On…a New Year’s Revolution

Tangible Ireland’s  first of 2012’s eight Leadership Seminars focused our attention on a shared vision for the island of Ireland: “proud, peaceful & prosperous”.  Ray Sexton said we were Plotting the Evolution in Howth; “Revolution” was the slip of an eight year old!  We’ve elevated it to our 2012 mission.

As usual, in venues from Dublin to New York, Belfast to London, Limerick to South Armagh, the agenda begins with what is happening locally.

  • Volunteers at the Howth Phoenix Project are leading the way in proposing a property redevelopment scheme
  • Friends of Balscadden Bay have a focus on renewing local interest in and use of the beach and bay. Perfectly suited to dovetail with the promotion of regional travel and tourism.
  • The privately run Healthpro organization has evolved their corporate vision to include a community effort. They run triathlons and activities which showcase the beauty and amenities of the area.
  • The forward thinking folks at Howth Castle’s Cookery highlighted the modern use of an historic venue as a magnet for locals and tourists to gather.

Our professional moderator, Carol Conway, kept our passions reined in to the allotted time and all this was delivered in the first hour!

Grounded in the beauty of the land and sea we moved to cyberspace!

  • A review of the entrepreneurial evolution of the Irish island’s economy at Emerald-Valley.com. This initiative pairs an incubation centre on the Newry border between Dublin & Belfast with a private inward investment effort, education and engagement with the global Irish village.
  • “Plotting the Digital Future” was an update on a private effort to write a meaningful National Digital Policy for the Republic. Finally, joined up thinking from the ground up!
  • Insights, evolutionary and revolutionary of a serial tech entrepreneur closed the Technology Evolution hour. An overview of business start-up successes with an optimistic review of the benefit of living and working abroad and returning the wiser.

Closing the day with an overview of the Global Evolution we heard two of the most powerful presentations:

  • Matters of the Diaspora
  • Go, Educate all Nations

What do a college president and professional fundraiser have in common?  Passion and commitment to prosperity achieved by harnessing the energy of the Irish at home and abroad.

“It takes community to form people” in the words of the educator. “Moving our minds from getting to giving” in the words of our expert on networking with the Diaspora.

Redefining our community, leading by example and creating alliances with like minded people around the world will involve committed ambassadors trained to network and lead.

The remittances of a century ago, the investment we sought in past decades were a hand up. These relationships allowed us to engage in the global economy and we learned.

Now our technologies, our businesses and our children are able, willing and ready to fully participate in global markets. We are able to provide opportunities here and create them for ourselves abroad.

We have established networks to share in a global economy. Our 21st century task is to leverage them.

This is the message of Tangible Ireland. I and Empowering Change are always grateful to be recharged by them!

For details of the agenda and future meetings:

http://tangibleireland.com/tangible-blog/blog/plotting-the-evolution.html