Next Steps
John Bridgeland picked up on the energy at the Convening and identified it as going beyond just a concern for an issue and building on a growing movement for change . He challenged participants to think big : “ How do we take what has been a gradual movement and make it a sudden firework on the national stage ?” The excitement generated during the Convening was later reflected in the feedback Partners received in the following weeks . Most impressive have been the conversation and collaborations among participants that were sparked by the Convening .
Drawing on both the ideas generated at the event and in the many discussions that followed , we identified four new initiatives that will continue to build this movement to activate historic sacred places to strengthen the civic life of communities . These ventures will require new partnerships among the critical players needed at the table to significantly impact these places and their communities . This agenda is ambitious , but that is what is needed to meet this critical moment and create significant and sustainable change .
One thread that ties together each of the initiatives described here is the importance of continuing conversation , deliberation , and convening . Participants in the Convening in April made it clear that structured and goal-oriented conversations and meetings among leaders from a broad array of sectors is unprecedented , and must be sustained for changes to be shaped and pursued .
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