Chapter 1: Weaving the Web of Change - The Banff Systems Summit 2024
Posted July 17, 2024 - Linh Bui and Cordelia Snowdon-Lawley
We are born alone, but we live in our threads of connection. With people, animals, nature, trees, and the sky, we're all connected.
Image: An activity-based session led by Roy Bear Chief in which participants explored connectedness and complexity through Ani-to-pisi
In a world teetering on the edge of a precipice, traditional problem-solving methods are proving as effective as a candle against a storm. The era we inhabit, termed as “polycrisis” or “permacrisis,” is a web of overlapping challenges, each more daunting than the last. From housing issues to healthcare crises, from food security to political polarization - the list seems endless. It's the era crying out for a new compass, a fresh approach to social innovation – a systems-led way of thinking.
Image description: Participants gathered for a plenary conversation about systems thinking on the first night of the Summit while immersing themselves in the stunning views of Banff visible through the windows.
The Banff Systems Summit was an opportunity for us to gather, learn, reflect and dare to challenge the conventional and question the established Westernized norms that have led us into this global polycrisis. The Summit brought us closer to the roots, to nature, and to the land. It invited us to embrace Indigenous knowledge to learn from their understanding of life's interconnected web. It was a call to reflect, to reassess our relationships with nature and our communities, and to challenge the status quo. As Chief Roy Bear shared in the Banff Systems Summit opening plenary, “I embrace and embody the story of Ani-to-pisi or Spiderweb…If there are any problems and issues under web, the web vibrates signalling for the creator to go and help. And then they were told to pattern their lives after Ani-to-pisi, which means stay close together, support each other, help each other. This is what systems thinking is about. We are part and partial of Ani-to-pisi, the spiderweb.
Nestled amidst the breathtaking vistas of Banff, we found ourselves at the Banff Systems Summit—a gathering not just of minds, but of journeys. Here, practitioners, professionals, and educators from diverse fields, we set out on a collective journey of exploration and discovery, fueled by our shared passion for systems thinking.
Our days unfolded with immersive experiences that invited us to step beyond textbooks grounding ourselves in fundamental questions. Through interactive sessions and hands-on activities set against Banff's natural beauty, we became more than passive learners. We grasp our deep connections with the nature, gaining insights into the intricate support and interaction among different parts of the ecosystem. The vastness and complexity of natural landscapes remind us that our perspectives can shift depending on our vantage point and location.
Image Description: Participants engaged in a land-based learing session
Through action-based sessions like "Using LEGO Serious Play to Think about Systems" and "Systems Dojo", we had the chance to flex "systems thinking muscles." These activities simulate real-world scenarios, challenging us to navigate the ebbs and flows of systems, much like spiders navigating through their webs.
Image Description: Participants engaged in the Systems Dojo session
Among us were future leaders, eager to share their insights and aspirations through sessions like "Students as Changemakers: Bridging Community, Research, and Systems-Led Leadership," Here, from the student changemakers of Catamount Fellowship, stories of community-driven projects and visions for systems-led leadership sparked conversations that transcended age and background, uniting us in a shared commitment to creating a sustainable future.
>>Check out the systems thinking research competition Map the System
Image description: Students as Changemakers from program Catamount Fellowship took lead the conversation at a session
But beyond the intellectual rigor, it was Banff itself that spoke to us. Its towering peaks and serene rivers whispered tales of resilience and interconnectedness, reminding us of our place within a larger ecosystem. As we stood in awe of nature's beauty, we realized that our journey here was not just about acquiring knowledge—it was about forging deeper connections with each other and with the surroundings.
The Banff Systems Summit was a whirlpool of energy and interaction, thanks to more than 150 professionals, practitioners, educators, and students from different disciplines who dedicated their time, reflections, and insights to lead many insightful sessions and participate in conversations. In the words of Elder Roy Bear, “celebrating good vibrations”, like a well-strummed web, the event generated waves of thoughtful insights and reflections that potentially set in motion threads of future systems change.
As we continue to weave a network of systems change, we extend an invitation to you. Feel the good vibrations of the changes in our community. Become a part of this movement. Together, we can develop the momentum of systems change and steer our ship toward a better future. There are more insights from the Banff Systems Summit – we're just beginning this exciting journey.
Next up Chapter 2: The Fabric of Reality - A Systems Way of Seeing the World
What can we learn from Blackfoot cosmology, non-Western, and Western science-based insights into ways of understanding systems that help us better address the problems of our time?