- Quelle: BLE
Jonathan Cook is a training and communications specialist with wide experience of working in many fields from development to drama throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. His work with UN and EU projects and as a university lecturer in development communications has given him the opportunity of working with people from almost all countries of the world. Currently based in Italy, he divides his time between consultancy work in international development projects and directing a language and communications centre. He has acted as a facilitator for the International Leadership Workshop for Rural Youth since 1993.
- Quelle: BLE
'Acting' as a facilitator probably describes best how I see my role in the seminar. The role to me means bringing together groups of very different individuals who have never met before and to guide a process which helps them learn from each other, work and play together and in a short period learn to act together as a team of friends. This means putting on different hats to act sometimes as instructor, sometimes as manager, sometimes as participant and overall as a facilitator to make sure the process works. During the seminar, participants are able to openly share and discuss their different ideas and opinions through games and exercises, discussions and presentations in an atmosphere that encourages learning from each other and where everyone’s opinion is valued. I have been privileged to be a part of this extraordinary event since the early 1990s. It gives me a great opportunity to pursue my various interests in acting, teaching and learning, international development work and adventure all at the same time! As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said "A man can stand anything except a succession of ordinary days." The Herrsching experience is a succession of extraordinary days.
