2005 with Max Wyman, SFU's Dean of Arts Dr. John Pierce, UBC's Dr. Thomas Hutton and Chief Sophie Pierre will be broadcast on CBC Radio's BC Almanac starting at 12:30 pm. Also, listen for highlights from the dialogue on Monday, February 7, 2005 from 1:00–2:00 pm.

If you care about BC's future, you will find this an interesting approach to deliberative democracy. Tune in.

Imagine BC is a series of dialogues that seeks to create a forum for diverse perspectives about the future of the province. Click here to learn more about this innovative series.

The final meeting of BC's Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform heard from Assembly chair Jack Blaney, (at podium), BC premier Gordon Campbell (left) and attorney-general Geoff Plant. The 160-member body, which met at the Wosk Centre, has recommended changing the way the British Columbian's elect their legislative representatives.

Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul participated in a dialogue on the Good City on September 22, 2004. More photos are available.

SFU's Dialogue Programs are collaborating with the City of Vancouver's drug policy program and the Four Pillars Coalition advisory committee to set into motion a series of small-scale, community public dialogues on preventing problematic drug use. To learn more about the series, visit their website

Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi was at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue on April 21 to give the final lecture in the annual Nobel and Other Prizes lecture series sponsored by SFU's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Faculty of Science. The free tickets to this event were distributed by lottery. The video tape of the lecture will be archived after April 22.

Above, Old friends, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and the Dalai Lama, confer.

Educating the Heart;
Educating the Mind
This Roundtable Dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, fellow Nobel laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Professor Shirin Ebadi, as well Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, former President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel, and Dr. Jo-ann Archibald of Canada’s First Nations (and an SFU master’s and doctoral grad in education), was moved to the Chan Centre at UBC to allow for greater public participation. The event was web cast. Winners in the student essay competitions were invited to view the Roundtable discussion via a simulcast to the Wosk Centre. For further information on the Dalai Lama's visit to Vancouver: http://www.dalailamavancouver.org/

British Columbia's history-making Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform is holding its working sessions at SFU's Wosk Centre. Above, the Assembly's 160 members hear Dr. Ken Carty, assembly research director, introduce various electoral systems.

Paul Martin visits Wosk Centre for Dialogue

A Western Economic Diversification environmental technology forum, Dec. 5, at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue was attended by Canada's prime minister-designate, Paul Martin (right). He was welcomed to the Wosk Centre by senior fellow and SFU president emeritus Jack Blaney (left) and Stephen Owen, MP for Vancouver Quadra and the minister responsible for Western economic diversification.

Both Martin and Owen took an active part in the forum's dialogue session facilitated by Charles Holmes, SFU Learning Strategies Group.

The Challenges of Public Deliberation...

One hundred and twenty planners, community activists, government officials and students convened at the Wosk Centre on November 27 for a forum, led by John Forester, on public deliberation in an adversarial world. Dr. Forester discussed the many challenges in public deliberation including the integration of participation and negotiation. Welcoming Dr. Forester (left) were forum participant Norma Jean McLaren and Joanna Ashworth, North Growth Management director of dialogue programs at Simon Fraser. A Cornell University professor, Forester is author of The Deliberative Practitioner.

Visioning a Future for Prevention: A local perspective

The City of Vancouver's Four Pillars Coalition attracted a full house to a public symposium on the prevention of substance abuse, November 20 -21 at the Wosk Centre.

Hosted by Mayor Larry Campbell and moderated by CBC Radio's Kathryn Gretsinger, the event offered expert presentations and panel discussions on drug and alcohol addiction prevention. Participants offered a wide range of local perspectives on the complicated issue and explored what a comprehensive, integrated and evidence-based prevention strategy for the city might look like. For further details see www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/fourpillars/.

The results of the numerous community dialogues held after this event are documented in the collection of articles and fact sheets from Mayor Larry Campbell, available on our publications page.

Sacha Trudeau: Embedded in Baghdad

An appreciative audience gathered in the Asia Pacific Hall on October 16 for a showing of Alexandre Trudeau's new documentary film, Embedded in Baghdad. On hand to greet the filmmaker (centre, left) were university president Michael Stevenson (left), SFU chancellor Milton Wong and Mark Winston, director of the semester in dialogue program,Dialogue students assisted with program management and led the dialogue session that followed the screening.

Alexandre (Sacha) Trudeau showed his new film, Embedded in Baghdad at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue October 16, 2003, from 5:30-7:30 pm. Discussion followed the presentation.