A meeting to learn and practice together
The days September 5, 6 and 7, Barichara became a meeting point for a profound journey towards the participative leadership. We met 32 apprentices, 17 of them residents of Barichara who are actively involved in various ongoing processes, as well as people belonging to the National Movement of Territorial Foundations, and others who work in the social or environmental fields in different parts of the country.
The central question: How can we open spaces for conversation where diverse voices can be heard and become a collective force to transform territories?
For three days, guided by the experience of five amazing hosts (José, Karen, Juan, Alejandra and Keisha), we delve into the practices of Art of Hosting or art of participatory leadership, This methodology, which has been cultivated in communities around the world for over 25 years, offers concrete tools to transform difficult conversations from obstacles into opportunities. It reminds us that leadership resides not in isolated individuals, but in communities capable of harnessing their collective wisdom.
The meeting was organized by members of the Art of Hosting community of practice, with allies such as TerritoriA, which supported participants belonging to the Movement with scholarships Territorial Foundations in Colombia, and the Barichara Regenerative Foundation, which made the participation of the local community possible by awarding scholarships to 11 people from the territory.
Practices that connect us
Together we explored methodologies such as the Circle, the World Café, the Game of Life, the Fishbowl, the Open Space, the Knowledge Café, and Design for Wise Action. Each activity showed us a different way to dialogue, listen to each other, and act, inviting us to recognize that participation is not merely decorative, but the very heart of change processes.
Beyond theory, what we experienced was a human and communal experience: We learned, we practiced, we connected with other territories, we forged friendships And above all, we are left with the desire to continue deepening this community of practice that, with this meeting, begins to germinate in our region.
Territories in transition: a collective path
The purpose of this gathering was to create a space for reflecting on and experiencing leadership within the context of territories in transition. We understood that a territory in transition is much more than a physical place: it is a living space—geographic, social, and cultural—that recognizes that current development patterns no longer meet the needs of life and that, therefore, it must open itself to new ways of inhabiting, producing, and living together. This is especially relevant in these uncertain times, where climate collapse, inequality, and social fragmentation compel us to ask ourselves how to sustain life in all its forms and how we can move toward collective well-being by cultivating possible futures from the local level.
Old governance models are no longer sufficient, and we need to make way for practices of participatory democracy, energy autonomy, food sovereignty, circular and collaborative economies, and participatory leadership that arises from the social fabric.
From now on, those of us who participated in this meeting not only gained knowledge and methods to put into practice, but also the certainty that We are not alone on this path. We are part of a vibrant community that extends beyond Barichara and believes in the power of conversation to shape the future. Because Participative leadership is nothing other than caring for life and sustaining concrete hope in the midst of uncertainty..
Thank you to all the people and organizations that made this meeting possible and who teach us to trust and flow in participatory processes!
