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Plenary Sessions

Old Muscat General View The Global Forum is a continuing journey from the opening welcome to the final closing ceremonies. Each morning begins with an interactive plenary session with outstanding men and women sharing how their work addresses one of the core questions of the forum.

Sunday Evening, April 13--Opening Ceremonies

The opening ceremonies will take place in a tent on the grounds of the Intercontinental Hotel, Muscat. The session will provide an opportunity to experience local Omani tradition and hospitality, overview the Forum, and to connect with the broad cultural and professional diversity of SoL.

  • We will be welcomed by HE Dr. Rawya bint Saud al-Busaidia, Minister of Higher Education, Sultanate of Oman
  • Introduced to SoL's Work in the Gulf by Salim Al-Aydh, Sr. VP Saudi Aramco, Gulf SoL Founding Chair.
  • Explore Bridging the Gulf: Leveraging Diversity for Collaborative Action with Dr. Peter Senge, MIT Sloan School of Management and Founding Chair the Society for Organizational Learning

Monday, April 14--Morning Plenary Session

Culture & Conviction: Learning from Our Differences with Mary Catherine Bateson Anthropologist, Professor Emeritus George Mason University, President, The Institute for Intercultural Studies

Our collective ability to learn is the only sustainable competitive advantage for our organizations, and the only hope for addressing the intractable problems that we face as societies. How do culture and tradition structure our perceptions? To what extent are we hostage to mental models and stereotypes that make it difficult to embrace inclusiveness and inhibit our ability to learn? And what implications does this have for the institutions that are responsible for promoting learning in our societies? This session will explore these issues and help develop the capacity to value diversity and learn across cultural, ethnic, and organizational boundaries.

Following her introductory remarks, Dr. Bateson will be joined by a panel of practitioners who have done extraordinary work in the promoting learning and tolerance in multicultural settings to exchange perspectives on these issues. Including:

  • Salem Al-Ismaily CEO, The Omani Centre for Investment Promotion & Export Development
  • Graham Leonard,, Educator, Designer of MaHakaat (Arabic Touchstones) Curriculum
  • Frans Sugiarta, Director, United in Diversity; ELIAS Fellow
  • Siham Suwaigh, Vice President, Royal University for Women, Bahrain

Tuesday, April 15--Morning Plenary Session

The Role of the Corporation in Supporting Local Development via video with Professor Muhammed Yunus Founder and Chairman, Grameen Bank

Over the long term, the growth of any business enterprise is tied to the economic and social health of the community where it operates. What implications does this have on the role of the corporation in supporting local development? Should corporate social responsibility be seen as a source of strategic advantage or as a trade-off against short term profits? How can companies work with other stakeholders to engage those at the bottom of the economic pyramid to create new opportunities and to opening new markets?

In this plenary session, Muhammed Yunus, Nobel laureate, and "banker to the poor," will share his perspectives on these issues, and review efforts by a few progressive corporations who have invested in creating sustainable economic opportunities for the poor. Participant conversations will explore these questions in depth, seeking to build a shared understanding of new possibilities among multiple stakeholders - business representatives, educators, and leaders of non-profit social development organizations. Professor Yunus will be joined by:

  • Roberto Bocca, Director, Emerging Consumer Markets, BP Alternative Energy
  • Lynne Dovey, Director, Strategic Planning, Ministry of Economic Development, New Zealand
  • Shaikh Saleh Al-Turki, Chairman, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Wednesday, April 16--Morning Plenary Session

Solving Tough Problems in Practice with Adam Kahane Generon Reos, LLC

Wednesday shifts the focus from possibilities to practicalities. How can we move forward in positive ways that will make a sustainable shift towards the results we want to create together? Adam Kahane, the author and experienced facilitator of groups in conflict, will share his perspectives on what it takes to generate significant and self-sustaining community-based action towards seemingly intractable social problems.

A practitioner roundtable brings together diverse leaders, representing various sectors and regions, who have spearheaded grass-roots initiatives to effect sustainable learning and impact. These include:

Wednesday, April 16--Afternoon Plenary Session

Co-Creating the Future: Embodying the Change that We Envision with Peter Senge

The closing session of the Forum provides a setting for reflection on the collective intelligence that has emerged through the forum and to frame new possibilities for collaborative action. The session will explore the question, "How can we, as a global SoL Community, engage our collective intelligence to address today's global challenges?"

Peter Senge will provide a framework for our conversation by sharing personal perspectives on his discoveries and the call to action that they frame. The roundtable will convene key stewards of the Global SoL Community to share their perspectives on the possibilities for collective action.

    Practitioner Roundtable:
  • Salim Al-Aydh
  • Sherry Immediato
  • Adam Kahane
  • SoL Executive Committee Representative