Appreciative Inquiry Methodology and Networking
From November 3rd. to 7th. 2011, I worked in Honduras invited by Mel Zelaya, the former President of that country, and by Nery Murillo, Coordinator of the Mesoamerica Peace Movement. I invited Nozizwe Madlala Routledge, who was a deputy minister of defense after Mandela’s term as president. Her impact was extraordinary. We are members of the Peacemakers in Action Leadership. My assistant Yeny Nolasco participated also with a great acceptance. The results of this seminar are greater than I was expecting.
Our main activity was to facilitate a seminar about Appreciative Inquiry Methodology and Networking to the National Popular Resistance Front and the new political party named LIBRE. We had the participation of Mel Zelaya, former ministers, diplomats, deputies, and coordinators of grassroots organizations. I consider that the results were higher than I was expecting. It became very clear to them that we cannot build a new country if we start mapping problems. We need to discover what already has been done with a positive, affirmative mentality and build the country on top of those findings. That doesn't mean that we we deny existing problems. We confront them growing in what already works. We discover the positive results of the past, we build our vision of a new country and we develop a strategic plan to grow as a nation. Example: democratic representation has its positive side but it is not enough, our people demand democratic participation to have a voice in political decisions. To achieve that purpose, the country needs a new constitution. Before the seminar, we participated in four radio interviews and in a TV show that lasted one hour and a half. The main questions were directed to Nozi. People wanted to know the process of liberation of South Africa from the white minority.
I left Honduras with great sadness and great hope. Great sadness: people are killed or disappeared among them 14 journalists. A higher percentage of people live in abject poverty. The military and the police are brutal, and the oligarchs are thirsty of more wealth. For 2010 Honduras became the first country in the world with more killings. Great hope: the National Popular Resistance Front that started the day after the coup d'état is powerful and the new political party LIBRE is growing every day.
I received a telephone call from Nery Murillo today November 24 and he told me that the Popular National Resistance Front has started applying the networking strategy at the highest level and in five municipalities of Santa Barbara.
Chencho Alas
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