or David Wick (541) 552-1061 dwick@aol.com
Medford, November 14, 2003 – The Center for Wise Democratic Processes has partnered with a local group of community organizers to conduct an inaugural Citizens Wisdom Council. Participants in this inaugural Wisdom Council have been randomly selected from the County’s list of registered voters and will gather to participate in two days of facilitated dialogue about whatever issues they deem important to Jackson County.
The Council meets November 15th and 16th, with a Town Hall Meeting scheduled for November 16th, from 4:00- 5:30 p.m. The Wisdom Council itself is closed to the public, however all are encouraged to attend the presentation on Sunday. Both will be held at the Red Lion Hotel, 200 North Riverside Avenue, Medford, OR, 97501, in the Grand Ballroom.
"The unanimous presentation of this first Rogue Valley Wisdom Council will start the dialogue," said Jim Rough, founder of the Wisdom Council concept, "This is not the usual back and forth political conversation among interest groups. This is a We the People conversation, involving all citizens and reaching consensus. For making change, there’s nothing more powerful than that."
The Wisdom Council seeks to empower Jackson County residents by establishing a voice for We the People; to allow Jackson County citizens to connect with the wisdom in their community and find solutions to county-wide issues that they deem important; and to help existing institutions like city councils, board of commissioners, legislators, businesses, and more community organizations become more effective by giving a clear voice to the thoughts, needs and values of local citizens. Council participants do not represent anyone else, any interest group, any organization, or any region. There’s no pre-determined agenda or topic. Council members will choose the issues to discuss. Community dialogues are encouraged following the Town Hall Meeting to further explore the issues and ideas proposed.
The Rogue Valley Wisdom Council will be featured in a documentary film, entitled "Democracy in America", about the current challenges to our democracy and what people are doing to make it better. In addition, elected officials from towns and counties outside Rogue Valley will be coming to learn about the process. Local elected officials are invited to meet with visiting officials at a special reception to be held on Saturday evening following the council.
The Rogue Valley Wisdom Council project is co-sponsored by the Co-Intelligence Institute and the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation.
About the Center for Wise Democratic Processes
Since 2001, the Center for Wise Democratic Processes (CWDP) has provided education and technical support for individuals and communities seeking real democracy. The CWDP helps to build an inclusive, thoughtful and responsible "We the People" especially through the use of Dynamic Facilitation and the Wisdom Council. The CWDP engages in research and documentation of efforts to use these tools in the public sphere, and we offer networking for participating individuals and communities. The CWDP recently became a recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
For more information about the organization, visit us online at www.wisedemocracy.org.
For more information about the Rogue Valley Wisdom Council, visit www.rvwc.org.