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http://www.constellationsofhope.com:80/

November 7-10, 2008
IONS Retreat Center ~ Petaluma, California

"If ever the world sees a time when women shall come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a power such as the world has never known." - Matthew Arnold, British poet and philosopher (1822-1888)

More than 120 years have passed since Matthew Arnold articulated this vision of the potential healing power of the world's women. How are we women doing at stepping forward individually with our wisdom and experience to create change? How are women doing at 'coming together' to use our collective power for the benefit of humankind?

There is a growing sense of urgency that NOW is the time to manifest powerful affirmative answers to these questions. We have been called to answer these questions because humanity needs a new paradigm for solving the world's problems. We have been called to create structures of peace and sustainability so that the generations living now can hand a gift of hope to the generations to come.

There are thousands of organizations large and small working on behalf of women and women's issues around the world today. Each one represents a source of valuable insights, experience and wisdom; each one could benefit from a thoughtful exchange of resources, information and ideas with the others. Millions of women in countries around the globe would benefit from the resulting synergy... and the world would be moved closer to a model of healthy balanced leadership that incorporates feminine principles.

The co-creators of this event have come together around the following shared intentions and assumptions:

• We have witnessed a spirit-filled activism that is calling women to a new way of thinking and being.
• We have witnessed a growing desire among organizations to collaborate, recognizing that they are ready to effectively create something together that they cannot do alone.
• We have witnessed that inspiration for tangible new projects and initiatives emerges organically when women come together to dialogue around a shared intention.

We are inviting women who represent organizations with a major focus upon empowerment and leadership of women on a national or international scale. Organizations should be based in Canada, the United States or Mexico. We will come together in circle dialogue to explore what we might be able to create together that we cannot create alone.

November 7-10, 2008 IONS Retreat Center ~ Petaluma, California

Opening Dinner ~ 6 pm Friday, November 7 Departures begin ~ 11 am Monday, November 10

The IONS Retreat Center is a beautiful collection of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces located on the IONS campus in Petaluma, California.

 Just 30 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Retreat Center is on 200 acres of rolling hills and offers meeting space, healthy dining and comfortable lodging in a peaceful natural environment.

The Center can be easily accessed from both San Francisco and Oakland airports.

• Be sure to register early since space is limited to 65 women. 
• Registration will close September 30, 2008.
• No cancellation refunds after October 27. Refunds requested prior to October 27 will incur a cancellation fee of $20.
• This gathering has been created as a cohesive group process. No single day registration is available.
• The registration price to attend this event has been carefully calculated to cover our expenses for the venue, meals and lodging.
• There will be no profit for any individual or organization.

Day Use Only (no overnight lodging at IONS): $205 DAY USE FEE : $15/ DAY x 4 = $60 MEALS:  $128 total for all 8 meals MEETING SPACE: $ 10 per person ADMINISTRATIVE FEES:  $7

Double Occupancy: $340 LODGING: $65/ night X 3 = $195 (Twin beds/ roommate) MEALS: $128 total for all 8 meals MEETING SPACE: $10 per person ADMINISTRATIVE FEES: $7 (You may request a specific roommate.)

Single Occupancy: $415 LODGING: $90/ NIGHT x 3 NIGHTS = $270 MEALS: $128 total for all 8 meals MEETING SPACE: $10 per person ADMINISTRATIVE FEES: $7

Thanks to a generous grant from the Kalliopeia Foundation, scholarships are available based on need for women leaders representing indigenous and cross-cultural communities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Scholarship details and criteria will be published in the blog after July 28. To inquire about scholarship applications after that date, contact Kathe Schaaf at katheschaaf@cox.net or by calling 949-300-7060

SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA AND APPLICATION PROCESS

A limited number of Scholarships are available for Constellations of Hope at two levels.

$400  ~ which will cover the complete cost of event registration, meals and lodging (double occupancy) for the entire event as well as ground transportation from San Francisco or Oakland airport.

$800 ~ which will cover the complete cost of event registration, meals and lodging (double occupancy) for the entire event as well as $400 for airline travel and ground transportation from the San Francisco or Oakland airport.

Deadline for Scholarship Application: September 8, 2008
Notification of award will be sent by: September 19, 2008

Scholarship Selection Criteria

Scholarships have been created to assure representation and participation of individuals and organizations which are often under-represented: women of color, indigenous populations, cross-cultural communities and women living in poverty.

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of four to assure a balance of geographic regions, intergenerational representation, organizational focus and ethnic/cultural diversity,

To apply:

Submit the following information by e-mail to katheschaaf@cox.net :

• Name and address
• Age and ethnicity/cultural background
• Name of organization and a brief description of its work in the world
• Identify your role within the organization
• Why do you feel called to join this collaborative conversation? (very briefly)

This event has been planned by a core group of women representing several diverse women’s organizations.  The idea emerged at a gathering in Boston in December 2007 and has evolved through a series of conference calls and exploratory meetings over the past six months.   Women from more than 15 organizations have been involved in the planning process to date.

Visit our blog to see detailed and updated information about logistics, intentions, goals, scholarships and agenda. You may also add your personal reflections.

Regina Birchem (Past International President of WILPF)	regbirchem@earthlink.net
Dorothy Ettling (Women’s Global Connection)	dorothy.ettling@sbcglobal.net
Kathy Sanchez (Tewa Women United)	tewawu@msn.com
Kathe Schaaf (Co-Founder of Gather the Women)	katheschaaf@cox.net

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