We are in the midst of a “macroshift”...
Ecologos Institute ◆ Toronto Regional Renaissance Collaboration
Are we heading for breadown?
After a period of instability,uncertainty, and growing discontent,
conflict degenerates into violence and
the established order breaks
down.
Source: Ervin Laszlo, Macroshift
Or will we choose Break!r"gh?
The mindset of a critical new mass of people evolves in time.
As the new culture takes hold,
an integrated world system emerges,
capable of launching development aimed at ensuring access
to the necessities of life
for all people in every part of the world.
Source: Ervin Laszlo, Macroshift
The determining factor
The evolution of
the dominant culture and consciousness - the way people’s values, views and ethics respond and change -
determine the outcome of the system’s chaos leap
(the way its developmental trajectory forks off).
Source: Ervin Laszlo, Macroshift
Sparks of hopeCritical Mass Engagement
Changing dominant mindset
Co-creating new
structures
Community leadership
Comprehensiveness
Participant Productions
Broad reach through distribution but limited depth of engagement.
Raises awareness and provokes thought and conversation in a non-threatening medium.
AshokaPrimarily focused on
developing social entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship
Through the work of the entrepreneurs
Implicit and encouraged
Growing with focus of entrepreneurship
Paul Hawken
Fragmented Fragmented Consultative basis only. Fragmented
Many individual projects
Fragmented Implicit Fragmented
Expo 67 Massive attractionOpened Canadians to
the world and the world to Canada
The Ecologos ResponseA community-led, awe-inspired initiative ...for a renaissance in sustainability, ...designed to occur in any region,...beginning in Toronto,...expanding to the world.
Toronto Regional Renaissance CollaborationRegional Collaboration
2007-2009Universarium FairSpring/Fall 2009
Renaissance Projects2009-2011
The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Canadian Urban Institute conduct Discovery Meetings with network leaders, resulting in Community Action Meetings with interest groups, neighbourhood groups, and other sectors to apprise them of the project, elicit their feedback, and build participation and momentum.
leading to > > >
The Ecologos Institute mounts a three-part paradigm-shifting edutainment event at Ontario Place for 250,000 men, women, and children over three months:•Awe-inspiring, state-of-the-art, multi-media presentation in Cineplex (inspiration)•Shift Zones, where visitors come face-to-face interactively with what’s really possible to change our direction (vision)•Connect to Action, where visitors connect to and sign up with community groups making a difference in every aspect of sustainability (participation)
leading to > > >
Community Action Groups, bolstered and enlivened by the enthusiasm and commitment of a new core of volunteers generated through the Fair, undertake Pressure Point projects that shift the Toronto Region towards true sustainability . . .
leading to ∨ ∨ ∨
the Toronto Region demonstrating to the world how an urban region can be:•ecologically viable; •economically vital; &•socially equitable & inclusive.
“An initiative of global import”
Recognized July 25, 2006 by the World Wisdom CouncilWorld Wisdom Council founded by Ervin Laszlo and Mikhail Gorbachev
Sparks of hope - revisitedCritical Mass Engagement
Changing dominant mindset
Co-creating new
structures
Community leadership
Comprehensiveness
Participant Productions
Broad reach through distribution but limited depth of engagement.
Raises awareness and provokes thought and conversation in a non-threatening medium.
AshokaPrimarily focused on
developing social entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship
Through the work of the entrepreneurs
Implicit and encouraged
Growing with focus of entrepreneurship
Paul Hawken
Fragmented Fragmented Consultative basis only. Fragmented
Many individual projects
Fragmented Implicit Fragmented
Expo 67 Massive attractionOpened Canadians to
the world and the world to Canada
ECOLOGOSRenaissance
collaboration and Universarium broadly
engage the community
Universarium intentionally designed to take visitors from inspiration, through
vision, to participation
Regional collaboration surfaces projects
acted on at Universarium and
beyond.
Renaissance collaboration and projects entirely community-led.
Fully comprehensive approach to regional
sustainability transformation.
World-class partners
Component Partners
Toronto Regional Collaboration
Universarium at Ontario Place
Renaissance Projects The community
Essential foundation
Efficacy of the processBased on 100 years of development in the field of systems scienceDeveloped initially through the input of 230 interviews with worthy advisors and a following 300 meetings for feedback and planning
Supporters of the visionEcologos International Advisory Council:
Don Edward Beck, Thomas Berry, Guy Dauncey, Jean Houston, David Korten, Ervin Laszlo, Miriam Therese MacGillis, John L. Petersen, Walter Pitman, Elisabet Sahtouris, John Seed, Brian Swimme, and Mary Evelyn Tucker
Financial supporters:Interface Inc., the Gordon Cheesbrough family, Katherine McCain, Richard W. Ivey, the Michael Young Family Foundation, the Northpine Foundation, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, 20 religious congregations and 100 other donors
Development Plan
Phase 1: Operation Stepping StoneLaunch Toronto Regional Renaissance CollaborationSecure seed funding for Universarium Travelling Fair at Ontario PlaceSecure growth funding for Ecologos
Phase 2: Fair ForwardToronto Regional Collaboration launches Universarium Travelling Fair at Ontario Place in 2009Ecologos launches Renaissance Collaborations in other key regions
Phase 3: Track, learn, shareTrack, learn and share stories on regional Renaissance Projects with other regions
Operation Stepping Stone
TASK AREA BUDGET
Renaissance Collaboration & Public Relations
Fair Creation & Design
Fair Planning & Development
Internal & External Communications
Fund Raising & Special Events
Logistical Support
$ 65,000
$ 88,000
$ 53,000
$ 21,000
$ 53,000
$ 65,000
GRAND TOTAL $ 345,000
Once demonstrated, the Regional Renaissance Collaboration
will be available for replication, with local variation,
in other major urban regions of the world.
In the midst of the macroshift
the Ecologos response has been
recognized as
an initiative of global import.
Working with our world-class partners, we have created
the essential foundation for launching the Toronto Regional Renaissance Collaboration.
Ecologos
Today we seek funding partners for Operation Stepping Stone and further
collaboration partners in the Toronto Regional Renaissance Collaboration.
Ecologos Board of DirectorsDuncan Holmes, Chair
President, ICA Associates
Marjorie Sharpe, DirectorPresident Sharpe & Associates
Mariam Quershi Gibson, Co-founderPresident, Aromesthetics
Ian Gilmour, Secretary, TreasurerPartner and Practice Leader, Business Architecture, Chartwell Inc.
James K. PatersonDirector, Resource Development, Toronto United Church Council
Dr. Ralph MartinDirector, Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
Permanent advisors to the boardAllenna Leonard, PhD., the Complementary Set
Stan Gibson, Co-Founder, Ecologos Institute
Michael Lewkowitz, Founder, Igniter Incorporated
International Advisory CouncilDon Edward Beck
Author and speaker
Thomas BerryGeologian and author
Guy DaunceyAuthor and speaker
Jean HoustonAuthor and Co-founder, Foundation for Mind Research
David C. KortenFounder & President, People-Centered Development Forum
Ervin LaszloPresident, Club of Budapest
Miriam Therese MacGillisFounder, Genesis Farm
John L. PetersenFounder & President, The Arlington Institute
Walter PitmanElisabet Sahtouris
Evolution biologist, futurist, and author
John SeedDirector, Rainforest Information Centre
Brian SwimmeMathematical cosmologist and author
Mary Evelyn TuckerCo-Director, Forum on Religion and Ecology
The Toronto Regional Renaissance CollaborationThe Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, whose mission is to work with its partners to ensure that The Living City is built upon a natural foundation of healthy rivers and shorelines, green space and biodiversity, and sustainable communities.
The Canadian Urban Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in urban areas across Canada and internationally.
Lord Cultural Resources Inc., internationally respected planner of major cultural events including World Fairs.
Ontario Place, an internationally recognized presenter of outstanding attractions prominently situated on the Toronto waterfront
Where are we now?
“The dominant social order and established values, worldviews, ethics and aspiration are
stressed and challenged,
placing society at the limit of its stability.”
~ Ervin Laszlo, Macroshift
How did we get here?
Hard technology innovations (tools, machines, operational systems) have irreversibly transformed
social and environmental relations bringing about, successively:
a higher level of resource production,faster growth in population,a growing societal complexity, and a growing impact on the natural environment.
How Ecologos began...
In 2000, an ordinary group of citizens establihsed a set of long-term objectives:
Educate broadly in the worldview of systems scienceBuild collaborative networks for transformationCatalyze transformation through educational entertainment events
Key AccomplishmentsThe Canadian Urban Institute and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are co-convening the meetings that will create the Renaissance Collaboration in the Toronto RegionLord Cultural Resources, respected planner of major cultural installations including World Fairs, is devising the business and development plan covering all aspects of producing the Universarium Travelling Fair and mounting it at Ontario PlaceOntario Place has agreed to host the first instance of the Universarium Travelling FairThe Universarium Planning & Development Committee (UPDC) of the Ecologos Institute is a core group of 50 committed, very skilled volunteers working in five highly productive task teams (with a next voluntary orbit of 250 friends, supporters, and advocates).