The beginning of a Conversare event

OK what happens in a Conversare event? People engage well with each other in diverse ways to have rich, enjoyable and memorable encounters.

Here is more on what has been evolving at the particular venue where these events have been held to date. This is Café Zambra, a most delightful café in Wan Chai in Hong Kong. More on this place later.

This post deals with the beginning of an event.

The starting point is meeting informally as a group as people arrive. Each person is invited to fill out a name tag, usually just their first name – or whatever they wish to be called – and then mingle among those already present.

Some of these may have met previously while for those coming for the first time they may find themselves among total strangers. No matter as they are quickly welcomed by the facilitator and by others. Nobody is left to feel awkward.

Participants mingling upon arrival at the entrance to the venue

Once the bulk of the invitees is present the lightly structured format begins. Everyone enters the space where the gathering is to take place. This contains an arrangement of small tables for two people to face each other.

I would add that this particular arrangement works well, for not the least reason is that participants in pairs are going to have a meal together.

Also as sitting with one other person enables participants to have an in depth conversation.

There are two key elements to the beginning of a Conversare gathering:

1. The facilitator/host welcomes everyone and draws their attention to a display of guiding principles, drawn from two group conversational processes, Open Space Technology (OST) and the World Café (TWC).
Plus a corollary of both of these which is that ‘Whenever we treat each other well good things happen.’ These principles are posted on a wall or board.

2. The facilitator invites participants to seek out a person they have not previously met or do not know well to be their dinner partner. Having done this each pair finds a table and the con versare – turning and dancing together commences.

Touching briefly for now on the ‘why’ of having Conversare gatherings. The essence of this question is expressed very nicely by a participant at the most recent one held on Friday 22 January 2010:

” I am an urbanite, I love to meet people, am a workaholic, an independent professional living far-far away from my family and country of birth. I crave the closeness of community living and sharing that was so part of my formative growing years, when you didn’t need invitations to visit people and you could ring your neighbors’ doorbell to borrow sugar, tea or pickle for your guests. I believe deep down we all crave effortless connections but somehow our lifestyles don’t allow us that intimacy any longer. Hesitation sets in. But at Conversare, walls crumble, and bonds are created. I could ring any of the participants’ door bell to borrow sugar or tea.”
Mani Goel

”The true path to innovation and invention is not forward but
through the past.” *
Garrison Keillor
* with introducing modern developments in facilitation practices.

Alan Stewart
Hong Kong