Wise Democracy Victoria
February 19, 2007

Dear
This invitation is extended to any one member of your household over 18 years of age.

Would you like to have your voice heard on issues you care about in your community?

We are an independent group of local citizens inviting you to engage in a new approach to community participation.

We invite you to join us in talking about issues that matter most to YOU. We want to understand the problems we face, dialogue respectfully, discover our sense of connectedness, and creatively invent new solutions that serve the common good.

Our group has come together to engage our neighbours in a new form of public conversation, called the "Wisdom Council," which provides an innovative approach to exploring the issues you feel are most important. The Wisdom Council is being organized by an enthusiastic group of Victoria citizens who care about the health of our democracy. Wisdom Councils were first used in the U.S. and have spread to Europe. Victoria is the first Canadian city to introduce this process.

You are one of a small number of people who have been chosen at random from the Victoria telephone book to participate in this exciting initiative. We hope you will take this opportunity to have your voice heard.

Please join us for a FREE information meeting on March 9th to learn exactly what we are doing, and to have your questions answered.



For Wise Democracy Victoria

Information Meeting

When: Friday March 9 at 7:00 pm
Where: 1831 Fern Street, Victoria
** Free refreshments and door prize **

RSVP in one of the following ways:
1) Please fill out the enclosed card and return it by March 5th or
2) Email: prana4 "at" shaw.ca or
3) Phone: 598-5917 or 598-0124 (9am –7pm)

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WHAT’S IN THE WISDOM COUNCIL EXPERIENCE FOR YOU?
Past participants have found that the Wisdom Council was one of the most memorable experiences in their lives. There is no pre-determined agenda or topic; what the Council members talk about and what they have to say is entirely up to them. Most people find it a liberating experience to be allowed to speak freely about issues that are important to them, and to feel that they are deeply heard. The energy generated among the members makes an unforgettable impression on them, and it often inspires the larger community as well.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE MARCH 9th INFORMATION MEETING?
You will learn about the process and have an opportunity to ask questions. Then we will draw names from those randomly selected to determine the twelve members of Victoria’s first Wisdom Council. There will be refreshments and a door prize.

WHAT IS THE VICTORIA WISDOM COUNCIL?
A Wisdom Council is a small group of randomly selected people who symbolically represent all the people of Victoria. The time commitment is short. Council members only meet for one Friday evening and one Saturday to discuss matters of their choice. A trained person will facilitate the discussion. Council members will discover what issues are most important to the group; they will explore possible solutions, and will create unanimous statements summarizing their work. The statements will be presented to the people of Victoria at an all-inclusive public meeting immediately following the Wisdom Council, on Saturday evening.
The intention is to receive the broadest possible publicity in the hope that it will generate a public discussion of the issues identified by the Council. In other communities, Wisdom Councils have often resulted in important changes for the better, and a reinvigorated sense of local democracy.
The first Wisdom Council is scheduled for Friday evening March 30th and Saturday March 31st.

WHO ARE WE?
We are a Victoria non-profit group (www.wisedemocracyvictoria.com), associated with the international Centre for Wise Democracy (www.wisedemocracy.org). All members are volunteers and local citizens of Victoria.

We hope to see you at the information meeting on March 9th, 7:00 pm at 1831 Fern Street.
If you have any questions, phone: Caspar 598-5917 or George 598-0124 (9am –7pm)