“Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends” – Richard Bach.

GV Internal summit group photo. Photo by Raphael Tsavkko Garcia. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

As I prepare myself to fly out from Sri Lanka after the 2017 Summit, I cannot help but think the world should be more like Global Voices…

• It should be a loving compassionate place where all peaceful ideas are welcome.
• It should encourage underrepresented communities to come forward and have their say…and not just their say, but also an opportunity to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
• It should amplify the voices of those who are under threat.
• It should be a safe place for all kinds of folks, no matter how diverse they are.
• It should definitely involve more barefoot dancing and conga lines after each important meeting.
• … And when something is not working properly, Jer should be able to just fix it with his computer!

A hundred and twenty Global Voices contributors from more than 60 countries dance in a congaline based on the year they joined the community. Photo taken on Day 2 of the internal community meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 30, 2017. Photo by Raphael Tsavkko Garcia. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

GV internal meeting. Photo by Raphael Tsavkko Garcia. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0