Moderates in the Middle East are standing for peace with the OneVoice Movement. Watch the video.

Rather than OV just uniting moderates to stand together, I imagine they are also reaching out to individuals in extremist movements. The VisionForce work is especially applicable in situations that call for strategies beyond compromise, and this is one such situation.

So deeply are we inspired by the OneVoice movement, that VisionForce has committed to make 12 VisionForce Boot Camp Scholarships available to active OneVoice participants from Israel and Palestine over the course of the next year.

The VisionForce trainings are perfect for individuals and groups looking for the expanded levels of courage, compassion and vision needed to create a world that works for everyone. VisionForce’s simple, powerful diagrams and processes provide access to the levels of vision that make deep communication, collaboration and creation possible.

There is so much to share from this most recent VisionForce Boot Camp, which we’ve used to jumpstart the One Million Visionaries campaign. We’ll start with a press release written by one of the 28 visionaries in attendance:

Healing Divisiveness: The Birth of a New Culture based on Honor and Vision, from the Heart of Texas.

Could a Born-Again Christian and a non-Christian embrace each other as brothers and sisters? Could a U.S. Soldier and a Peace Activist recognize one another as their most powerful and committed allies in life? Is it possible for a Liberal Environmentalist and a Conservative, Capitalist Republican to not only come to honor each other, but also each other’s values?

In a world increasingly divided by viewpoints emphasizing what we are against, the above question seem almost as absurd as expecting oil and water to just blend together, yet they may be the questions which determine our survival. Increasingly, we ask ourselves what kind of future awaits our children in a world of growing conflicts between groups armed with nuclear bombs, depleted uranium, altered genomes, viruses, etc. What could possibly heal, for example, the rifts between evangelical Christians and people who outrightly profess to earth-based “pagan” beliefs, much less have them actually relishing each other’s company? Could anything inspire a conservative Republican and a super-liberal environmentalist to see each other not only as “having some things in common,” but as intimate friends who profoundly trust each other to gaze deeply into each other’s heart, knowing full well that the other loves and cares deeply for them and their vision!?

“Impossible!,” you say? It’s happening right now in the heart of Texas and spreading to the world. This weekend, Michael Skye, an Austin cultural visionary and educator called 28 visionaries from around the world to show them the steps to building a new global culture based on honorable relationship and vision. Participants were selected for their desire to make a significant difference in other people’s lives and their firm commitment to facing everything, avoiding nothing and standing to BE the full, living manifestation of the vision they honor. Those accepted into the 4-day Vision Force Boot Camp experience came from a broad spectrum of religions, political persuasions, and ethnicities from around the world.

Michael Skye, founder of the Vision Force process and www.visionforce.com, leads a 4-day intensive that could be the seed of a global cultural transformation. With a profound understanding of our relationship to self and other, Michael Skye shows people how to use simple, powerful relationship models, to understand the process by which we create suffering in ourselves and separation from others, starting with those closest to us. Michael Skye shows visionaries how to transform the very process which generates pain and divisiveness in our personal and collective lives as the key to powerfully transforming, healing and empowering our vision and values in the world. How many of us have a tremendous vision for how to bring our gifts to humanity, yet have loved ones with whom a misunderstanding has festered for years? The Vision Force process leads to profound relationship healing and empowerment, starting with our relationship to ourselves and the inspiration that so many of us have turned our backs on, considering them the follies of youth, unrealistic, or unachievable.

In Kampala, Uganda, a young man named Clovis Ategeka overcame the apathy that leads to despair for so many young people worldwide after he and his family made tremendous sacrifices for him to complete university studies, only to face political and economic realities where opportunities are reserved for those in the power structure, and not for those most gifted to bring their talents to play. Clovis credits the Vision Force work in empowering him to transform his local economy by showing young people how to embrace their honor and vision first, and then to make it real. Ugandan visionaries are now embracing their life’s adventure boldly and linking to the world. The deep wounds that fester in many countries where corruption and economic exclusion shred the social fabric and generate endless wars are now being healed thanks to the power of vision. In Uganda, Clovis is weaving the threads of a colorful cloth of human culture. He credits Vision Force for showing him how.

The effectiveness of the Vision Force model derives from the simplicity and elegance of the tools which Michael Skye has evolved. There is no doctrine to subscribe to, no leader to follow. Only powerful robust models for understanding the pain we face in our homes, workplaces and for facing the challenges of our current planetary and cultural situation one relationship at a time. Vision Force imparts a living understanding which awakens the leader within and inspires us to rise in the morning nourished and inspired by vision, treating every human being we encounter with profound honor and dignity, while standing for the full actualization of our noblest human potential. What if people and communities who have defined themselves as standing at odds to one another could be totally transformed and freed from their enmity through a powerful 4-day educational process? What if we could learn how to heal wounds carried in our hearts for years, generations and even centuries?

Could learning how to face and understand ourselves really show us how to understand and honor others?

It’s happening now in Austin, Texas and moving out into the world. www.visionforce.com

What an incredible tribute to those who took a stand for peace.

Here at Vision Force, we also salute the soldiers who fought, and in doing so stood for peace. The more we can all see the stand even in our adversaries, the more we can call them to stand with us in a way that works.

Kiva lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world, helping them lift themselves out of poverty. This model is genius. It’s about time I checked it out… several of our Vision Force subscribers have been telling me about it for a while now. Amazing stuff!

A model for world-changing is emerging…

1- We’ve witnessed the success of our project in Uganda with young visionary, Clovis Ategeka, who has been changing the world, largely due to his ability to access the internet, and thus Vision Force, Zaadz, etc.

2 – The school we visited in Ngong Kenya has no internet access, and it has been difficult to follow up with the students there, who were so inspired by the Vision Force work, and wanted to continue to develop themselves as visionaries and entrepreneurs. The plan they created when we were there was to start an internet cafe there on campus, and since then they’ve received several new computers… but still have no internet access.

3 – Morris Thuku, a Kenyan visionary, who started an institute of technology for street kids in a small village outside of Nairobe has a vision to raise youth and communities throughout Africa from poverty by training them in computer repair, maintenance, etc. Most all African homes do not have computers yet, so his students are positioning themselves for wealth… but Morris lacks the kind of funding that has come so easily to Clovis through his access to a global community.

Clovis has a vision of spreading Vision Cafes throughout Africa, as a way of connecting people to the global community and all of the resources and opportunities that come with it. The internet creates opportunities to raise funding, make money, save money, get educated, find business partners, collaborate with a global community, etc. But the beauty of this vision doesn’t stop with the advantages of internet access. Clovis sees these cafes as a way to educate and train people to be visionaries, leaders and entrepreneurs. Both the tribal and colonial culture contexts are very authoritarian and lacking in entrepreneurial and visionary concepts and conversations.

Clovis sees his Vision Cafes bringing everything the internet has to offer, as well as everything the west has to offer regarding entrepreneurship and advanced ways of thinking as a conscious being and visionary.

The bottleneck is internet access. In East Africa it’s outrageously expensive, and so at first glance it does not seem feasible to spread these Vision Cafes throughout Africa. But there is a bigger vision here, that once seen could easily inspire many organizations and individuals to invest their time and resources in the cause. Clovis, through his Vision Cafe in Kampala, is not merely providing jobs and adding value to the community. He is in essence, “creating creators.” It is one thing to fish, it’s another to teach someone how to fish–and quite another thing to teach someone how to be a visionary entrepreneur and create a business… or better yet, teach someone how to be a visionary entrepreneur who teaches others how to do the same. That’s what Clovis is up to. He wants to train others to train others, and thus open up all of Africa to unimaginable opportunity.

Democracy and capitalism are very new in many parts of Africa, and still only a dream in others. In Kenya, when I visited last year, I could feel an energy in the air… people were actively engaged in politics, not resigned and cynical as so many of us seem to be in the West. Kenya only gained freedom from Britain about 40 years ago through a violent revolution. Everything is still new, everything is possible. And the youth… so many told me they were going to be president one day. Yet, the colonial and tribal cultures there silence the youth in many respects. There seemed to be a consensus among Kenyans 40 and under that they’d never be listened to until they were at least 45 years old. This, even though so many Kenyans are known for their oratory skills (so many we met spoke like Senator Obama, whose father was Kenyan–or even more eloquently). The youth we met were incredibly bright, incredibly spirited, well-spoken and authentic. The only things that seemed to be missing for these young leaders to have the power to bring their visions into reality was 1) lack of access to technology, and 2) lack of entrepreneurial/visionary contexts.

Enter Clovis and his Vision Cafes, where he not only connects the youth to the world wibe web, but he liberates them from the conditioning which keeps them silent. The Vision Force concepts and work are incredibly powerful in this regard. Vision Force technology was not created from within the context of existing structures, and thus does not teach people how to be successful within the system. No, it encourages and empowers independent, creative thought, entrepreneurial thought. It’s most powerful for those willing to step outside the existing structures and create something new. It’s very liberating and refreshing for many who’ve grown up inside the heavily authoritarian cultural contexts in Africa. Perhaps this is why some come from 6 hours away to attend Clovis’ Vision Force workshops. Clovis is not just bringing hope, he’s bringing vision and everything that comes with it.

Kampala is ready. Kenya is ready. Could these Vision Cafes be an idea whose time has come?

How will we find the funds and resources to bring these internet learning centers into existence? Well, just ask Clovis, who through investing himself in the Vision Force 101 program, has been able to articulate his stand and his vision in such a way that he’s inspiring people from around the world to collaborate with him. One man, Michael Blomsterberg, and fellow Zaadzster (member of the Zaadz community), was so inspired that he has organized a trip for 12 to Kampala this summer, and plans to bring 10-20 computers for Clovis’ Vision Cafe. Other Zaadzsters and friends of Michael’s have joined in, and are doing what they can to support Clovis and his vision.

We at Vision Force along with generous Zaadz members have just recently raised $3,400 to get Clovis’ Vision Cafe wired with high-speed internet access. Some 80+ people from around the world were inspired to contribute. Others have purchased and sent Visionary Mind packages to Clovis. And the story goes on…

Vision Cafes throughout the 3rd world… supporting One Million Visionaries just like Clovis… can we really change the world? Do we even have a glimpse of how quickly we could create a world that really works for everyone? Organizations and individuals alike are already stepping forward to join forces in manifesting this vision. It’s not a Vision Force thing. It’s much bigger than that. It’s simply time.

We wish to acknowledge and thank every single person and organization that has chosen to stand with and for Clovis and all our African visionary friends. This is just the beginning! Together we really can create a future where all people are honored as creative, conscious beings… a world where we’re free inside and outside to live powerfully, and where it’s just natural to do so… a world where our best efforts go to collaborate creating a world that works for all, rather than fighting to enforce our individual views on others…

Recently through Zaadz, we’ve raised nearly $3,400 for Clovis, our young Ugandan visionary friend. He’s using the funding to install high-speed internet access at his Vision Cafe, where he’s connecting his fellow Ugandan’s to the world wide web, and teaching them what’ he’s learned from Vision Force about being a visionary, a leader and an entrepreneur.

There are some exciting new developments in what’s next for Clovis, so stay tuned.

Clovis’ story sparked the One Million Visionaries campaign here at VisionForce, where we’re now asking, “What if we could empower one million visionaries like Clovis around the world–as fast as possible, and for as little money as possible?” The next chapter in that story happens March 21-25 at the special boot camp we organized for 30 inspiring change agents from around the world. The application process is over, the event is full, and they’re 3 weeks away from arriving here in Austin.

I’m writing this post as I’m on a 4 or 5-way conference call with visionaries in Austin and Kenya, who are collaborating to start technology training academies in Kenya. We met so many visionary Kenyans last summer, who are up to great things, but who are difficult to reach due to technological barriers. Tools such as Skype are empowering visionaries around the world to connect and collaborate in ways never before possible.

My Kenyan friend on the call right now, Morris Thuku, upon returning to Kenya after receiving an education here in the U.S., decided to build an academy to teach street kids in the village where he grew up. Morris is a visionary with an indominatable spirit. He’s teaching his young people about information technology and giving them the skills that will allow them to make a better life for themselves and even create wealth in their community. His vision is to bring such training to youth throughout Africa. I hope to hold an audio interview with him in the near future and make it available here.

Our young Vision Force friends in Uganda have been able to attract and gain the support of a global community on Zaadz, and have raised thousands of dollars over the past few months for their projects. Morris, however, has very little exposure, as he must travel an hour just to access the Internet. Our emerging One Million Visionaries campaign will give us a way to unite and empower all of these visionaries from around the world. That campaign, of course, is being kick-started at our upcoming boot camp in March, where a constellation of visionaries from around the world will gather to evolve themselves in ways that will facilitate evolution in the communities they serve.