International Conference Reflections

Reflections from attending some recent international conferences / meetings

• The need for reciprocity is becoming ever more important for cross-border, cross-cultural partnerships what can be learned from each other?
• Attitude and cultural sensitivity (even simple gestures) can make a very important difference to building trust and having a successful cooperative project.
• A core group of visionaries who are willing to take risks is extremely important to any new and creative initiative. When there has been a history of non-cooperation or competition in a field or activity area, it is especially important that there be a group of visionaries who are willing to go beyond the past and re-establish trust. This can be a long process.
• In many fields and issue areas there can be a challenge in obtaining credible information country to country if no central database exists. It is important to take the time to do this research and verify that the information is credible.
• In the U.S. there is a concept of a pilot project, at the global level the concept of scaling up starting with a small project and then expanding it to a progressively larger audience, sometimes at a more complex level. This can be a very successful approach. (see http://info.worldbank.org/etools/reducingpoverty/outcomes_l.html for an interesting discussion of some lessons from Scaling Up initiatives).
• Stories are a very powerful way of exchanging information and developing a rapport, especially within societies that have an oral tradition, or a multinational grouping.