May 2007 Event
BIONS is co-sponsoring this David Korten in Bellingham event as our May event.
FACING THE FUTURE TOGETHER!
“We stand at a critical time in Earth’s history; a time when humanity must choose its future.”
DAVID KORTEN, author of The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community, and When Corporations Rule the World, is coming to town!
There is a sense of urgency now—with global warming, peak oil, the rising cost of gasoline, shrinking of the middle class, political upheaval, pollution, the unstable economy, the war and on and on. Our community needs to work more closely together as our future concerns are becoming present ones.
Thus we at Sustainable Bellingham, along with other organizations, are hosting David Korten to come talk with us on May 15th. His inspiring talk provides hope for us all during these unpredictable times.
For more information about David Korten’s books and community organization work go to www.sustainablebellingham.org, www.thegreatturning.net, and see the other attachment.
David Korten Presentation and Community Discussion
Tuesday, May 15, 7-9PM
First Congregational Church
2401 Cornwall St, Bellingham
First Congregational Church
2401 Cornwall St, Bellingham
$5 Donation Tickets can be purchased at the Food Co-op,Whatcom Community College, Village Books or at the door
We Hope You Will Join Us & Bring Your Friends!
Sponsored by Sustainable Bellingham
Co-Sponsors: Community to Community Development, Fourth Corner Exchange, Whatcom Community College, Bellingham Institute of Noetic Sciences, Wise Awakening, Village Books Literature Live, Fairhaven College, Community Food Co-op,Ad Hoc Peak Oil Group, First Congregational Church
The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community
A multi-media presentation and discussion with author David C. Korten
“We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose it’s future…We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.” – The Earth Charter
Empire or Earth Community? That is the choice before us. At this defining moment we face both the opportunity and the imperative to choose our future as a conscious collective act. We can no longer deny the need nor delay our response. A mounting perfect economic storm is fast approaching. A convergence of climate change, peak oil, and the financial instability inherent in an unbalanced global trading system will bring an unraveling of the corporate-led global economy and a dramatic restructuring of every aspect of modern life.
We can, however, turn a potentially terminal crisis into an epic opportunity to bring forth a new era of Earth Community grounded in the life-affirming cultural values shared by most all the world’s people and eloquently articulated in the Earth Charter.
The Great Turning is an essential resource which cuts through the complexity of our time to illuminate a simple, but elegant truth. We humans live by stories. We are held captive to the ways of Empire by a cultural trance of our own creation maintained by stories that deny the higher possibilities of our human nature—including our capacities for compassion, cooperation, responsible self-direction, and self-organizing partnership.
Changing our future begins with changing our stories. A work already underway, it ultimately calls out for the participation of every person on the planet. The Great Turning points the way to the inspiring outcome within our reach.
David C. Korten is founder and President of the People Centered Development Forum, and is co-founder and chair of the Positive Futures Network, publisher of “YES! A Journal of Positive Futures.”
Book praise:
"Employing history, psychology, economics, spirituality, and common sense, Korten not only critiques the dilemma we are in as a species, he also shows us doable and workable ways out of our morass. He has created a tour de force -- a call to compassion as much as a blueprint for survival.”
- Matthew Fox, theologian and author of Original Blessing
"If you read only one book on how to address the looming ecological and social crises facing humanity, make it this one! ...he outlines a positive and realistic plan for actually creating a just and sustainable global society." - David Cobb, 2004 Green Party United States Presidential Candidate
"...a masterpiece of big thinking to help us find our way in this death-or-life historical moment..."
- Frances Moore Lappe', author of Hope's Edge and Democracy's Edge
"a masterpiece! Fascinating, compelling, wonderfully readable, and broad reaching in its arc of history and significance." —Thom Hartmann, author of The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight
More info can be found at www.sustainablebellingham.org, including links.
