Hosting Conversations about Questions that Matter

Setting Up World Cafe Tables

Our hospitable space for our Oct 1 World Cafe, the Future Visioning of Urban Landscapes, had globles for "talking sticks" and herbs for "cut flowers". The globes were chosen as a theme to caring for the planet and the potted herbs in lieu of cut flowers. The herbs, sage, rosemary, and basil were picked up by the participants and planted in their gardens.

Our participants noticed the table cloths and used the pens for writing and drawing during the day. Polled at the beginning of the meeting of 100 people, only one person until that day had attended a World Cafe.... and based on feedback they LOVED the World Cafe experience!

Tags: future visioning of urban l..., table set up, world cafe

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Permalink Reply by juanita brown on October 4, 2009 at 8:30pm: Hi Dennnis...
How wonderful those tables look! And I'm glad they enjoyed the Cafe...you have been such a wonderful executive Cafe steward over all these years. It's very touching to see how you are still using these principles for such important work.
With warmest regards,
Juanita; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dennis Dougherty on October 4, 2009 at 8:40pm: Thank you Juanita... the scent of the herbs filled the room like the magic of a great conversation. I feel so blessed to have experienced the World Cafe some years ago. I know you know, but 100 people were so excited because of the room the World Cafe makes for everyone!
Cheers,
Dd; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amy Lenzo on October 5, 2009 at 8:00am: Fabulous work, Dennis!

I love your analogy between the scent of the herbs and the magic of conversation. That sense of pervasive "beauty" that is so close to the human heart, and just makes us open up to life and each other.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dennis Dougherty on October 6, 2009 at 9:07pm: Thank you Amy... our women staffers read the World Cafe book and successfully implemented a beautiful, hospitable space. I really was struck with the use of herbs and that these plants were carried home with the participants and their memories.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by david isaacs on October 8, 2009 at 8:55am: " The herbs, sage, rosemary, and basil were picked up by the participants and planted in their gardens."
what a generative way of designing the World Cafe principle of "creating hospitable space" into your Future of Urban Landscapes meeting.

the idea of presenting plants to the World Cafe brings life into the conversation.... and then you encouraged people to carry the symbols of the living conversation back to their gardens renews that spirit of regeneration there.

Maybe someone will continue the learning in this online community by hosting a blog or a group
on the World Cafe of designing hospitable space into their lives and work.

What a great contribution! Congratulations!

David Isaacs; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Barbara Chan CMC on October 11, 2009 at 8:13pm: Lovely setting. I love the practical symbolism of nurturing health and aesthetics through herbs. Congratulations!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dennis Dougherty on October 11, 2009 at 9:00pm: Hi Barbara, I will pass your thoughts along to the people who thought of this. I thought it was a great deviation. Cheers; ▶ Reply to This