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Letter by IODA’s President 

Suzanne Zaldivar, USA

Dear wonderful IODA members,

We are all very excited about our upcoming conference in Stellenbosch/Cape Town South Africa, 6-8 September 2017. In true IODA spirit, this gathering of the global OD community promises to be both enlightening and inspiring. Its theme of thriving through difference is a critical one in these times of divisiveness and retreat to insularity. The conference promises to create a space where all feel welcome. Please do join us in what is sure to be an energizing and nurturing space to recharge and recall why we do the work we do. And please help us spread the word!

Current IODA initiatives

This is indeed a dynamic time for IODA. As part of our goal to co-create the global OD community, we have several initiatives that will strengthen our community:

  • Volunteers from around the world have been stepping up to help us re-vitalize our approach to social media and connectivity.

  • As part of our multi-year strategy to strengthen our structure, we will be opening up two new VP positions for election in the next few months: VP Partnerships and Affiliations and VP Special Projects & Initiatives.

  • We want to continue to draw on the wisdom of our community, so we will also be inviting IODA leaders to join what we are calling Circles of Involvement.

Stay tuned for more on these initiatives. If you want to step up your involvement and share your creativity – let us know!

Your membership matters

Finally, if you are already a paid member of IODA, thank you for your support. For those who are not, we invite you to renew your membership now. Your support for IODA is support for the important work being done by OD practitioners around the world. We strive to create a truly welcoming, compassionate and diverse world where all voices matter and we can truly be present to one another.

We are reminded of the words of Nelson Mandela:

“I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity. No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than the opposite.”

Be part of the movement to bring wholeness back to our world.

Suzanne Zaldivar, USA – IODA President