We first experienced the World Cafe at a "Be The Change" conference. Here was an important tool, simple, versatile and creative, and appealing to people right across the planet as well as right across social strata. Chapter Twelve of their superb book "The World Cafe" is entitled "The Call of Our Times: Creating a Culture of Dialogue".  It starts by quoting Institute for the Future:-

"Conversation is at the heart of the new enquiry.  It is perhaps the core human capacity for dealing with the tremendous challenges we face.  To engage in great civilization we need to ask questions that matter.  We cannot afford to spend our time on issues that can't hold our attention, that don't touch our hearts.  The culture of conversation is a different culture, one that could make a difference in the future of our world".

I'm using some material from the book and I'd like to quote more!  We're all looking for "win-win" scenarios, because we all have valid contributions, and we know that cooperation produces far more for everyone, both in satisfaction and in material gain, than does competition without cooperation.

The World Cafe invites participants to respond to key questions in small and friendly groups at tables, changing tables so as to increase "cross-pollination" of ideas. "It creates dynamic networks of conversation that can catalyze an organization's or community's own collective intelligence around its most important questions".

It works best with something like 20 to 200 participants, meeting occasionally. This simple but highly-regarded format could help us develop a wide support network, for mutual support for small local groups, to back up the online Forum, and to develop a deeper sense of identity. 

"Serendipity" led to the discovery of the seven principles that, taken together, work so well.  These principles are comparable to the "Ten Constants" which form the basis for Wisdom Circles.  None of the principles is new, yet together they seem to amplify the experience and raise the potential for problem-solving to a new level, a new paradigm.  Chapter Ten gives the "Principles for Hosting Conversations That Matter"...

Set the Context: Clarify the purpose and broad parameters within which the dialogue will unfold.

Create Hospitable Space: Assure the welcosming environment and psychological safety that nurtures personal comfort and mutual respect.

Explore Questions that Matter: Focus collective attention on powerful questions that attract collaborative engagement.

Encourage Everyone's Contribution: Enliven the relationship between the "me" and the "we" by inviting full participation and mutual giving.

Cross-Pollinate and Connect Diverse Perspectives: Use the living system dynamics of emergence through intentionally increasing the diversity of perspectives and density of connections while retaining a common focus on core questions.

Listen Together for Patterns, Insights, and Deeper Questions: Focus shared attention in ways that nurture coherence of thought without losing individual contribution.

Harvest and Share Collective Discoveries: Make collective knowledge and insight visible and actionable.