This Dialogue was based near the geographic centre of western Europe, in the heart of the Odenwald (Forest of Oden) in Germany, where the Nibelungenlied and the tales of Siegfried the Dragonslayer (allegedly) came to a fateful end. The venue provided a taste of diversity and feeling of balance by its very nature - the lodgings were in a charming and cozy 300 year-old tudor and stone building, while the seminar facilities offered modern amenities, clean and simple lines and much natural wood and light. 

The eighth Dialogue also served as a mirror to its participants, bringing them face-to-face with their own biases, preferences and expectations in the form of diversity within the group. The learnings from this experience touched each of us in a different way, but served as an eye-opener to our own humanity and fallibility.   

The 8th GCD officially began at  6pm on Wednesday, May 11th 2011  and lasted until  Sunday, May 15th 2011 at 2pm . Participants came from all over the world, ranging as far as Seoul, Korea on one of the spectrum and Manhattan Beach, California, USA, on the other. While in Germany, they all shared in the enjoyment of local victuals and libations, including visits to a brewery pub and a private tour of the oldest wine cellars inEurope - the Burg Hornberg - and the castle that sits atop them. Both were hosted and guided by Count Michael of Savary, the castle’s and vineyard’s current owner, with family ties to the original lords of the land. This exciting tour into the region’s history was followed by a tasting of the local wines at The Old Mill on the banks of the Neckar river.

We also had the pleasure of celebrating a birthday or two during the GCD, which added to the festive and convivial atmosphere during the dialogue. 

TOPICS AND THEMES
Learnings from the Tsunami in Japan
Benefits and Challenges of Partnering
Completely Fresh Perspectives in the Intercultural Field
Tools for Intercultural Work (GDS)
Raising Challenging Teens
Life Balance & Why I Do What I Do
Role of Spirit and Ritual in our Work
Exploring the Concept of Tolerance & Implicit Bias