Our Story

Civilization is at a crucial turning point. In the next decade our world will either be dramatically better or worse. The quality of our vision and the quality of our individual and collective efforts will determine the direction of our future and the future of the generations to follow. This means that we must be ready to choose to act. We must build a better world. This is the goal of the Visions of a Better World Foundation.

The Visions of a Better World Foundation is a collaborative of people who are committed to using their skills and resources to foster change at an individual, organizational and societal level. Our aim is to engage all segments of society to transform their visions of a better world into action.

We believe that every person is a visionary with the capacity to construct a better environment. We believe that the visioning process allows people to change their thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs which can then alter their behavior. We believe that when we transform the world within us, we are able to transform the world around us.

A Retrospective View

VBWF was an outgrowth of a United Nations Project entitled the Global Cooperation Project which asked people all over the world, " What is your vision of a better world?". The result was a book which collected visions from people in 129 countries. This project found that similar themes emerged resulting in 12 shared ideals and visions . These are contained in the Global Vision Statement. A celebration was held to launch the book, Visions of a Better World. During the celebration, the Foundation was established to continue the work of this initial project and to help people actualize their visions. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees who serve as stewards in creating, managing and directing the operations of the Foundation.
 

Our Work

Our work is founded on three cornerstones: visioning, creating and connecting. The Foundation’s assumption is that we can build a better world when people envision it. Once there is a pull to future possibilities, one can then create the possible, not by doing things differently, but by doing different things. Forging connections with others based on openness, genuine respect and trust empowers people to construct stronger partnerships and community. The interconnectedness of people honors diversity of thought, competencies and culture, and provides an environment for each person to make unique contributions so that the world can be a better place.
 

Visioning

The Foundation encourages several visioning processes which can be found in the Visions of a Better World book. Additionally VBWF encourages the use of other methodologies such as Future Search, Appreciative Inquiry, Open Space and Dialogue.  A major focus of the Foundation is a project called Images and Voices of Hope.

Workbooks
The Foundation intends to compile these visioning processes into a workbook format.  These workbooks will be revised periodically and offered in two forms: (1) participant’s workbooks for use in facilitated workshops or as self-study guides and (2) facilitators guides for those who are leading the visioning process.

Train-the- Trainer Workshops
Train-the-Trainer Workshops will be made available globally to prepare facilitators to educate others in their organizations, communities or countries in the visioning process. Through these training, individuals will become facilitators. This will have a blossoming effect, allowing the visioning process to expand naturally and exponentially.

Honoring The Visions
The Visions of a Better World Foundation is committed to a program of celebrating and recognizing personal or collective visions in the following ways:
 

Vision-to-Action Award
To honor VBWF’s Founding Chairperson Lester J. Heath III, The Foundation created the Lester Heath Vision-to-Action Annual Award. The criteria for this award reflect Lester’s own contribution to the world during his tenure as Chairman and CEO of Albany Ladder Corporation in Albany, New York. In 1998, VBWF awarded 3 Vision-to-Action awards. VBWF hopes to award up to $120,000 each year to one or two individuals, groups or organizations who have in some way realized their vision for a better world.

Vision Point Awards
As previously mentioned, the Global Cooperation Project resulted in a twelve point Global Vision Statement. VBWF adopted these twelve points as its vision statement and is committed to bringing each point to public attention by awarding small encouragement and/or seed grants to individuals, groups or organizations whose efforts encompass one of these points. These annual awards will be in the range of $2000 to $3000 per awardee.

Creating

We recognize that each person has the capacity to continually grow and change. We want to assist people in exploring many possibilities for a better world to live in and selecting those alternatives to make this happen. We believe that knowing who you are, what gives your life meaning and what you hope to accomplish in your life are the catalysts for visioning and motivating a person to achieve that vision.

The Foundation has successfully designed and implemented conferences which have encouraged the personal mastery of individuals to explore these deeper questions.

Several individuals have shared their personal transformation stories as a result of participating in these conferences. We continue to host conferences that encompass narratives, visioning processes, dialogue groups, and the arts to help individuals from all walks of life build a better world for themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.
 

Connecting

The Visions of a Better World Foundation values the importance of linking the visions of individuals, groups or organizations who are influencing positive change at local, national and global levels. We want to connect them with the ideas, people, resources, and possibilities that can lead them to achieve their visions. We recognize the importance of the World Wide Web as a medium to achieve this connection. VBWF uses the Internet to share stories of people who are building a better world and expanding the capacity of others to realize their individual or collective visions. We will have chat rooms and forums for like-minded people for ongoing conversations that connect and strengthen previously separate activities and endeavors into collective visions and initiatives.

The Foundation also recognizes the importance of connecting with others through television, radio and print. This is done in several ways: Public Service Announcements (PSA’s), publications, and marketing materials. PSA’s are created in multiple media (audio, video, and print) and in multiple lengths for distribution to media in primary and secondary markets. The Foundation is developing a series of publications, including newsletters, brochures, marketing materials and presentation kits to promote specific activities. In addition, VBWF will make available support services such as distribution of materials free of charge to individual, groups or organizations in need. VBWF also may offer pro bono consulting services on an as-needed basis.

Our experience tells us that people around the world want to be part of a growing community of those envisioning and building a better world. To respond to this need, VBWF serves as a resource for connecting projects, linkages, resources, conferences and information.  Here is our growing list of connections.
 
 

All Great Achievements Begin with a Vision

As Mahatma Ghandi said, " We must all be the change we want to see in the world". The Visions of a Better World Foundation is serving by visioning, creating, and connecting to make the world a better place. The greater good of the world is conspiring in a serendipitous and synchronous way to help individuals build a better world. . You are graciously invited to join this conspiracy..
 
 

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Visions of a Better World Foundation .

E-Mail: vbwf@aol.com .