About Us - What We Do & Who We AreOpen Future InstituteOFI ID-a982d60a-261a-4665-bb38-2d7d91ea662fOFI Board of DirectorsGerard SenehiPresident and Founder -- Gerard Senehi is a world-renowned mentalist and cultural change agent with a passion for expanding our notions of what’s possibleFrancesca RuscianiInterim Executive Director -- Francesca Rusciani brings over fifteen years of experience in corporate program management and strategic consulting to her role as Open Future Institute’s interim Executive Director. David AdlerDavid Adler is founder and CEO of BizBash Media, the trade media for professionals involved in the special events industry. His company publishes magazines and produces interactive media and events for the industry. Nazir AhmadNazir Ahmad is President of GivingWorks. He has provided strategic counsel to premier public service institutions including the World Bank, UNICEF, the Open Society Institute, and the National Commission on Energy Policy. Tracy GaryTracy Gary is a nonprofit entrepreneur and philanthropic and legacy adviser. She has co-founded 21 non-profits with multiple teams nationally and globally.Daniel StoneDaniel Stone is an organizational change consultant who has worked for forty years in non-profit, government, health care, education, and corporate sectors.OFI Advisory BoardKathy BayerPrincipal, KB Marketing Communications Consulting, Inc.Kevin ClarkFounder, Content Evolution LLCJoe DuffeyFormer President, American University, Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the HumanitiesPeter GeorgescuChairman Emeritus, Young & Rubicam, Author of The Constant ChoiceTerri HintonFounder, Evolutionary ConnectionsGary HattemDirector of Philanthropy, Deutsche BankPeter HopkinsFounder, Big ThinkTom MorozFormer Global Head of Knowledge Management, Open Society FoundationFrancois NaderMD, President and CEO, NPS PharmaceuticalsOpen Future Institute envisions a world where individuals and institutions are creatively engaged with the evolution of culture, inspired by the boundless possibilities of a positive future. ID-e7a1c098-5d46-4056-8f36-33d23b1be4fdOur mission is to expand and promote the evolution of culture in order to support the advancement of society and to address global challenges at their source. ID-032893fd-6abf-4084-8b3c-4f46a48f3657CultureCulture, in the way we approach it, refers to the shared values, worldviews, principles, and agreements that underlie our organizations, our nations, and our social institutions. These invisible but powerful cultural "structures," researchers are finding, not only vary from one part of the world to another, but have evolved over the course of human history in identifiable patterns. Understanding these patterns can enable us to work more effectively and intelligently to promote human progress and cultural development.Sustainable EvolutionAt Open Future Institute, we seek to show how this new knowledge can respond to global issues at their underlying causes. We want to identify and support strategies to respond to issues like ethnic conflict, sexism, and respect for the rights of others, by facilitating the healthy, sustainable evolution of the underlying values and worldviews that give rise to these issues.Shared ValuesWe believe that the future is in our hands. As our name suggests, the perspective and approach of Open Future Institute is informed by a conviction that the future is not pre-determined, but open to our influence, molded by our individual and collective choices, and informed by our deeper values and shared cultural agreements. As human beings embedded in a diverse and complex global community, we face multiple challenges and potential crises. Yet we are also discovering that we live in a universe that is evolving -- not just at the level of cosmology or biology but also at the level of human culture. We have the power to shape our shared values and ways of defining meaning, with tremendous implications for ourselves, our fellow species, and the systems that sustain us. How will we use that power?UnderstandingUsing that power wisely requires that we understand more deeply how culture evolves, and how we can influence and affect it. At Open Future Institute, we believe culture to be the area of greatest leverage for creating systemic change. At this point in human history, when technology is placing unprecedented power in human hands, it’s critical that we strive to affect change in our values, our ethical frameworks, and our ways of making meaning. As our human family embraces and shares the gifts of modernity, it is critical that we also develop the worldviews and ways of thinking that support this transition. And as we attempt to address conflicts and create a just and thriving world, it is imperative that we understand the cultural undercurrents that too often thwart our efforts at peacemaking -- and know how to channel them in an evolutionary direction.PeaceJusticeCultural EvolutionRecognizing that the study of cultural evolution is in its infancy but holds enormous potential for impact, we are committed to furthering and legitimizing this important work. CollaborationWe aim to bring these perspectives into greater public awareness, and to provide a forum for collaboration between change makers. InnovationWe aim to bring the same spirit of innovation to the evolution of cultural values, worldviews and perspectives, that today’s greatest entrepreneurs bring to technology, medicine, and communications. Nothing less, we believe, will allow us to embrace the extraordinary opportunities of the open future before us.EntrepreneurshipCultureTo better understand the evolution of culture and bring light to its all important application. ID-5dd3903b-f272-476c-be84-5726ca84af4aOur Strategy -- At Open Future Institute, we aim to better understand the evolution of culture and bring light to its all important application. Through partnerships and collaborations, we mobilize resources to implement our three-prong strategy:Education & TrainingOffer tools to think about the future and address global challenges with vision and a greater understanding of the levers of cultural change. ID-575896e0-242f-407a-8023-1ef14733e25d1Change-MakersLeaders Future LeadersOpen Future Institute's educational projects will offer change-makers tools to think about the future and address global challenges with vision and a greater understanding of the levers of cultural change. Our initiatives will provide resources and trainings to address challenges not just by changing external circumstances (political policies, physical structures, technological solutions), but also by looking at the deeper cultural values and ways of thinking that the challenges stem from. This will empower leaders and future leaders to step back from ideological frameworks and find new ways of responding to ideas and actions that have the most potential to create progress.Big Questions ProjectProvide forums for high school and university students globally to reflect on their beliefs, values, and purpose. ID-58754a81-5c7c-48cc-be86-b109c89158171.1High School StudentsUniversity StudentsThe Big Questions Project will provide forums for high school and university students globally to reflect on their beliefs, values, and purpose. It is designed to give students an opportunity to engage authentically with their core values and how they define meaning at a stage in their lives when they begin making choices that will set the trajectory of their future. This initiative aims to support students’ sense of responsibility to the greater society, their potential for inspired leadership, and their capacity to respond creatively to the pressing needs of our time with vision and purpose. The forums will give students concrete ways to explore larger questions of meaning, tools to engage with their peers about these questions and opportunities to engage with world heroes and other mentors.Evolutionary SalonsIncubate understanding of cultural evolution. ID-d1c7a6b3-8b79-4715-b759-896ea55b7c2b1.2Leaders Change-MakersDavid EaglemanCarter PhippsThe Evolutionary Salons are incubators for the understanding of cultural evolution. We invite leaders and change-makers to explore the nature of the evolution of culture, its relevance, and how it can apply both to global challenges we face and to creating the future. In a recent salon, “What Measure of Choice Do We Have?”, neuroscientist David Eagleman and author Carter Phipps addressed this perennial human question in the context of the challenges we face today and the most advanced discoveries in science and culture. Does neuroscience prove that there is no free will? Do we have influence over the events of our lives? Can we direct our future? Read more: http://www.carterphipps.com/2012/05/02/is-free-will-a-delusion-an-evening-with-david-eaglemanResearch & ApplicationBring light to the different ways in which understanding the development of culture can be applied to some of the critical issues of our time. ID-ca23af7f-3b73-40a2-b9a8-0444629d7d622Evolutionary EntrepreneursOpen Future Institute will identify projects and organizations which respond to global challenges at the level of culture, values, and ideas and connect them in a network of powerful Evolutionary Entrepreneurs. We will bring light to the different ways in which understanding the development of culture can be applied to some of the critical issues of our time. We will feature and generate support for endeavours that take into account cultural differences and explore these differences from a developmental perspective.ExemplarsIdentify and feature examples of people and organizations that are responding to global issues by evolving the underlying values. ID-cdca4a51-85c6-4b23-bada-d57bd3f8ea852.1Our first step in supporting the research & application of cultural evolution to pressing challenges, will be to identify and feature examples of people and organizations that are responding to global issues by evolving the underlying values. NetworkCreate activities and programs that will link these leaders in a global community of learning, impact and action. ID-e26fa0c3-a7b9-4304-9c65-f4204aba863a2.2Business Leaders PhilanthropistsProfit OrganizationsNon-Profit OrganizationsSecond step will be to create activities and programs that will link these leaders in a global community of learning, impact and action. This network will connect them through shared identity, values, and approaches to change. It will provide opportunities to engage and partner with business leaders, philanthropists and other profit and non-profit organizations and will strengthen their ability to be major players in addressing the pressing challenges of our time. Information & ToolsCreate an online platform featuring leading-edge ideas and applications. ID-adbaeb48-b768-49de-a8a1-e388c090f5122.2.1To support the effectiveness of the Evolutionary Entrepreneurs Network, OFI will create an online platform featuring leading-edge ideas and applications. This will make information and tools available to change-makers and organizations, and will function as a general resource for anyone interested in learning about cultural evolution.AwardsSponsor Evolutionary Awards to honor individuals and projects for their important contributions in applying cultural evolution to pressing problems or in advancing culture. ID-a14a9fab-e3e7-4d97-9066-0587d93305ec2.3The Open Future Institute will sponsor Evolutionary Awards to honor individuals and projects for their important contributions in applying cultural evolution to pressing problems or in advancing culture. These contributions, whether in research, academia, or leadership, must demonstrate their effectiveness through applying developmental principles in their approach.Public AwarenessBring insights and explorations in cultural evolution into public awareness. ID-6c0b5c31-adf8-48c5-af59-56332fa064c73Open Future Institute aims to bring insights and explorations in cultural evolution into public awareness so that people can learn about these new trends in thinking and action, and apply and further develop these ideas within their own communities. We host public events that bring together leading thinkers and activists from different fields, creating an environment for learning and discussion. We plan to build this initiative into a larger conference forum.Conferences[Conduct] annual conferences focusing on the latest breakthroughs in the evolution of culture ID-c0a861f7-5388-494b-9ef5-6d52efd28ea93.1Deepak ChopraArianna HuffingtonAndrew CohenUrban Zen CenterWhere many conferences that have vision for the future are focused on the latest breakthroughs in technology, communications, science, and systems, our vision for our annual conferences will be to focus on the latest breakthroughs in the evolution of culture -- of values, worldviews, and ways of defining meaning. It will bring broader public awareness to the new solutions, visions, and values that can emerge when we understand the evolving nature of culture. As a precursor to these conferences we produced a sold out event with Deepak Chopra, Arianna Huffington, and Andrew Cohen in partnership with Urban Zen Center. Read more: www.huffingtonpost.com/alison-rose-levy/arianna-huffington-deepak_b_792982.htmlMediaEngage with media to bring the insights and perspective of the evolution of culture into public awareness. ID-3e6fcaaf-2ab6-4d98-bb03-36e604e0a8f03.2MediaThe Open Future Institute will engage with different forms of media to bring the insights and perspective of the evolution of culture into public awareness. These are two initial projects:DocumentaryCreate an educational documentary on the courageous life, work, and vision of Create an educational documentary on the courageous life, work, and vision of Dr. Gerda Lerner. ID-f9176a42-4701-4387-ad96-82cc9acc21053.2.1Dr. Gerda LernerLiving History: History Is Where the Future Begins - Open Future Institute is partnering with the producers of Living History as they create an educational documentary on the courageous life, work, and vision of Dr. Gerda Lerner, grassroots activist, social reformer, writer, and pioneering women’s historian. The film also looks at the creative and collective spirit of other women activists who spearheaded the field of women’s history, and asks the question: what is next step for women’s evolution? We believe that looking at our history, through the understanding of cultural evolution, can greatly impact our potential to shape the future.FilmSupport the creation of a film about the life of the visionary French Jesuit priest and scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. ID-eb94b1f2-96c4-4f44-9ef0-3e235ff598bc3.2.2Pierre Teilhard de ChardinLinus RoacheCarter PhippsSpirit of Fire - Open Future Institute is supporting actor Linus Roache and journalist/author Carter Phipps in the creation of a film about the life of the visionary French Jesuit priest and scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. This dramatic feature-length movie will tell the extraordinary story of a priest, pioneering paleontologist, war hero, and mystic visionary who is recognized as one of the most important voices for the evolutionary significance of human life.2014-02-16http://www.openfutureinstitute.org/visionOwenAmburOwen.Ambu@verizon.net