[CIMC-working] (issues, positions, and interests) Fwd: RE: [IMC-Process] Regional IMC meetings (was: New IMC or reform Old IMC: Dealing with Disputes)

[Chris Kaihatsu]

-- Forwarded Message --

I've heard several ISSUES that have come up under the imc-meeting
discussion:

1. Should there be one central network face-to-face convergence or many
parallel regional meetings?
2. Where should such a meeting or meetings be held?
3. What is the format and mandate of this meeting or meetings?
4. Is there already planning being done on this elsewhere?
5. Is IMC-Process a useful forum for this discussion, or does it belong
elsewhere?

I also want to bring in a conflict resolution concept: the distinction
between POSITIONS and INTERESTS.  A position is an opinion, stance, or
demand, while an interest is the underlying reason for the position.
Often while positions are incompatible and in conflict, by looking at
the underlying interests its possible to find a resolution that meets
folks underlying needs.

The clich=E9 example of this the story that two children go to a parent
and each demands they get the last remaining orange in the house.  The
parent in typical compromise thinking just chops the orange in half.
Shortly afterwards, both kids come back and complain that the solution
does no good: one child wanted the center of the orange to eat, while
the other needed all of the peel for a science experiment.  Their
positions (give me the whole orange) were incompatible, but their
underlying interests (one wanted the peel, the other the fruit) were
compatible. =20

Yeah, it's simplistic.  But it's surprising how many times it's been
useful as a distinction.

So, in addressing the issues, I thought I'd list some of the INTERESTS I
think I've heard:
1. There is an interest in a network face-to-face meeting being useful
2. There is an interest that the place or places of the meetings not
re-entrench perceived power imbalances and inequities within the IMC
network. =20
3. There is an interest that IMC members not find themselves unable to
participate because attending the meeting or meetings would be too
expensive. =20
4. There is an interest that holding the meetings doesn't divert funds
from technical aid to IMC's in need.

Those interests don't seem incompatible--though they may require some
creative problem solving and collaboration among imc folk to see if they
can come up with some possible models that would meet these needs.

Are there other issues and interests that I've missed?
John





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