Nov. 7: Working Our Way Home: An Evening with Wendell Berry & Friends

Just to let folks know, all of the spaces for the meal and dialogue sessions from 5:20-7 PM are full.

However, there is still room for people wishing to attend Berry's opening poetry reading and Q & A session at 4 PM and/or the roundtable discussion with Berry and the dialogue session facilitators at 7 PM. No reservations are required for either of these portions of the evening. Both will be held in Ransburg Auditorium on the U of I campus. Another option that was not mentioned on the original posting is the screening of the film Neighborhood at the Crossroads. The film will be shown in Ober 1 & 2 of the Schwitzer Student Center starting at 4:45 PM. This award winning documentary chronicles the revitalization of the Fountain Square area in Indianapolis. The film won a regional emmy this year, and addresses many of the key issues regarding local economy and community that some of the discussion sessions will touch on.

No reservations or tickets are needed to see the film. However, the cost of the dinner is not covered. Our campus food service has many options, from an ala carte cafe with sandwiches and salads for about $3-4 to the entire food court style meal plan for $5.75.

I look forward to an engaging and stimulating evneing. Hope to see you there!

Reading by Wendell Berry; “Slow Food” dinner and discussions of the themes of Berry’s work; open conversation with Berry and others

When: Monday 7 November, 4:00-9:00 PM

Where: Ransburg Auditorium at University of Indianapolis, Lower Floor of the Schwitzer Student Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Indianapolis

Wendell Berry is one of the grand institutions of America. Author of more than forty books, poet, philosopher, farmer, conversationalist … and above all else a social and ecological critic of the way we live today. Reading his book The Unsettling of America profoundly shook me a quarter of a century ago, not necessarily because I accepted his arguments but more because it awakened me to the need for social theorists to address the way real people live in their everyday lives. Think of an evening with Wendell Berry as an evening with Henry David Thoreau and try to make time to attend this event.

The event is broken into several sections. It opens (4:00 -4:45 PM) with Berry offering his reflections about what it means for contemporary city dwellers to begin "Working Our Way Home" by taking seriously the places we live and work.

There will be a short discussion (4:45-5:15 PM).

Then (5:30-6:45 PM) those who have pre-registered will participate in one of six dialogues on themes associated with Berry's writings (Local Economy; Food; Technology; War & Peace; Vocation; Education). Over a meal of Slow Food, dialogues will explore how to move from concept to action.

At 7:00 p. m. the dialogue facilitators rejoin Wendell Berry to engage him, and one another, in conversation about questions and issues generated by dialogue participants.

This all sounds like a lot of organization from people who look back fondly on hippies, but I am confident it will flow as it should.

Participation in the meal and dialogues is limited to 150 people. Participants in the six dialogue sessions and meal must pre-register. Contact Dr. Greta Pennell at 788-3365 to register for the “Slow Food” Dinner and one of the six dialogue sessions that will take place between 5:30 and 6:45 p.m.

Presented by Hoosier Environmental Council, Indianapolis Peace House, University of Indianapolis, Spirit & Place. Questions? Call 317-788-3233 or e-mail mcartwright@uindy.edu.