Why attend?
You were on the edge of what before so much changed? What were you doing and planning to do? How might participating in the International Conference on Thinking (ICOT) help you move forward to where you were heading or would now like to?
ICOT is an internationally renowned cross-disciplinary event with a rich history spanning 40 years of gatherings in cities around the world. It has attracted high-profile people from near and far who share their experiences and ideas along with lesser known and unknown people presenting and participants making a difference. It fosters deep, creative, and critical and lateral thinking, and introduces shared experiences and new thinking strategies and structures for positive growth and change. So much has changed for participants in previous ICOTs!
“We need creativity in order to break free from the temporary structures that have been set up by a particular sequence of experience.” - Edward de Bono
ICOT attracts a broad range of participants, including business people, educators, artists, social and business entrepreneurs, government officials, scientists, designers, professors, students, researchers, scholars and thinkers of many ages from different countries and cultures and with different life experiences too. It provides a unique opportunity for them and you to participate in rigorous discussion and learn from one another and have a laugh together too. Participants at ICOT have the opportunity to broaden and deepen their thinking, build on ideas, meet people who are making a difference, make new connections, share ideas, learn from one another and move forward. At ICOT 2024 all this will be possible during and between sessions, at social functions, while exploring Melbourne on Learning Journeys, and at pre-conference events. The conference’s online space is also a place for meeting people and exchanging ideas and knowledge.
In addition to the presenters, who will join you at coffee, meal breaks and activities, you are also likely to meet people with similar goals to yours, people with different experiences, people with skills you would like to learn, people who inspire you and who also challenge you. At the conference you are invited to participate actively, ask questions, share thoughts, voice your suggestions and ideas, and to stay in touch and continue the exchange after ICOT. So many new and powerful collaborations locally, nationally, and internationally have begun with discussions or chance meetings at previous ICOTs!
"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." - Henry Ford
"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking." - Albert Einstein
During the COVID pandemic, Melbourne, the most lockdown city in the world, saw decisions made and challenged, questions asked, expert advice sought and listened to, with many taking social responsibility for their neighbours and abiding by restrictions. Doing this is focussing on the consequences of their decisions and actions. Consequences and Sequels (C&S) is one of many of De Bono’s Cort thinking tools, looking ahead to see the consequences, immediate, short, medium and long term reactions/responses of plans, actions, decisions…
How life changing it has been to find “...the extraordinary in the ordinary” (Reggio Emilia expression), such as simply walking through parks without a mask, but wearing them in supermarkets, making arrangements to meet friends who live more than five kilometres away, and so much more after the many restrictions Melbournians experienced!
What else is happening in our world today? With war currently taking place, nuclear weapons are a real threat. Some of you may have joined the ICOT pre-event webinar with Professor Fred Mendelsohn, Tim Wright and Dimity, key members of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). They and the international ICAN team have not stopped working on this, with more countries ratifying this treaty and recently an international meeting in Vienna. You will receive updates on ICAN leading to ICOT and in person at ICOT in Melbourne in July 2024.
Most world changing ideas begin with one person. A person who has been thinking a lot and shares his/her ideas and works collaboratively with others with different knowledge and skills and a shared vision for the greater good can together make such a positive difference.
“The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society.” – Jack Kemp
Yet the opposite happens too. A person who shares his/her idea chasing personal power, fame or fortune should never be underestimated. We also know how quickly things can change. Yet one decision by a person or a group of people with wisdom, power and moral courage to take unpopular actions if necessary, with concern for the greater good and the trust and respect of people who follow these leaders, can enable positive change. Through too many natural crises we have learned to work together collaboratively and as individuals for the greater good.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
I look forward to welcoming you to ICOT 2024 in Melbourne.
For general enquiries, please contact Karin Morrison: karinm@icot2024.com