Healing Through Creativity – Imagining the Future of Being Human – Part 3- Cultural Treasures

Summary: Culture – the patterns of relationships we are embedded in – shapes us. And, in this week’s exploratory conversation about imagining the future of being human Dr Desiree Cox (http://www.desireecox.com) and her guest Andrew Lyon (http://www.internationalfuturesforum.com)from the International Futures Forum (IFF) look at dance to see what treasures this form of cultural expression might teach us about creating meaning in this Change of Age leading up to 2012. Andrew Lyon is a convener at the International Futures Forum (IFF). The IFF is a non-profit organisation established to support a transformative response to complex and confounding challenges and to develop the capacity for effective action in today’s powerful times. The IFF is developing a body of ideas and philosophy about how to make sense of today’s complex world. The IFF shares that thinking widely as a contribution to the global intellectual commons. The organisation holds events to exchange ideas and experience, and members of IFF’s international clan meet in plenary session as often as possible. Cox notes that in traditional cultures dance is used both to teach and express social patterns and values and helps people work, mature, celebrate festivals and funerals, compete, learn and encounter history, proverbs and poetry; as well as connect with the supernatural. Does dance play such a different role today in Western cultures? She asks. Lyon who studied Sociology and Economics at Edinburgh University is well versed in the ways in which meaning is created through culture. After completing his PhD, he led a community oriented health programme at Polaroid UK Ltd, before moving to Glasgow to lead the Healthy Cities Programme. He has also worked for the WHO in Bangladesh and Europe. With Forward Scotland, he lead on a Scottish approach to Sustainable Development from 1996- 2001. Now with the International Futures Forum, he leads on programmes designed to restore effectiveness in times of rapid change. Cox and Lyon continue this powerful and inspiring conversational journey exploring how we can imagine a new future of being ‘whole’ as individuals and at a species level. Find out more about the International Futures Forum and you can also find more about Dr Desiree Cox on her website www.desireecox.com (http://www.desireecox.com)