In light of the current wave of extremes and intolerance of many kinds that the world is facing, we recently had the opportunity to talk with Professor Rajmohan Gandhi after a public presentation he held in London. We asked him about his impressions on how to better deal with this troubling context, the keys to building trust and the role of Caux.

Listening to Professor Rajmohan Gandhi is a once in a lifetime experience. Not only because of the legacy he carries with him being one of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s, known as Mahatma Gandhi, grandchildren, or his most renown, accurate and balanced biographer. It is also because of his own worldview and ideas about today’s world challenges.

About 350 people gathered last Thursday 20 April in London for an event convened by Initiatives of Change to listen to the 81-year old professor, who in a humble and simple way shared his perspectives about the issues affecting the UK, Europe and the world.
Listening to each other, acknowledging that no group is better, or realizing that hatred must be addressed in all circumstances were only three of many recommendations he offered during his speech. It all seemed simplistic and yet so meaningful and relevant in the context of extremes that we are living in nowadays. It is hard to believe at first sight that listening or dialoguing would be effective measures when dealing with violent extremism, war, forced displacement, polarization, exclusion, discrimination, just to mention some of the current phenomena. But these should be first steps.

“I don’t think that there can be a switch that we can turn on and we hope that these problems will be quickly solved", argued Professor Gandhi with a good dose of realism during an interview with us the day after his public intervention.

"That is not likely, he continued, but I think we should promote a culture where everyone is free to hold whatever view they want to hold, but we don’t encourage them to impose their view. A culture of tolerance, of non-coercion, of giving the other person complete freedom. If we can promote that, if we can practice that, that would be one way of countering this tendency of extremes in the world”, he stated."Hatred kills us, it doesn't kill the enemy". Professor Rajmohan Gandhi. London 20 April 2017
He also advocates for a world free of hatred. "Hatred kills us, it doesn't kill the enemy", convincingly asserted to the multifaceted audience the day before. However, during our interview he went beyond this argument, explaining that there is a necessary distinction to make between anger and hatred.

“Sometimes anger is a very necessary thing, I don’t think it should be a permanent thing, but it can be necessary when something terrible is happening”, he explained.

"We don’t want to soften the world; we don’t want a comfortable world. Yes, we want angry people to lose some of their anger; but we certainly want bitterness to go away”, he added. “Many of those who have become free of this hatred, still continue to fight for their convictions, to fight for justice, for equality”, he said.

"When we want to promote goodwill, compassion, love, forgiveness, we should remember that the justice component is also very important". People in different parts of the world or on different issues, he continued, have waited a very long time for justice. “We must recognize this reality and we must have the courage, when needed, to name an injustice. Naming an injustice is necessary to remove it”, he affirmed.

When asked about what it takes to build trust in the world, he replied emphatically:  “Listening is step number one, step number two, and step number three; we can never overdo listening to the other side, or to stories and issues, and relate them to what I am carrying in my heart”.

“If I listen to the sorrow, the pain and the longings of the world, that is the start of some kind of trust building”, he underlined. 

"Caux means hope"
As a former President of Initiatives of Change International (2009-2010) and linked to Caux since 1956, we asked Professor Gandhi what Caux means to him.

“It means hope. Hope that at least some steps will be taken that will bring us closer to some solution, to some healing, to some reconciliation; not hope that everything will become perfect, but hope that the next step is being found”.

“It also means the world; generally people of all kinds gather there", he said. Every summer since more than seven decades, hundreds of people from different backgrounds, origins and walks of life gather at Caux to discuss, share and reflect on topical issues. Last year more than 1'500 participants, from more than 100 countries attended the Caux Forum.

"When I think of Caux, I also think of how it was started by ordinary Swiss people and families that came together (in 1946) and through their sacrifice created this beautiful place”, recalled Professor Gandhi.

“There is now a tradition of frankness, people listening to other points of view, everybody feels comfortable there, nobody feels threatened, people can speak out without any embarrassment, without any fear. Caux plays a very helpful role in creating this atmosphere of non-coercion but also of friendship, of good expectancy from one another”, he explained. 

“Again and again in Caux, I’ve been reminded of the decisions that I made. It has always been a time of discovery about myself, of my shortcomings; but above all, Caux gives me perspective and renewal”, he concluded. 

The Caux Forum, formerly called the Caux Conferences, provides a safe and privileged space to inspire, equip and connect individuals, groups and organisations from around the world to engage effectively and innovatively in the promotion of trust, ethical leadership, sustainable living and human security.

This summer, the Caux Forum seeks to develop the human potential in global change and all of its events will focus this year on addressing extremes of all kinds.

Learn more at here.

In the context of a drought that has put three million people in need of emergency food aid and killed millions of livestock, the second annual ‘International Dialogue on Land and Human Security in Kenya’ was held in an effort to mitigate conflict and reverse environmental degradation in the region.

This Dialogue comes at a critical time, when we face challenges of insecurity caused by resource scarcity,’ said H E Alex Tolgos, Governor of Elgeyo Marakwet County. ‘Scarcity of food, pasture and water has resulted in a brother turning against a brother. ‘We have lost 100 lives in the last year due to conflict [in this County]’, Governor Tolgos continued. ‘We cannot afford to continue as before. We need a mind-set shift to address the problems in a sustainable way.’

Governor Tolgos was one of many speakers at the event, hosted by the County Government and inspired by Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace. Fifty participants, including national agency and county government officials, traditional elders and civil society representatives, gathered to address the theme of ‘Conflict mitigation through sustainable development’.

Member of the International Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace (ILLP) Steering Committee Dr Alan Channer shared that, ‘These Dialogues were started because we know that the vicious cycle of environmental degradation and conflict can be reversed. Reviving degraded land, improving water management, restoring trust between people – these can heal entire ecosystems and give life to communities and the Earth in all its fullness.’

All the participants lit candles in memory of the lives lost due to ethnic clashes and cattle rustling in the region.

Deputy Governor Dr Gabriel Lagat, whose vision had first brought the dialogues from Caux (the Initiatives of Change conference centre in Caux, Switzerland) to Kenya, concluded the gathering by urging participants to adopt 30 recommendations. These include strengthening the role of Councils of Elders so that they can help mediate disputes and making the ‘Dialogues on Land and Security’ an annual event rotating in the affected counties of Kenya.

Highlights of the Dialogue were broadcast on national television primetime news.

The Dialogue was funded by the Elgeyo Marakwet County Government, the National Land Commission, Kenya Commercial Bank and Transnational Bank.

This article is an excerpt from a full report written by Dr Alan Channer & Simon Thuo.

The CAUX-IofC Foundation is sorry to announce the passing of Pierre Spoerri, one of its former council members, in Zurich, on 22 February 2017.

Pierre Spoerri was the son of Professor Theo Spoerri, one of founding fathers of the Caux conference centre, famous for his public involvement with the Gotthard League in the 1940’s.

Pierre Spoerri, who was born in 1926, first studied medicine at the universities of Geneva and Zurich but gave up his studies to start working ‘full-time’ with Moral Rearmament in 1946. He travelled extensively Asia, the Middle East and Africa, writing, reporting for European newspapers and working with Moral Re-Armament/Initiatives of Change. Later, for many years, he and his German wife, Fulvia née von Hahn, settled down in Bonn to serve and inspire the German politicians in the spirit of further developing peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts initiated by MRA after WWII.

At the same time he and his wife were for many years among those responsible for the international conferences of Initiatives of Change in Caux, Switzerland.

His published books include Keine Zeit für Stille Zeit, Dynamik der Vergebung, Die Kunst mit dem andern zu leben (with his father, Theophil Spoerri), Rediscovering Freedom (with Dr. John Lester) and Mein Vater und sein Jüngster. And just last year, Frank Buchman and the Germans.

He will be remembered as a man of great intelligence and dedication, deeply committed to make the world a better place through the dynamics of personal and global change, and by many as an insightful mentor, example and friend.  

The Farewell Service will be Thursday 9 March, 2pm at the French Reformed Church in Zurich, Switzerland.

The Caux Conferences are now the Caux Forum, offering an enhanced Caux experience and providing more space for training and dialogues.

Through its events, training programmes and dialogue, the Caux Forum, formerly known as the International Caux Conferences, is a platform for change. It is a unique place where ideas flourish and where people from different walks of life are brought together to find inspiration, to connect with one another and to themselves. The new visual identity of the Caux Forum, through its amorphous shapes and the way they are combined together, symbolizes growth, bloom, harmony and the idea of coming together. All of the colors represent the different events taking place during the summer, as well as all the different partnerships and diversity of the Caux Forum.

The Caux Forum aims to develop the human potential in global change and all of its main events will focus this year on addressing extremes of all kinds. 

Registration for the Caux Forum 2017 is now open!

The only constant is change!
Caux Winter Gathering 2016/17

Most people will agree that the time between Christmas and New Year is special. Not only because of candles, decorated trees and gifts, but also because it’s a time that naturally seems to invite each of us to look back on what has been, to touch base with what is important in our lives and to prepare ourselves for the new  year to come.

So what happens when 85 people from 16 different countries, 4 continents, various backgrounds and all age groups come together to take time and reflect on change and its impact on their lives?

This year’s edition of the Winter Gathering in Caux offered presentations, discussion groups, daily art projects, music, times of quiet and moments of fun while glorious sunshine provided the perfect setting for breath-taking views on Lake Geneva.

The reflection times and plenary sessions each morning set the tone for the day, giving input and food for thought that was picked up again in the lively community groups which met every afternoon. These groups were precious moments for all participants – adults, teenagers and children- to get to know each other, work together, share personal stories and exchange ideas.

2500 years ago the Greek philosopher Heraclitus stated: « The only constant is change. » If that is true - where does that leave us, as individuals, a part of society, our nations and the world? How do we deal with these constant changes, whether we want them or not?

In rapidly changing societies intercultural communication is more important than ever. In her keynote speech on day 1, Sylvia Agbih (Germany), PhD candidate in a research project on health care for refugees in Germany, challenged the audience to reflect on the question of personal identity, awareness of others and how we deal with the clash of different concepts of culture in the society we live in. She underlined that even if human nature tends to simplify life in order to digest and interpret an overflow of information, we can learn to step back, reflect and let people tell their story in order to understand them better. Her conclusion was positive: We CAN change!

Her husband Paul Agbih (Nigeria/Germany) also gave a valuable lesson in intercultural understanding. He first shared negative experiences of his life as a Nigerian in Germany, only to interrupt himself saying: « But I do not believe in one-sided stories. They demonize the other and it limits us. You need the other side of the story to get the full picture of what is going on. » He then went on giving examples of positive encounters, leaving smiles on everybody’s faces.

The second day addressed change from a more personal angle based on the assumption that if we are all “children of our time”, we are not only shaped by society but also by the family we grew up in. Ragna Reuter, a doctor from Germany, said about communication within her family: « Misunderstandings start very easily.  It usually takes much longer to solve them."

The plenary session on day 3 opened with a challenge: « How many planets does it take to support your lifestyle? » After the participants had taken a test to find out how sustainable their current lifestyle actually is, positive examples of recent projects and start-ups showed how ordinary people can do extraordinary things to change the world they live in. « We need to improve people’s knowledge on what they can actually do to make things change!» underlined the facilitators Dafne Manzano (Spain), Martin Healey (Germany) and Diego Vargas Diaz (Mexico).  Christoph Keller (Switzerland), facility manager of the Caux Palace, explained how, according to CAUX-IofC’s commitment to sustainability, the building’s new heating system (80% wood / 20% fuel oil) has managed to reduce the building’s carbon footprint substantially.

Day 4 explored the challenge of making room to enable change. Participants were divided into groups tackling a series of tasks in various parts of the building. The results were then “translated” into daily life, like the question “How do we know when enough is enough - or even too much?”, using the example of an empty glass the participants had to fill with water with their eyes closed, without spilling water or making it overflow.

On 31 December it was time to look back – and also ahead. A slideshow on the main world events 2016 reminded the audience not only how much and how quickly we actually forget. It also pictured clearly that the world we live in changes all the time.

2016 came to an end with every participant handing over a self-made party hat especially made for another participant. 85 different hats for 85 different people – a perfect way to show diversity at its best!  

Lauren Beckwith (USA), a student in international studies, about her first experience in Caux :
“The topics were great and made me reconsider my personal perspectives. I learned much about myself through my reactions to other people.

I loved being part of a team. We served breakfast and I was pleased that I was free after that. But I also learned to be thankful for the service other people did in the house so that I was able to enjoy the rest of the day. In Caux I felt people were listening to me and that what I said really mattered. It feels really good to have people who listen to you. I now feel very motivated.”

Marie-Christine Nibagwire (Rwanda/United Kingdom), a Church of England minister and founder of “Saferefugerwanda”, came to Caux as a single mother with her children:  
“I had to leave Rwanda in 1994 because of the genocide where I lost my home and many family members. I came to Caux because every year my children would say: ‘How come we are on our own on Christmas Day? What was Christmas like when you were a child in Rwanda?” In the end they were becoming so frustrated for not having many family members on Christmas that even a Christmas tree did not mean much to them. 

When I heard of Christmas and the Winter Gathering at Caux, I felt it would be an answer to our prayers. We came, hoping to be part of the Caux extended family and our dream came to pass.  We were about 60 people from more than 15 nationalities.  We did the Christmas tree together, sang carols, played games and exchanged presents.

My children and I came back home full of joy, thanking everyone who organised the event and all those who embraced us and made us feel like members of their families.”

Winter Gathering, Caux

Report: Ulrike Ott Chanu

Photos: Diana Topan

The CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation (CAUX-IofC) usually takes advantage of the winter season to maintain its historical heritage site and make its facilities more environmental-friendly, in line with its commitment to sustainable living.

One of the main renovations of 2016 was restoring the tunnel through which runs the railway line Montreux – Les Rochers de Naye. The works began on August 29, 2016 and ended on November 20, 2016. It was the first time the railway gallery was ever renovated since its construction in the 1900s. "It was urgent to conduct such restoration because the tunnel was deteriorating and posing risks to both the traffic and the users," said Ludovic Lafont, Service Center Director at CAUX-IofC and supervisor of the project.

The works were completed in cooperation with the Building, Heritage and Logistics Department of the Canton de Vaud in order to ensure that the new tunnel was in compliance with historical standards. The railway re-opened in mid-November, enabling locals, tourists and visitors to travel again safely. Overall, the cost of the project was about CHF 800,000 for which the responsibility lies entirely with the Foundation. We would like to extend a warm thank you to all the private donors who supported the project.

In 2017, the Foundation will conduct further renovation works, notably in the terrace promenade and its archway. This project will last for several years and its goal is to make the promenade look like it was originally intended to. In particular, the damaged esplanade and the stone wall will be fully repaired and restored. As the owner of the Caux Palace, the CAUX-IofC Foundation has been constantly and permanently renovating the estate since the 1980s, whether by refurbishing the rooms and interior of the Palace or as part of a bigger project such as restoring the terrace.

Simultaneously, the CAUX-IofC Foundation contracted E Celcius Group to build a new remote heating station, which was inaugurated on October 26, 2016. The plant provides thermal energy to the Caux Palace and its annexes as well as to the neighboring Rose-Croix School. The two oil-fired boilers that date back to 1988 were no longer meeting the pollution standards and were therefore replaced by a new boiler room, which is 80% wood-fired and 20% oil-fired. The works started in July 2015 and lasted about a year. Setting up such a boiler room in the rather small space of the Caux Palace’s basement was not an easy task. Quite a few difficulties had to be overcome to enable the installation of the new heating system.

This ecological project marks an important milestone for CAUX-IofC's commitment to sustainable development. "This will help us save about 600 tons of fossil-based CO2 per year," said Christoph Keller, Facility Manager at CAUX-IofC. "The wood used for the fuel comes from the region, which allows us to reduce both transportation and CO2 emissions, while supporting the local economy."

This is how the Caux Palace has been maintained and refurbished over the years in order to ensure the preservation and sustainability of this unique place. Help us preserve our heritage and support our mission!

On Monday 5 December 2016, together with 17 other NGOs, IofC International was granted Observer Status to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Council. Rainer Gude, Chargé de Mission in Geneva read a statement at the 107^th  IOM Council, about the importance of this collaboration to enhance trust building efforts to “de-mystify” prejudices around migration and strengthen the collective efforts for peace.

This observer status grants IofC International the opportunity to be a non-voting participant at these important meetings of States discussing the most pressing issues pertaining to migration. 

Ambassador William Lacy Swing, Director General of IOM, who was also the key note speaker at the official opening of the latest 2016 Caux Conferences, said that “a renewed appreciation for migrants for their collective and individual contributions to society is urgently needed so we can come back to a public discourse that is much more historically accurate, namely that migration has always been overwhelmingly positive.”

The President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson, was the key note speaker  at this event also celebrating IOM’s 65^th anniversary. When speaking about the refugee and migration crisis he said, ““This challenge requires all of us to work collaboratively and compassionately. It requires us to apply the Golden Rule; to treat others as we would wish to be treated ourselves.” Click here for more info.

This goes hand in hand with IofC’s approach, linking the personal to the global. Through IofC’s work in creating spaces for dialogue with diaspora communities, trust building workshops between migrants and local communities, seminars to allow for healing the past in both conflict and non-conflict settings and much more, IofC is constantly working for and with migrants.

IOM and the CAUX-IofC Foundation have already been collaborating during the Caux Conferences, for their official opening in 2016, and for the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security, but also on IOM’s “I am a migrant” campaign, and on two human library events around migration organized by CAUX-IofC and IofC International in Geneva and in Bern.

The CAUX-IofC Foundation is looking forward to a continued collaboration with IOM to contribute to that “renewed appreciation for migrants” and collectively working for greater atmosphere of trust in Switzerland.

Peacebuilding is often seen as a sophisticated process, aimed at restoring the ways society deals with conflicts and at strengthening institutional capacities; a complex series of actions that require in-depth technical knowledge and bureaucratic maneuver abilities. But very often too, this highly institutional approach diminishes the individual role that anybody can and should play to build peace, whether it is at their family and community level or broader.

With this approach in mind, and as part of the third edition of the Geneva Peace Week, we recently co-hosted with the United Nations Library in Geneva an interactive dialogue titled “The Personal Toolbox of a Peacebuilder”.  About 50 participants had the opportunity to learn from and interact with three outstanding peacebuilders, each of them with an extensive and practical experience on what it takes to engage for peace.

Jens Wilhelmsen, who spent decades working for reconciliation after World War II, said that “identifying with others is one of the preconditions for being a peacemaker”. To effectively promote and work for peace, he explained, peacebuilders should approach with “humility”, take time to listen carefully to people and to their own conscience, summon courage and have honest conversations with those they mistrust and fear, and engage with a vision: if you don’t believe things will change, they will not, he concluded.

His grandson Jonathan Nelson, who shared the stage with him, acknowledged his grandfather’s virtue of always looking at his own conduct. “My 90 year old grandfather apologized after an argument we had… it surprised me. I learned that no matter your age you should always reexamine your behavior”, he stated.

Amina Khalid, a British Somali activist working for Initiatives of Change UK, explained about the importance of community dialogues to build trust and fight against divisions in the society. “There is much disunity and dysfunction between countries, within communities and even within families… peacebuilding and reconciliation is right at the center, at the heart, of what we need today”, she asserted.

Displaying a powerful performance based on real stories and characters, Dr. Rama Mani took participants on a journey of conflicts, war and suffering that she has come across during her life as a researcher and a peacebuilder and from which she has developed her own tools. Her approach for peacebuilding remains simple, yet inspiring: witness what is, listen to people, suspend judgment, envision change, and enact transformation.

After an exchange between participants and peacebuilders, an open toolbox placed in the middle of the UN Library Room was filled with handwritten tools. Choose the most useful ones for your own peacebuilding work!

For the latest edition of our Human Library event, this time in Bern, we asked five human books to share their personal stories of migration with the local audience. About 40 participants attended the event and interacted with the human books in a unique way, getting to know how each of them has dealt personally with migration.     

The Human Library in Bern was the last of a series of events organized for the 70th anniversary of the CAUX-Initiatives of Change (CAUX-IofC) Foundation. It took place in the University of Bern Library.

Each Human Book (storyteller) was invited to sit in a separate room of the library and to tell their story for 10 minutes, followed by a Q&A segment for the same length of time. Participants could repeat this process once in order to listen to up to 2 books.

Stories covered a wide range of personal experiences:

Ahmed Al’Dbei, a civil engineer and refugee from Yemen, found refuge in Saudi Arabia in 2014. He shared his story of coming to Switzerland and speaking about human rights violations in Yemen at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In doing so, his emergency visa for Saudi Arabia was revoked and he could not return home to his family. Now under a special status while awaiting review of his case for more than a year now, Ahmed is not allowed to work or volunteer in Switzerland. This can be very frustrating as he would like to be able to help others and lead a regular life.

Bawélé Tchalim, a project coordinator at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Bern from Togo, shared several stories from his career and also spoke of the difficulty of meeting people in Switzerland because of linguistic and cultural barriers.

Hassan Hawar, a refugee and computer science student from Syria,  spoke of his journey to Switzerland, by boat and by car from Turkey. German is his new language, which he speaks quite well after only a year of living in Bern. He now lives in Switzerland with his sister, while his parents and his brother still live in Damascus.

Vithyaah Subramaniam, a Swiss of Tamil origin who spoke about her will to help new migrants in Switzerland as her duty, being a second generation migrant herself.

Bernadette de Dardel, who was in charge of doing interviews and approving or refusing asylum requests at the Swiss Secretariat for Migration during 30 years, expressed the difficulty of determining the truth in each asylum seeker’s story as well as the dilemmas of having to refuse certain asylum claims.

The event ended with a closing aperitif where participants were invited to share their thoughts and impressions about the stories with each other.

Sharing and exchanging personal experiences is a different way to deal with migration from a  more human-focused approach and the Human Library proved once again to be a small but a very important step to build trust between migrants and local communities, groups which not often have the opportunity to talk to each other. 

The Swiss Responsible Business Initiative will be presented to the Swiss authorities today. The 80 civil society organizations supporting the initiative share one common goal: Swiss quality must incorporate the protection of human rights and the environment.

The 120'000 valid signatures gathered for the Swiss Responsible Business Initiative will be handed over to the Swiss government today. The constitutional amendment proposed by the initiative is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, unanimously adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. The initiative compels Swiss-based multinational companies to undertake human rights and environmental due diligence in all their business activities abroad. In practice, companies will have to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address their adverse human rights and environmental impacts and those of the entities under their control. If a corporation does not fulfill its mandatory due diligence, it may be held to account for abuses committed by a subsidiary abroad.

Switzerland’s reputation is a major asset of its economy. Swiss quality stands for high standards, meticulousness and fair business relations. Companies benefitting from this reputation abroad must comply with international norms. In reality however, a number of Swiss-based companies still do not take into account the human rights and environmental impacts of their activities, nor do they take the appropriate steps to avoid or eliminate abuses. By bridging this current loophole, the Swiss Responsible Business Initiative seeks to ensure that the protection of human rights and the environment becomes an integral part of Swiss quality.

This initiative is part of a wider international trend towards binding rules for multinational companies. In recent months, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, as well as eight national Parliaments of EU Member States, have spoken in favor of mandatory human rights due diligence.

The Swiss Responsible Business Initiative is supported by a broad coalition of 80 civil society organizations, which will immediately begin to prepare for the referendum’s campaign. According to a recent survey, 89% of the population wants Swiss-based companies to be compelled to respect human rights and the environment abroad. Furthermore, 92% think that corporations should ensure that companies under their control do the same. Despite the lack of political action in this regard, these numbers indicate a wide public concern for corporate responsibility.