What happens when catastrophe fundamentally shifts the world we know? In March 11, 2011, the triple disasters of earthquake, tsunami, and radiation leak devastated northeastern Japan. In the aftermath of the tragedy, people from throughout the country began to gather not just to share their grief but to consider how they might create a new future together. Numerous initiatives have been launched to experiment with the structures, processes, and practices that create conditions for creativity and collective action.
As we enter a time when the world as a whole may experience even more collapsing systems and disasters, the people of Japan – and especially of the Tohoku region – are showing us the way to build healthy
and resilient communities.
Published in December, 2013 by the Society of Organizational Learning’s Reflections Magazine.