The Europe Africa Circle has been created!

The English-speaking Western Circle (EWC) coordinator, Kirsten Kirstensen,
has been meeting with the Grassroots Committee to form an English-speaking
Western Circle. That committee decided to split into two Committees – one to
form a Europe Africa Circle and one to form an Americas Circle. The
Committee to form the Americas Circle will meet in teleconference on May 7.
The Grassroots Committee to form the Europe Africa Circle met on April 21
and here below are the minutes of that meeting.

-Jerry Koch-Gonzalez

Grassroots Committee to form the Europe Africa Circle

Minutes of April 21 2008 Teleconference

Present: Kirsten Kristensen, Martin van der Meulen, Bjarte Bjørsvik.

Observers: Susan Livingston, Jerry Koch-Gonzalez

[Note: I regret that in the chaos of the beginning of this call I was not
able to figure out how to record the call. JKG]

1.      Administrative Decisions:

1.1.    Consent to Kirsten Kristensen being the facilitator for today.

1.2.    Consent Jerry Koch-Gonzalez being the notetaker for today.  

1.3.   Date of Next meeting Monday May 19th at 2100 Central European Time
(7PM UT)

1.4.    Consent to the agenda for today

1.5.   Agreed to have observers participate up to and not including decision
making.

CONTENT OF THE MEETING

2.       Kirsten’s role as EWC/EAC coordinator and update from GCC.

GCC is struggling with some people leaving. Andreas and Kirsten want  to
leave and Dominic has not been present lately. Jim and Jori have not been
present for the last month as Jim’s mother was sick and died. GCC needing
people. Kirsten wants to bring split of EWC into Europe Africa and Americas
Circles to GCC. Not sure it can happen at next week’s GCC meeting. Kirsten
is at limit of what she can do and not happy with the level of care she
would like to have in the work that she contributes.

3.       Decision: Mission and Aims were approved as follows [term: 1 year,
or sooner if need be]:

Mission:

To support the growth of the NVC community in Europe and Africa by creating
and sustaining an English language organization and a Circle with upward
links to the Global Community Circle/CNVC and downward links to local NVC
groups in Europe and Africa.  

Aims:

1.         Provide a means of information exchange among NVC groups and with
CNVC leadership

2.         Support cooperation and collaboration among those contributing to
the spread of NVC

3.         Increase participation in, and quality, number and variety of
opportunities to learn NVC

4.         Provide ways for all those interested to contribute time, skills
and money to the growth of the NVC community

5.         Improve access for all to information about NVC and opportunities
to learn NVC

6.         Create and sustain a structure for decision making that models
partnership

Note: in a future meeting we would like to define our measures for these
aims. For aim #1, for example a measurable might be the creation of a
website and the existence of regular teleconferences.

4.      Decision: The Europe Africa Circle will for the time being be
composed of these Circles:

*       English speaking Africa Circle
*       English speaking Eastern Europe Circle
*       English speaking western continental Europe Circle
*       United Kingdom and Ireland Circle
*       Nordic Baltic Circle

Next steps: How do we carry out the proposal we have agreed to?

*       Kirsten will contact Ian Peaty re coordinator and representative of
Eastern Europe Circle.
*       Susan will contact Matthew Rich re coordinator and representative of
Africa Circle.
*       Martin will contact Leo Sofer re coordinator and representative of
UK and Ireland Circle.
*       Western Europe: Jan and Martin will discuss; perhaps one will be
designated leader and the other representative. (Western Europe Circle is
only Dutch-speaking area at this time)
*       Nordic Baltic Circle: Has already elected Marianne as leader and
Bjarte as representative. Bjarte will contact Marianne about coming to the
May 19 Europe Africa Circle meeting.
*       At the next meeting we will hold elections to appoint/confirm
coordinators and representatives as we/they may be ready.

5.      Decision: Criteria for Choosing Coordinator

1.      Passion and experience for organising and building organisation
2.      Experience and skills in setting up and leading meetings
3.      Passion and skill for connecting with people
4.      Extensive experience in NVC and preferably also in sociocracy

6.      Europe Africa coordinator suggestions for whom to appoint

·           Jerry: Don’t know enough to say but like that Jan from
Netherlands has connection to Africa

·           Susan:  Anne from French Circle. Success experience there!

·           Martin: Eva Rambala

·           Bjarte: Marianne. I like her energy, would bring some joy and
easiness; Ian – I like way he expresses and his connection to Africa;
Martin, like tone  and expression and placement in middle of Europe

Reminder: We assume that those not on the call give their consent to these
decisions - if not they will tell us. A Circle may choose (by consent) to
reopen any past decision at any time.

7.       CLOSING ROUND

*       Susan: really excited about progress that has been made; my purpose
in coming to this meeting has been fulfilled.
*       Jerry: relieved and happy for clarity; may the clarity spread to the
Americas!
*       Bjarte: liked  knowing more who we are; liked energy from US and
from Annewiek in GCC.
*       Martin: I am feeling really satisfied, almost happy. Liked that with
smaller amount of people it was easier to have a sense of connection.
Somehow because Europe and Africa is closer to my heart the meeting met my
need for meaning. Happy satisfied and grateful for everyone’s support.
Energized!
*       Kirsten: Feeling pleased happy and satisfied and more energy! Sense
of coming into a dance and finding our way together.  I so much like that we
were all in it. All giving a lead. I treasure this so much that we are doing
it together, we enrich each other, not stuck in differences . So so curious
who will be there next time. Big step forward.

The Grassroots Committee to form the Europe Africa Circle has completed its
task. The next meeting on May 19th will affirm the beginning of the newly
created Europe Africa Circle!

C e l e b r a t i o n   –   C e l e b r a t i o n   -   C e l e b r a t i o
n   –   C e l e b r a t i o n   –   C e l e b r a t i o n   -   C e l e b r
a t i o n