there's more to amplification than just noise

I sign up this afternoon for the first in the new season of Amplified Leicester events at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre. This coming Wednesday, Prof. Sue Thomas is speaking on "How to be an Amplified Individual". In today's Leicester Mercury Sue has the "First Person" column. Here's the text from today's paper:

Prof Sue Thomas, of the Institute of Creative Technologies at De Montfort University, goes in search of superheroes

For some, amplifying yourself is just about getting louder, but according to Californian thinktank, The Institute for the Future, there's a lot more to amplification than making noise.

According to The Institute, "New technologies of cooperation are combining to create a generation of 'amplified individuals' - workplace superheroes. In some cases, they will compete with traditional organisational models; in others they will amplify capabilities of organisations where they already work.''

So how do you become a workplace superhero? Or are you one already? It seems that the amplified workers of the future share several important characteristics: They are very social people, who don't just share what they know, but are also not afraid to ask for information, help and advice when they need it. They might do this the modern way, via the people they know on Facebook and Twitter, or perhaps they simply adopt the time-honoured methods of personal networks across businesses and communities.

They work well in groups and collaborate with partners online and offline. And they know how to improvise when necessary, creating relationships and infrastructures quickly and on the fly when the situation demands rapid action.

Lastly, they are not afraid to extend their abilities with tools that help them stay in touch with their networks and sources of knowledge, so that they can quickly access and process information. The Institute for the Future is deeply embedded in Silicon Valley culture and it takes some perseverance to get past some of the West Coast language in its research, but it's worth the effort because there are real insights to be found in the list of skills required of an 'amplified individual'. These are skills you probably already have, but have not recognised in quite this way.

For example, how is your "Cooperation Radar"? Are you one of those people who can sense intuitively which of your colleagues would work together best on a particular task?

And how would you rate your "Ping Quotient'"? Are you quick to respond when people contact you? Are you comfortable in many different kinds of social and business milieus, and do you adopt different communication styles appropriate to differing situations? These different ways to understand what many of us already do well can be useful in the workplace where such skills are increasingly important. Earlier this year, 30 Leicester citizens participated in the Amplified Leicester project at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre. Involvement in the first stage was by application only, but now Amplified Leicester is hosting a series of talks and conversations which are free and open to the public. The first meeting looks at 'How to be an Amplified Individual'. Its at 7pm this Wednesday, September 22 in the Etc Suite at Phoenix Square. It's free to attend but please register via http://www.amplifiedleicester.com/.

Find out more about Amplified Leicester (and sign up if you like the look of it - you don't need to be in, or anywhere near, Leicester)
http://ampleic.ning.com/

Nagarjuna Buddhist Centre revisited

A brief meeting at Nagarjuna Buddhist Centre early this afternoon with Kadam Chris Heyes (Resident Teacher) and Chogma (Education Officer). We're following up on initial contact made yesterday at the Centre's Open Day. We spoke about common interests and ways in which their community and the Council of Faiths might be able to work alongside each other. I show them the blog entry I wrote yesterday about their Open Day; they're pleased with it, though I have to correct a few misspelled names! I look forward to adding some photos to that entry too.

Find out more about Nagarjuna Kampada Buddhist Centre in Leicester:
http://www.meditateinleicester.org/

NAGARJUNA KADAMPA BUDDHIST CENTRE OPEN DAY

At the newly opened Nagarjuna Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Guildhall Lane for their Open Day, 1100-1600. I've been familiar with the name of this group in through the centre they run in Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, but wasn't aware that they have a long association with Leicester, dating back some 18 years, when they had a centre in the Knighton district of the city.

The premises are certainly impressive, with a big, open and bright reception area leading into a cafe of the highest professional standard (with an imaginative and impressive vegetarian menu) that's open to the public 1000-1600 Monday to Saturday and a book and gift shop on the ground floor. I join a 15-minute tour of the building, starting in the meditation room which would easily seat over 60 people and is adorned with statues and images, the significance of which are explained to us by our guide. Then we go upstairs to a large meeting hall, where (for today only) there are various fund-raising stalls (tombola, cakes, retro clothing and bric-a-brac) and an art demonstration. I get a veggie hot dog with onions and mustard and enjoy a brief chat with Lekmo, a nun who lives at the centre.

St Katharine's Building, where the Centre is located, used to be part of the complex of properties belonging to Leicester Grammar School before it moved out to its new site in Great Glen. A visual record of the transformation of the building for its present use (in a slide series on show in the cafe today) testifies to the amount of work they've put into making it this good. We're told that the big blue door which serves as the entrance to the Centre had been sealed up on the inside and hadn't been used for twenty years.

As well as the fine premises, friendly people, warm and professional welcome, I have to give a nod to the Centre's full and imaginative programme of activities. They're running lunchtime meditation sessions every day of the week; more in-depth weekly classes on Monday evenings; day courses (topics including "Experience Inner Peace", "The Art of Enlightenment", "Finding Stillness", "The Kind Heart"); and weekend meditation retreats. I particularly fancy what they're calling, "Stop the Week ... Start the Weekend" - a relaxation meditation followed by a three-course vegetarian meal. The Centre is being promoted as an island of calm in the middle of the city - and a jolly good thing that'll be too!

I'm going back tomorrow at noon, to have a talk with Kadam Chris Heyes, Resident Teacher at the Centre. There are a few ways in which we might be able to work together, such as during the week-long Leicester Speaks event (October) and during National Inter Faith Week in November. Barry Naylor (the Urban Canon) and I have also discussed making some sort of "Spirituality Trail" through the city centre, taking in Leicester Cathedral, the Jain Centre, the Dark Side Cafe in Cank Street (meeting place for local Pagans) and this new Buddhist Centre. In particular I mention the next meeting of Cathedral AM this Wednesday (21 October). The Nagarjuna Kadampa Buddhist Centre would appear to fit right in with the kind of organisations that attend that event so I'll obtain an invitation for them.

PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE FAITH IS RESPECTED

This is Bishop Tim Steven's First Person column, published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Proud to live in a city where faith is respected

After a US pastor threatens to burn the Qur'an, the Bishop of Leicester speaks up for religious tolerance

This week was the ninth anniversary of 9/11. The occasion was overshadowed by the furore surrounding the threat by a hitherto anonymous pastor called Terry Jones to burn 200 copies of the Qur'an.

Pastor Jones is the head of a small evangelical Christian church in Florida called the Dove Center and his threats were in response to the plan to build a mosque close to where the Twin Towers once stood. The poet Andrew Motion said that "book-burning is first and foremost a monumental manifestation of intolerance". Pastor Jones' threatened book burning and lack of tolerance has resulted in inflamed emotions and heightened tension across the globe. His actions have been widely condemned by leading Americans from President Obama downwards.

This week's events in America are a far cry from the mood of the nation during President Obama's inauguration in January 2009, the theme of which was 'Hope'. In his augural speech, President Obama urged Americans to acknowledge the power of faith and its diversity as a positive rather than a negative force in shaping people's lives.

This theme was reflected in a statement issued this week by Christians and Muslims in Leicester in response to Pastor Jones' threats. In a joint statement, faith leaders committed themselves to continuing to build strong interfaith relations in the city and county and urged Muslims and Christians to work alongside each other to overcome bigotry and prejudice.

Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, said that "the burning of any religious scripture is a degrading act which all of us must speak out against''.

This week, civic leaders in Leicester and Leicestershire also committed themselves to 'unity of purpose' when they signed a new charter which expresses a wish for a society where all people can live together in peace and prosperity. By signing the charter, the leaders have committed themselves to the development of "a thriving and cohesive society of many communities, cultures, faiths and beliefs, working together for its continued success for ourselves, our children and for future generations''.

The planned actions of the pastor of the Dove Center do not reflect the true values and beliefs of Christianity whose greatest commandment is that "we love one another''.

I am proud to live and work in a city where faith is respected and where we as Christians are able to live in peace with our friends from other faiths. I hope and pray that in Leicester and Leicestershire we will continue to stand together against hatred and violence and promote harmony in our common life.

JESUS LOVES LEICESTERSHIRE

A big musical performance by a big band on a big stage this morning, in front of the big TV on Humberstone Gate. The LED above the performers says "Jesus loves Leicestershire": I do hope so!

LEICESTER SPEAKS: 2

At Leicester Adult Education College, Wellington Street, this morning for the latest meeting of the group planning Leicester Speaks - our city's iteration of Local Democracy Week. This morning we're concentrating on the Big Launch and promotion of the event. Smaller number today, but everyone has something strong and positive to contribute. As well as Parmjit Basra, from Leicester City Council Adult Skills and Learning Service, who is leading the project, there's Jiten Anand and Shakti Sharma (TouchRainbow Productions), Ted Cassidy (Head of Partnerships, De Montfort University; Chair, Phoenix Square Film & Digital Media Centre), Bez Killeen (Active Involvement Youth Worker, Leicester City Council) and Kate Merrett (Office and Projects Manager, LeicestHer Day Trust)

The website is well advanced (though will be getting a major overhaul in the week ahead), a brochure has been designed (which will bear the Council of Faiths logo alongside those of other stakeholders and partners) and we discussed some other promotional materials to reach as wide a range of people as possible. We talked about a launch event too, though I won't spill the beans on that right now. Suffice to say that our launch would come on the third day in a row that the city centre will have been used as the site for some public event (proposed demonstration by the English Defence League on Saturday 9, Leicester Marathon on Sunday 10).

All I'll say just now is that the launch of Leicester Speaks will surely be the smallest of these and should cause much less disruption.

National Inter Faith Week 2010: aims

Lots of time this morning for thinking about the forthcoming National Inter Faith Week, following yesterday's welcome news that we'll be exhibiting in Highcross again. I look back over the blog to remind myself of the aims for the week, as declared by the Inter Faith Network UK:

• to strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels;
• to increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society;
• and to increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious belief.

Nine weeks to go - not forgetting that there's the Council of Faiths contribution to "Leicester Speaks" (AKA Local Democracy Week) to organise in the meantime!

Papal visit: how's it playing in Leicester?

Up much too early (the paper is delivered here at 0430 each morning, which combines with the occasional touch of night time hypoglaecemia to keep me out of bed), I read with interest The Guardian's coverage of the visit of Pope Benedict. I'm wryly surprised to see two of our local worthies commenting on the speech given by the Supreme Pontiff at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Suleman Nagdi, for the Federation of Muslim Organisations, and Allan Hayes, President of the Leicester Secular Society and the first humanist chaplain to the city's Lord Mayor, feature in an article entitled, "Papal visit: Linking the godless to a lack of values is wrong, say critics: Humanists, Christians, Jews and Muslims speak out for the 'common good' after pope's speech to Queen at Holyrood". As well as quoting both men at length, the article has positive things to say about them, the organisations they represent and Leicester in general.

Read the article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/16/papal-visit-linking-godless-lack-values-wrong

To Be Creative autumn social

To the LCB Depot, Rutland Street early evening, for the autumn social gathering, "To Be Creative". A lot of "creatives" (some of them distinctly quirky - and a few who have written their areas of specialisation on their sticky badges are beyond quirky) meet to enjoy a free drink (first one only) and to discuss possible areas of collaboration. There's a decent turn out and it's nice to see some weel kent faces (as well as some nice new ones too). Kate, Claire, Lucia et al put a lot of time and effort into occasions like this and they deserve all the props going.

I stay only an hour and slink off just as the more formal presentations begin. Much as I enjoy networking, I'm now in that phase where I need to do the work that has arisen out of my earlier networking efforts!

INTER FAITH WEEK: RETURN TO HIGHCROSS

We receive confirmation from Highcross this afternoon that they're willing and able to accommodate our exhibition for a second year during Inter Faith Week (Sun 21 - Sat 27 November). Once again we'll be in the Lower Mall but near the escalators in front of John Lewis this time. What with being a week later than last year and that bit closer to the great outdoors, it's going to be that colder; but I am very glad - and rather relieved - that Highcross has said yes to our request that they put us on show a second time.

In 2009 I had little notice to get everything ready for this event: that included commissioning the exhibition; finding a designer; writing copy for the banners, a new leaflet and rebooted website; raising funds to pay for it all, getting the exhibition and supporting material produced on time; doing the necessary paperwork for Highcross; obtaining the services of volunteers to front the display; publicise the event among the faith communities and in the media... Hopefully this time round, there won't be such a rush! The main exhibition is ready, we know what kind of giveaway material worked last time and I've got contact details for those who were good with the public (and each other) last time and who (hopefully) will want to do it again.

Oh, I can hardly wait! And I mean that most sincerely folks, I really do!