Recap of GERI Summit conference—

Gender Healed World 2050: Achieving Gender Equality in One Generation

What a grand success our 30th anniversary GERI Summit conference was, as we gathered with friends and colleagues from across the globe for five days to honor the past 30 years, and welcome in the next 30 years.  People joined online — from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and South and North America, while others of us meet in-person at the Omega Institute in upstate New York. 

Our time was a rich and inspiring exploration with 52 diverse speakers and leaders sharing their unique insights on gender healing, reconciliation, spirituality, and sexuality.  We had two keynote speakers: Jean Kilbourne and Jackson Katz — and panel discussions focused on Women and Girls, Men and Boys, LGBTQ+ Communities, Young Adults, GERI in the United Nations Community, GERI in Religious Communities, and the Future of Intimacy of Sexuality.  There was music, dancing, laughter, poignant conversations, and rich interactions as we deepened our inquiry, opened our hearts, and strengthened our creative juices and shared commitments to transform gender injustice into beloved community.

The global reach of the online conference, combined with the intimate sharing and passionate engagement of our in-person group at Omega Institute proved fertile ground for deepened connections, friendships, and aspirations into these next 30 years. 

Video and documentary film

We’re delighted to announce that the entire event was captured by our team of professional videographers, with many hours of excellent footage that we will be releasing next year, along with a short documentary film on the conference.

Simultaneous events in South Africa

Our South African colleagues at GenderWorks convened simultaneous in-person events in Cape Town, bringing together their local GERI network to join the conference and celebration.  They also held a parallel launch and celebration of the new book.  

New book released at the conference

We formally launched our new book during the conference, entitled Gender Equity and Reconciliation: Thirty Years of Healing the Most Ancient Wound in the Human Family.

What a joy and privilege to have co-authored this book with 20 GERI leaders and colleagues. Why are there so many co-authors of this book?  As we explain in the Introduction, the late Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn answers this question well:

• We desperately need love . . . It is possible the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community, community practicing understanding and loving kindness, the community practicing mindful living.

This principle applies to the human family as a whole (not only Buddhism). This book and the GERI project are the product of just such a community— comprised of committed souls who are together practicing loving kindness, deep understanding, and unflinching truth-telling—all in service of transmuting gender injustice into what is often called “Beloved Community.”

Together, the book co-authors span many cultures and fields of expertise – representing nearly a thousand years of lived experience.  The book highlights the voices and wisdom of dozens more people from diverse cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds who have experienced the Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) process. 

You can buy the book here — or find it at your local bookstore. We’d love to hear your reflections and welcome your review on Amazon, Goodreads, or Bookhub. 

Deep gratitude to everyone who made this milestone conference and celebration possible.  We look forward to journeying together in these next 30 years.