The Symposium Arrives in Argentina

May 31, 2008 | By The Pachamama Alliance

The month of May, 2008, saw the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium extend its travels around the world, arriving in Buenos Aires where a significant body of engaged participants became a force for action and change in Argentina and beyond.

Inspired by a relationship and conversation between Pachamama Co-founder Lynne Twist and two Argentinean women, Juana Pereyra Iraola and Ana Lia Alvarez, the pair committed to holding the Symposium in Buenos Aires even before they had a chance to experience it first hand.  Through Juana’s and Ana Lia’s vision and dedication, with the support of a wonderful team, they organized and ran the Symposium for a gathering of more than 60 participants.

The event was conducted in Spanish and led by Lynne and Manuel Manga, a US-based Columbian and trained Symposium Facilitator, which provided a perfect blend of North and South. The response was overwhelmingly positive. As a result we now have over 20 participants wanting to be trained to facilitate the symposium further in Argentina as well as in Brazil and Ecuador.  A Facilitator Training has been scheduled for Buenos Aires in July, our first training to be held in Spanish.  Other participants have signed up to visit the rainforest with Pachamama in Ecuador and to continue to meet in local groups to support each other in action.

Juana’s and Ana Lia’s brilliant team in Buenos Aires also deserves a deep acknowledgement for translating the most recent video enhanced version of the Symposium and producing a Spanish sub-titled DVD. This powerful new version is now ready to be shared with the rest of the Spanish-speaking world.