Towards an ecosystem for reimagination?

I feel slightly overwhelmed when I think about how much has changed in the world—and perhaps in my perspective—since I began this work in 2020. At the time, our goal of radically rethinking peace approaches beyond the current system, focusing on those innovating at the edges, felt like an outlier. Today, few dispute that our systems are creaking, if not collapsing. It has become mainstream to call for investment in creating new systems rather than simply propping up existing ones.

The model in the picture - the Berkana Two Loop Model - inspired me as I started this work. I loved how it named the role of pioneers and outliers coming together to create an emergent system, while others worked to stabilize and eventually hospice the dominant system. While incremental change may take place, the model honored the fearless work at the edge—travelling in time to start creating our desired futures in the present. The Reimagine Peace experience has given me a more granular sense of what it means to sit between two systems—and the complexity of navigating those two worlds constantly. Back then, I saw the emerging system sitting rebelliously and comfortably on the edge. 

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The lived experience of that place feels very different.

In reality, even at the edge, so many facets of our lives and how we organise are driven by the rules and norms of the dominant system. We need resources from it. The pathways to legitimacy and traction sit there. the dominant system is also the water many of us swim in—it shapes our mental models. Sometimes it’s so familiar it’s invisible. Even when we see it, it’s hard to change—especially under stress.

We’re living in the paradox of a dying system that still dominates much of our lives. We struggle to sit between the cracks of the old and the new—trying to fit round pegs into square holes, or not even knowing the hole’s shape but knowing the peg doesn’t fit. We fill out standard proposals and reports to explain and document emergent, world-building work. We use old contracts and measures of efficiency and time to do things that defy those molds.

While the moment we live in is marked by deep uncertainty, it also holds potential for deep transformation. Hope comes when we’re ready to embrace the unknown. Sensing into alternative regenerative systems demands deep collaboration and compassionate support. We need to back courageous change-makers and time travellers on the margins, already creating better futures today. We need catalysts and allies to magnify the space, permission, and support for this work. 

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Are you ready for the ride?

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