50TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT IN FLORIDA

Colleagues Judith and Mike Tippett hosted a 50th Anniversary event for ICA at their home in Bradenton, Florida on January 17th. Terry Bergdall, CEO of ICA, lead the discussion of the event, talking about positive trends in the world: concern for suffering in local communities and churches, the greening of buildings, local production/consumption of organic foods, the Arab Spring-nonviolent approach to their revolutions and the Occupy movement.

Group gathered at Judith and Mike Tippett's Home

Terry also updated those gathered, which included George and Carol Walters, Judi White, and Bob and Cynthia Vance, on work ICA has done recently. The three areas that the Institute is focusing on are the University Leadership Development program, the Accelerating Change in Chicago's 77 Community Areas project and its Sharing Approaches That Work conference, and the renovating of ICA's building in Chicago to incorporate green technologies such as wind turbines.
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At the end Terry introduced a book that is guiding ICA's efforts: The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins. Terry also mentioned that ICA supports work in agriculture, education and HIV/AIDS initiatives in India and Africa. He said that the young program staff now working at ICA is the new face of the organization.

The evening ended with writing messages on material that will be woven together with other colleagues' messages in an art installation to be hung at ICA to celebrate its 50th anniversary.