Reunion video and reflection on the 2014 CSP Alumni Weekend: Taking the train from Montreux to Mountain House in Caux, Switzerland for the 2014 Caux Scholars Program (CSP) alumni weekend brought back a lot of nostalgic feelings. Its been 10years since I had been back at Mountain house, as a participant at the Caux Scholars Program (CSP) program in 2004. The ride back up the mountain brought back fond memories of the six weeks I spent learning about conflict transformation; transformative and collaborative peace-building; and the fantastic life-long connections and friendships that shaped the future trajectory of my life. It felt great to be back and it felt like coming home! In those 10 years since I had been back, Mountain house had undergone some changes; (with a sparkling new kitchen); but had also retained many of its aesthetic beauty. More important for me was the feeling of familiarity and healing it brought as I took long walks around the parameters of the house, taking in the view of Lake Geneva as I went along. I was able to exhale just looking out my bedroom window at the snow covered mountains. In that 10 year period, I had also undergone a lot of life changes (both of the professional and personal types), and had grown into my own. What had not changed for me in those 10years were the usual stressors that came with combating every day transformations in my life, at my work and in my country. Therefore, being back at Caux brought back for me the ideals of peaceful co-existence; interconnectedness and shared dependency in tackling big and small problems. How I loved waking up to watch the sun rise through my windows over the mountains or see the mist fall over mountain house when the weather changed and it got cooler. I enjoyed meeting the new CSP fellows from different countries and smiled at the innocence, energy and insights they brought to different global issues. What was more gratifying was how much more prepared these young CSP fellows were to apply their learning and experience in their local communities at home and in their places of study or work. I was happy to see the world through the eyes of these young CSP fellows; to see their camaraderie and fellowship with each other and the wider IOC community. It was great to be on the alumni panel and see the range of work that alumnae of the CSP program have undertaken in their respective countries and how much the program has helped with personal and professional goals and undertakings aimed at creating a more harmonious global existence. I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting CSP fellows from other years who came back to be a part of the Alumni weekend, and have also began to explore the possibilities of some inter-state and regional as well as cross-sector collaboration on variety of projects. Stay tuned on this one! The speakers series with Sam Doe and his work with the UNDP was awesome. Having Barry Hart and Carl Stauffer walk us through identifying our stressors and understanding what we can do to diffuse them was healing. Listening to Jitka and Kathy take us through a brainstorming session with current and former students on the best sustainability model to move the CSP program going forward was stimulating. Then the exercises and games on the quadrangle was both fun and funny. I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with old friends whom I had not seen in the 10yrs since I was back, particularly Marianne and Christoph Spreng. The friendship; the laughter; the peace; the understanding and the empathy ... these were the attributes and values that I had missed in the many years since my time at Caux. I loved every bit of my 2014 experience. The entire reunion weekend reinforced for me the essence of the CSP program and how it is building a network of individuals totally committed to a better, just, and more peaceful global community. I left Mountain house with strong convictions that the moral force for good that a collection of well meaning individuals can create. Leaving Mountain House brought for me a sense of peace and commitment to do more and to help the CSP program be more sustainable. As a result, I have undertaken to make a yearly return to Caux. Peace-building, I realize, is a continuous process; creating a just and peaceful society is a journey and not necessarily a destination. My life was richer for those six days spent at Caux, and I am already looking forward to next year when I can come and share, and learn and grow and contribute in any way to initiate changes in my community, my country and my world. See you all then! Ify Malo CSP 2004, from Nigeria If you missed the reunion and want to experience a little bit of it, please watch this video created by Abdujalil Abdurasulov (AJ), CSP 2003 from Kyrgyzstan.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 20:12:47 +0000
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