National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation October 2, 2008

NCDD's high-energy, highly participatory conferences bring together practitioners, scholars, public leaders, trainers, artists, activists, teachers, and students from all of the various streams of practice that exist in this critically important field. Join us in Austin, Texas for our fourth National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation, which will take place October 3rd through 5th, 2008 (with pre-conference trainings on the 2nd)!

Why Attend NCDD's biennial national conferences?

Although the approaches, philosophies, venues, and even our purposes for doing this work can be very different, we all share a common vision: a future in which all people--regardless of income, position, background or education--are able to engage regularly in lively, thoughtful, and challenging discussions about what matters to them, in ways that have a positive impact on their lives and their world.

Making this vision a reality is no easy feat. To truly make the impact we believe we can and should have on the world, we must work together rather than just working simultaneously, and we must build on each other's knowledge and expertise rather than starting from scratch in our own silos.

NCDD's biennial conferences provide people who are committed to helping dialogue and deliberation flourish in the world with the opportunity to increase their skills and knowledge in these processes, share their own learnings and innovations with others, and develop supportive, collaborative relationships with their peers. Perhaps most importantly, NCDD conferences leave participants feeling more motivated, energized, supported and prepared to do this vital work.
What is an NCDD Conference Actually Like?

NCDD gatherings are not your run-of-the-mill conferences. Instead of parading endless speakers in front of you in the hope that you will absorb some of their knowledge, we acknowledge and tap into every participant's expertise and unique perspectives, and ask you to play an active role in shaping the future of this burgeoning field.

NCDD conferences are highly participatory. We use the plenary sessions (where we're all in one large room) as an opportunity to not only showcase innovative large-group dialogue and deliberation techniques - often blending methods to better meet the group's needs, but also to utilize the wisdom in the room to tackle challenges facing this emerging field. Our concurrent workshops, led by key leaders and innovators in the field, offer participants a smorgasbord of experiences designed to build skills, increase knowledge, broaden awareness and build relationships. And the arts always play an innovative, prominent role in our conferences.

While none of our conferences have been perfect - and we don't expect our next one to be either, our attendees value our willingness to experiment with new things, to involve everyone willing to volunteer some of their time in the planning process, and to respond to conference participants' needs as they arise.

NCDD conferences a chock-full of opportunities to network with your colleagues, experience different group methods first-hand, share learnings, hear from leaders in the field, and explore key issues facing our field. Some people have told us that they've never attended better conferences.

Official Website: http://www.thataway.org/events/2008.php