“Building People to Build Nations” for the Next 20 Years

From July 5-8 more than fifty people from most of our REI countries will gather in Colorado Springs to attend the REI Global Forum to continue the conversation and complete the work that began during the 2010 Strategic Thinkers’ Forum.

In December 2010 REI convened its first international strategy meeting—a Strategic Thinkers’ Forum—to re-think REI’s mission, vision, values, beliefs, and acceptable practices. Twenty-one people were in attendance representing field staff, field leaders, board members and REI’s leadership team. One of the goals of the Strategic Thinkers’ Forum was to identify, synthesize, and prioritize the fundamental principles on which to build REI in the future. It was vital that everyone owned the organization’s mission, values, and beliefs for themselves and engage in practices that were fully consistent with REI’s brand.

The Strategic Thinkers’ Forum was hugely successful. Participants worked hard and expressed gratitude for the work they accomplished, and were excited about the future of REI. The Strategic Thinkers’ Forum was just the beginning. From July 5-8 more than fifty people from most of our REI countries will gather in Colorado Springs to attend the REI Global Forum to continue the conversation and complete the work that began during the 2010 Strategic Thinkers’ Forum.

The Global Forum will be held at the Sundance Mountain Lodge in Monument, Colorado. The following topics will be discussed by forum leaders and participants:

– REI’s integrated, holistic approach to work, its implications for our teams, and its impact on the nationals with whom we work.

– Approaching our work in a way that benefits the person, the family, the community, and the nation.

– Finding the right people to partner with in our receiving countries.

– Empowering people to break through the cultural shackles that bind them without replacing them with our own.

– Approaching our work with the intent of passing on skills and character so that the benefit is sustainable for future generations.

– Cultivating a desire in one nation to benefit its neighbors and other nations.

Discussions held during REI’s upcoming Global Forum will play a vital role in clarifying REI’s identity and future focus, with the ultimate goal being to continue “building people to build nations” for the next 20 years—and to do it even more effectively.