Contemplation and action

As we concluded the IMI conference today, I found myself in a contemplative space, thinking about all that has happened in these two days. I remember David Bachner's comments from the IMI video - that IMI hopes to provide a balance between theory and practice at their workshops, conferences, and in their consulting. Indeed, that intention has been realized in this conference.

The sessions I attended and the subsequent conversations I had with other attendees have given me both practical tools and concrete sets of knowledge to carry with me. On the other hand, many of the sessions elucidated a certain wisdom that "cut underneath" the practical pieces and invited me into reflection about the theoretical aspects of field, e.g. the "why" questions which reveal to us the deeper motivations behind why we all showed up today and why this field has a significant place in our world.

I am walking away from this conference, more certain than before, that a balance of contemplation and action in this field is crucial and necessary. In order to give intercultural training/education/consulting the integrity it needs to be valid and sustainable source of knowledge and services, that balance seems indispensable. A balance of voices too, is necessary as we continue to create intercultural knowledge and give direction to the field. So, I hope to continue cycling through the process of contemplation and action around intercultural issues and gain insights from further conversations you.

Thank you, again, to IMI and to all of you with whom I had the privilege to converse for this opportunity. See you at the next conference!