Conference Evaluation

We used three resources of information to evaluate the effectiveness of the conference:

  • Feedback in Small Group Reflection and Mindful Sharing Sessions: Here are some of the highlights of the participants' written statements.
    • Thank you, O God, for all the love You show us and for the love and unity I feel with everyone here today.
    • No more hatred, no more war, no more hunger, no more greed. All are brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers in the globe.
    • There is no other – may I really, really realize this.
    • I am so uplifted by the weekend experience that I am speechless. What can I say?
    • Gratitude – thank you – the Common Good – sympathy – empathy.
    • Globalizing the world. It has to begin with me.
    • It is amazing to see universal thoughts in all religions of the world.
    • Oneness, truthfulness and sincerity are messages to reflect upon and were expressed by the speakers. Gratitude to the organizers!
  • Concluding Evaluative Plenary Session: Here are some of the highlights of the concluding plenary session in which everyone is encouraged to participate.
    • One thing that inspired me most was the goal orientation of education. I understood the importance of immediate goals and the ultimate goal.
    • I understood that the immediate goals are money, power and pleasure. They assume the position of the ultimate goals of life if we are unaware of the real ultimate goal.
    • A point that I understood from the conference is that the present economic mess is the result of unethical and immoral attitudes and ways of doing business.
    • One of the things that I want to express is about our relationships; a relationship has three aspects: one is trust, the other is fidelity or love and the third is the common purpose.
    • Today we are talking about interdisciplinary studies. We have been treated to a tradition that is multidisciplinary. That is what we have been experiencing for two days.
    • There were six excellent presentations in this conference all about the same thing, unity from different perspectives. My suggestion is that this should be turned into one combined presentation with nice editorial written by all the presenters.
    • Globalization of the human mind is not possible unless we make our minds to come into a relationship with the earth, with every living being that shares this planet with us.
    • Attitudes typically expressed in the following dialogue hamper globalizing the human mind: “You want to help people; is that right? Then how is it necessary to convert them first?” Because Grandma told me, ”If you want to help someone, he/she has to be Christian.”
    • Establishing familial relationships addressing people as brother, sister, uncle, auntie, grandma, grandpa etc. as appropriate (for the recipient) can help globalize the human mind. “If I come close to you and establish a familial relationship with you, then how is it that I can exploit you?”
  • Questionnaire Based Evaluation: Here are some of the highlights of the responses.
    • Over 90% of the respondents expressed high general level of satisfaction with the conference in achieving its goal.
    • All respondents felt satisfied that conference met their expectations.
    • 97% of the respondents expressed the feeling that the conference helped in globalizing their minds while 91% felt that the conference helped the participants globalize their minds.
    • All respondents felt that the conference helped them with ideas and outlook to bridge across racial/religious divides and that they would recommend this type of conference to family and friends.
    • 94% of the respondents felt that the conference affirmed in them a sense of human identity as my prime identity.
    • Only 64% of the respondents felt that they would seriously consider volunteering to help SHEN programs in the community.
    • Organization for meals at noon was not great; need to explore catered lunch.
    • Posts in auditorium blocked view of speakers.

Suggestions for improvements:

  1. Involve youth in increasing youth participation
  2. Effective promotion in secondary and post-secondary educational institutions for higher student involvement
  3. More promotion in houses of worship
  4. More effective promotion in general for increased community participation
  5. Include female presenters
  6. Many missed out on a great opportunity; increase participation
  7. Handouts, hands on and interactive content was missed
  8. Perhaps all presenters should have slides
  9. Organize lunch
  10. Possibly break the conference down to two separate days
  11. Extend in to the evening to allow interaction and discussion
  12. Prepare a book list for participants
  13. Arrange press coverage of this useful event
  14. Arrange workshops on deep spirituality technique

Long Term Suggestions:

  1. Create a project to prepare an anthology of universal thoughts in different religions
  2. Prepared graded lessons
  3. Reach out to educational authorities with one voice and spirit
  4. Press Coverage