One of CMSC’s primary missions is to build a worldwide cohesive community of MSC teachers that embodies the qualities that we teach. With over 2200 people all over the globe having been trained to teach MSC, this is quite an undertaking. In January 2018 we organized the first international MSC Teacher Festival outside Amsterdam, The Netherlands, which was attended by over 100 MSC teachers from around the globe. This first Teacher Festival was a joyous, heartfelt celebration of our shared purpose and common humanity.
Going forward, CMSC would like to foster more of these gatherings and open up the doors to as many teachers as we can, with particular sensitivity to inclusiveness and a sense of belonging. We have determined that the wisest way forward, with the challenges of a global organization, is to plan and organize a series of Regional MSC Teacher Festivals aimed at building local communities of teachers by making the events as accessible and affordable as possible and not pushing people to have to travel long distances or expend a lot of money to participate. Our first such Regional MSC Teacher Festival is currently planned for July 15-18, 2021 in the Niagara Falls region of North America, on the Canadian-US Border. There will be some space to accommodate MSC teachers from around the globe as well. We hope to also offer such festivals in Asia and in Europe later in 2021 or early in 2022, and tentative plans are already in the works for those.
So if you are a teacher in North, Central or South America, please mark your calendars for July 15-18, 2021 and plan to join Chris, Kristin and your fellow teachers at the Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre, Niagara Falls, Canada, for our next Festival. There will also be an opportunity to stay at Carmel Centre earlier in the week, July 12-15, 2021, for those wishing take the opportunity to explore the Niagara Falls region more fully. Registration timing and details will be available this summer.
And if you have an interest in helping on the organizing committee to help plan the agenda, please contact Festival Co-Chairs Rainer & Eileen Beltzner at MSCTeacherFestival2021@bell.net to let them know of your interest. (Please note: This North American Regional Teacher Festival is in 2021, 18 months from now, not in 2020!)
