The 2016 Integral Development Course of the University of St. Gallen meets in Geneva and Hotonnes
Mid April 2016, 23 Students from the University of St. Gallen, all of them enrolled in this year’s Integral Development Course, met for a four-day intensive in Geneva and Hotonnes. […] Students came from Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Lebanon and Russia. In Geneva we discussed the current state of development with representatives of UNDP, UNCTAD and WTO – while with RLA Right Livelihood Award Foundation as well as with Dr. Cornelio Sommaruga, the former President of the International Committee of the Red Cross we explored alternative development futures.
The two days in Hotonnes, at the “Home for Humanity”, were dedicated to intensive personal development processes as well as to numerous “live interactions” with real life case stories. Indeed, during these two days we “travelled” far, speaking with representatives of all the five cases students are working with within the course: from Pax Herbals and EDEMCS in Nigeria to Sinal in Brazil, from Coro in India to Sekem in Egypt as well as with Fundacion Paraguaya in Paraguay – all of them being Integral Partner Organisations of Trans4m.
In all cases, students could experience and actively participate in the adaptation of the integral approach on the ground. Furthermore, in each case, a Trans4m Junior Fellow is locally present, on site, being the “glue” between the case and the course student group.
About four weeks after the intensive the student groups will present their findings to the five cases – first via a videotaped presentation that is sent to the case representatives, then via a written paper. That is how we seek to contribute actively to integral development futures.