Hello from the Netherlands, where the signs of autumn are slowly deepening.
How are you doing these days?

 

Today, I would like to share with you some thoughts I have been holding for a long time, and how they have led me to create two new facilitation programmes.

 

Origins

It goes back to my time in the field with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

There, I organised and facilitated “participatory assessments” together with refugees and displaced persons.

At UNHCR, we used an approach called “Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming”.
That was still a time long before “diversity” became a buzzword as it is today.
The idea of the AGD approach was to ensure that, depending on the needs of each community, people were divided into small groups so they could voice their concerns and ideas freely.

Women might find it hard to speak openly in front of men.
Younger people might hold back when elders were present.

When we divided people into smaller groups with clear intention,
I witnessed how they began to reflect deeply and to speak out with serious and shining eyes. That spark in their eyes moved me deeply.

Another origin lies in the meeting culture of international organisations.
Too often, it was the “loud voices”, the “fast talkers”, or those who spoke the most who set the direction, while quieter voices were overlooked or left behind.

I myself missed chances to speak and was often labelled as someone who “doesn’t say anything”. In fact, I still experience this to this day.

But through learning facilitation and becoming a professional facilitator, I came to realise something important: when voices are not heard, it is not because of how someone participates, but because of how the space itself is facilitated and held.

 

My Current Passion

These two experiences have become my foundation.
This is why I want to create spaces where every voice can truly live.

And this desire has now taken shape in two programmes.

 

Dialogue Salon

The first is the “Dialogue Salon on Nurturing Inclusive Spaces”.

Every two months, for 45 minutes to an hour, we gather online to connect and talk freely about creating inclusive spaces. Participation is free.

We will alternate between Japanese and English sessions (which is why the salon is every two months).

We will begin with a salon in Japanese, on Thursday, 6 November.
You can register by clicking here.

For the English-language salon, the first session will be on Thursday, 4 December.
You can register here.

 

Learning Circle

The second programme is the “Learning Circle: Where All Voices Are Heard”.

This is a paid programme consisting of three online sessions and supported reflection, where we will go deeper into inclusive space-making together.

Please see the details here (English/Japanese) for more information. Note that the start dates differ depending on the language.

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Together

I am so pleased to be able to bring these long-held thoughts into shape at last.

Both programmes value sharing experiences and learning together.

I look forward to cultivating spaces with you where every voice is heard!