Gathering at the Oasis - A festival of belongingness, creativity, and presence

Friday, May 19 - Sunday, May 21, 2023
Online with workshops, panels, and of course Listening Hours!

During the last 3 years of the Listening Hours being created, the community of the LH has grown bigger and reached more people worldwide. More guides and practitioners are offering Listening Hours, and more stories have been heard and cherished.

This year our theme is “Gathering at the Oasis”. An oasis is a place to the refuge and connect to the source. What does it mean to you to gather at the Listening Hour oasis? How does the Listening Hour Oasis meet your needs? Here at the Listening Hour Oasis, what might you imagine?

This year it will be structured a bit differently. While we will continue to host Listening Hours and panels, this time we are adding workshops, and we are only opening LH guides and practitioners.

This is a moment the LH comes together from all over the World. Beginning on May 19th with an Opening Ceremony, we will close on May 21st with a Closing Ceremony. We welcome you to come as much as you are able. As before, the Listening Hour Festival is free of charge.

Beginning and going throughout the festival (outside the times for Opening and closing ceremonies, workshops, and panels) we will have Listening Hours ending at 9 pm EST on Sunday evening.

Festival Program

Friday, May 19

12:00 – 01:30 PM EST

Opening Ceremony

1:30 – 3:00 PM EST

Using the Listening Hour with Young people (panel)

Seniz Turan, panel Moderator

Please join us as we discuss the different ways Listening Hour is used with young people. Panellists: Polina Novikova (Ukraine), Büsra Köse (Turkiye), Dilan Demir (Turkiye), Mandisi Sindo (SA)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89701850714?pwd=bzhFZVBjaWZWTjQrSWVWdnVPL3BDUT09

Saturday, May 20

09:00 – 10:30 AM EST

Envisioning the Future of the Listening Hour (workshop)

Bea Somoghi, Hungary

In this 90-minute workshop, Come envision your next steps together.

Come closer

-a future telling workshop -

"In this Oasis,

where one Community or more stops.

Looking around, back and forward.

Take your place and time"

As we journey to this oasis together, how does it feel? What would you like to see as a next step for you as a guide? For the Listening Hour?

11:30 – 01:00 PM EST

Using the Listening Hour for trauma (panel)

Jennie Kristel, panel Moderator

Join us as we discuss ways in which the Listening Hour is used for and in moments of trauma as well as ways LH is and can be trauma informed.

Panellists: Polina Novikova, Sarah Urech, Vera Lachinova, Abdullah Jatal.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82832822338?pwd=Mjk5TndncVJ0ZUErbEhWQUR4dWE1UT09

02:30 – 04:00 PM EST

Using the Listening Hour for Professional Identity (workshop)

Hiromi Yoshikawa, Japan

Hiromi will guide participants to explore how the Listening Hour contributes to the development of professional identity for students and practitioners through shared experiences. Helpful for health care professionals and others.

11:30 – 1:00 PM EST

Using Symbols and Metaphors in the Listening Hour (workshop)

Xenia Malathraki, Greece

Symbols and metaphors are a place we can lean into for support , strength and containment. They are a place where we can all project and find ourselves. In this workshop we will explore their uses in the part of the reprise of a listening hour session.

Sunday, May 21