“Sailing against all odds – time to care and to repair”

The online international conference took place from the 20th to the 23rd of November with 28 workshops, two lectures, a Social Dreaming Matrix, Large Groups, and an homage to our dear colleagues Dr Gretel Leutz and Dalmiro Bustos, who passed away this year.

Three hundred registered participants from more than 50 countries participated, although their number changed considerably during the ongoing conference. As Hilde Gött and Manfred Jannicke wrote: “After mass conflicts and collective trauma, societies and all individuals need time and space to heal” – and so we did.

In the end, all those present agreed that they had contributed to a deep and inspirational process with many insights. Two lectures — the first joint one by Hilde Gött and Manfred Jannicke, and the second by Deniz Altinay — set the academic highlights. The four days spent together made for a strongly connecting experience based on a truthful “We.”

Thanks to the many different voices, emotions, and colours of our dialogue and its spirit of humanity, we felt the presence of our teachers and the transformation of violence into a bridge towards the future. I’ll close with all my gratitude, especially to Maite Pi and Wilma Scategny, but also to those dear friends and colleagues who accepted the challenge and offered their competence for the sake of our journey!

Webpage: www.arcapsychodrama.org

The emerging symbols during our event include: 

Crossing the fire on the back of a dolphin with our teachers in mind – Every connection has two ends; one might fail, but the other will be alive to render us hope – We cannot stay apart, in the box or the lighthouse, to restore justice – We will be there to find diamonds which sparkle and enter the body – Because there is love, which is the medicine, to look into the other’s eyes with tenderness and passion, to make Flamenco steps so firm, so beautiful and vibrant with the tune of life – While all the butterflies will carry on the way of our ship, we will repair the damage with starry dust, to see the sun behind the cloud.

So don’t hesitate; go on, with no land in sight, but with care and compassion!

Dr Jorge Burmeister

Former President IAGP.