Don’t they know we’re in the middle of a financial crisis? Haven’t they heard all the reports of gloom and doom? What do they know that we don’t know?
Whaddya mean “conscious convergence”? Whaddya mean “unitive consciousness”? No, I never heard of “Indigos” and “Crystals”!
20 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATION
https://www.yesworld.org/events/world-jam-2011-thailand
Founded in 1990 by two teenagers, YES! is a nonprofit organization that connects, inspires and collaborates with young changemakers in building thriving, just and sustainable ways of life for all. Our three program areas are global leadership Jams, on-going support networks, and resources & communications. We work at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal, and systemic transformation.
YES! has spoken to more than 675,000 students and organized more than 100 week-long gatherings for visionary young leaders from 65+ nations. Alumni surveys have shown that, among other things, 94% of Jammers gained valuable skills and perspectives that ehanced their life. Alumni have also started more than 400 non-profit groups working for positive change and have immeasurable impact within the organizations and communities they serve.
World Jam 2011 – Thailand
Date: Sat, 2011-01-29 – Sun, 2011-02-06
Contact: Tiffany – tiffany at yesworld dot org
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
The 10th Annnual World Jam
Just as every seed needs water and fertile ground to grow, so too do we.
In times that call for the warrior’s voice to speak out against injustice on the frontline, the healer’s touch to ground pain, the gardener’s hands to birth fruits and foster seed, the elder’s wisdom to lead with compassion, the child’s intuitive honesty, the mother’s never tiring selflessness, the father’s steady dedication, and the reckless passion and boldness of our young people: Now in a world that is demanding so much we must remember the cycles and seasons that all seeds need to grow to their full potential.
The World Jam is a time to turn the ground over with 30 young visionaries from all places who have devoted their lives to pursuing another world. The World Jam is a hub of bio-diversity. It is a place to nurture the nurturers so we can continue to grow in our lives and our work with a renewed sense of vision and purpose that is grounded in relationships and connected to a world of movements, struggles and communities from the four corners of the world.
Over a week we journey with 30 young changemakers from over 15 different nations and 6 continents covering vast terrain – eating together, cooking together, laughing together, playing together, challenging each other, sharing our work and our passion with each other, and being humbled together. We honor the wisdom and experiences of each of the peoples participating so there is time to share insights, to build partnerships, to learn and to grow together.
Through the process of opening ourselves up to share and hear our stories, our journeys and movements can be put into a context of relationship and solidarity that can come alive, from the heart through to our work. Meeting and deepening relationship with young changemakers from around the world is a step towards living into the microcosm of how we can resolve conflicts, build trust, and bring healing to our lives and to our world. It is our hope that from this foundation can spring collective movement, helping us create a more balanced and just world.
“There exists an abundance of love in this space through the union of extraordinary servants from around the world and that love was fostered and amazingly strengthened through the guidance of our facilitators and the vulnerability of participants. I arrived to (the Jam in Cuzco) with much frustration and anger in my heart. Nonetheless every moment of the Jam continued to work on my emotions thus transforming them to those of hope, humility, and a closer understanding of the world.”
– Marcus Briggs Cloud, World Jam 2008
What Is A YES! Jam?
A YES! Jam is a week-long gathering of 30 diverse young people (ages 18-35) who are founders or leaders of organizations or movements working for thriving, just and sustainable ways of life for all. Jam participants are working at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal and systemic healing and transformation. The synthesis that takes place at Jams gives participants perspective, insight and support that can create lasting change in the work they do. The World Jam is a place for deepening the root system that underlies who we are and what we do, and for linking up with others from all over the world to build partnerships that can support our lives and work. To date, 38 Jams have been held on five continents, bringing together young leaders from more than 65 nations.
In music, a “Jam” is a creative, live gathering of talented musicians who together spontaneously create a new sound whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A YES! Jam is a place where social change movement leaders rock out with their passion, vision, courage and spirit. They bring what they have to the space and create together with no preconceived script. It requires that all the players are present and ready to bounce off each other, catch each other and weave layers of sounds, experience, knowledge and spirit together. In the realness of this connection magic can be created.
“In Nigeria, the hopes of millions have been pinned on me. Everything I do is under the spotlight. If they want to sell papers, they put me on the cover. If they want to win an election, they ask for my endorsement. Where does someone like me go when we need a safe place to be caught learning? To renew, deepen the foundation of our work, and sharpen our focus? To share experiences, lessons and build relationships with others that can advance our thinking, approach and capacity? We go to the YES! Jam, which gives us all that and so much more.”
— Hafsat Abiola, 27, Founder, Kudirat INitiative for Democracy (KIND), Nigeria
Why Thailand?
Thailand is the only country in southeast Asia that have never been colonized by European powers. It has lush jungles, gorgeous beaches, and vast spiritual and cultural richness. It is also home to Nuttarote Wangwinyoo, a long-time YES! partner and facilitator who has offered to host the World Jam in his home country. Nuttarote has spent many years training with spiritual guides and living as a monk. He has spent much time in intentional communities doing organic gardening, and partners with an indigenous community to learn from and stand in solidarity with them.
The Jam will be held at the Pun Pun Center For Self Reliance, which hosts trainings, workshops, and internships on organic farming, natural building, and seed saving. They are a small community of people living together, growing their own food, building their own natural homes and working to be self-reliant in as many ways they can.
“As an activist we focus so much on healing the pain and conflict around us that we never get a chance to heal the pain inside our own lives, to grow as individuals with integrity and strength of spirit with healthy bodies full of energy to dedicate to our work. Thank you YES! for a wonderful time. My heart has opened to the possibility of a place for spirit in my work. This camp through me will reach hundreds of young people. YES!”
—Karun Koernig, 25, Manager, Environmental Youth Alliance, Vancouver, Canada
Who Is Putting This On?
Founded in 1990, YES! connects, inspires and collaborates with leading young changemakers in building thriving, just and sustainable ways of life for all. YES! has held 100+ week-long events for diverse young leaders from 65+ nations, and spoken in person to more than 625,000 students with a message of hope and a call to action. The 2011 World Jam is being organized by YES! in tandem with a collective of co- sponsoring organizations that includes:
Conscious Collaborations (Aotearoa / New Zealand)
Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network – APIYN – https://www.apyn.org
Centre For Education and Voluntary Action (CEVA) Kwanpandin Institute for Contemplative Learning – https://www.earth-soul.com
Shikshantar – https://www.swaraj.org/shikshantar
Native Movement – https://www.nativemovement.org
Cost
We are trying to raise the funds necessary to enable the participants we select to attend the Jam, whatever their level of ability to pay. And to create this event, it is vital that those who are able to, contribute as much as they can. We encourage participants to engage in their fundraising towards tuition and travel as a way to participate in the experience of getting to the Jam, and because out of practical necessity it is essential to our ability to make this work. As a way to support this we have a fundraising packet that accepted participants can use, so let us know how we can do this together! This year it is imperative that we collectively raise a minimum of $10,000 US towards travel scholarships for Jam participants. We provide tuition and travel scholarships to those who need it, and ask everyone who is able to pay for some or all of their travel to Bangkok, Thailand to do so. Donations to our travel fund, and any other forms of reciprocity (financial or otherwise) are welcome, and in fact, essential. For those in a position to pay tuition, the actual costs are USD $2,000 per participant, and a sponsoring participant is invited to contribute $5,000 to cover their costs and also support provide for the costs of participants from communities with limited access to monetary resources.
Next Steps
Before applying, we encourage you to explore our web site for more information on YES! Jams, our underlying principles and philosophy.
Applying
Click here to apply. We will be reviewing applications October 1, October 15, November 1, November 15 and December 1. The sooner an application is received, the better its chances of acceptance. If your application is received after December 1st, please contact us to learn if there are any spaces available.
We wish you much love and strength on your journey.
Kiritapu Allan & Tiffany Brown, World Jam Co-coordinators