Bengaluru Speaks - Namma Bengaluru? Civic Spaces to Engage, Enhance & Enjoy June 27, 2009

Bengaluru Speaks: Namma Bengaluru? Civic Spaces to Engage, Enhance, Enjoy. Meta-Culture announces the 11th Session Continuing with its successful, public service community Dialogue series, Meta-Culture, a Bangalore-based Conflict Resolution organisation, will host the eleventh Bengaluru Speaks, which is part of Meta-Culture's effort to create a 'culture of dialogue' where citizens find innovative and non-adversarial ways to engage with difficult issues. Since its launch in July 2008, Bengaluru Speaks has attracted a diverse array of Bangaloreans with multiple backgrounds, experiences and opinions. The monthly sessions are facilitated by Meta-Culture's trained Conflict Resolution professionals. Participants deepen their understanding of views and ideas that are different from their own. Last month's Dialogue was "Dare to be an agent of Change? Your Wish List for the New Government." It allowed participants to share their thoughts about the role of the government in bringing about real change in the society. Participants brain-stormed concrete ideas as to how they themselves could contribute positively to changing society. Through insightful discussions, groups of participants were invited to understand people who have different backgrounds and perspectives on the issue. Most participants got new insights from the exercise and learnt about ways they could bridge the gap between what the government is doing and what they want at the local level. This month, Meta-Culture Dialogics (MCD) will encourage participants to explore the following topic: 'Namma Bengaluru? Civic Spaces to Engage, Enhance, Enjoy'. We would like to provide a platform for citizens of Bengaluru to share their thoughts on how they can connect in deeper ways with Bengaluru, and share ideas about how they can improve and benefit from the city. The dialogue will help participants vocalise their hopes and aspirations for our Bengaluru. Participants will share their thoughts on pertinent questions that will be posed to them, as well as have the opportunity to converse with fellow citizens of Bangalore about relevant issues, in a respectful and safe space. Based in Bangalore, Meta-Culture was created in May 2005, in response to the increasing number of conflicts arising out of rapid economic, social and cultural changes in India. Meta-Culture works to build peaceable and sustainable communities by changing the way in which individuals and groups in conflict talk with each other. MCD's intervention strategies and education programmes are based on proven methodologies in the field of Conflict Resolution. Its team of trained professionals provides training, mediation, facilitation and consulting services to individuals, organisations, communities and special interest groups.

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