While there is plenty of evidence that we’re not moving nearly fast enough to transform our economies and societies, there are also a growing number of promising initiatives, networks and movements that have the potential to catalyze profound transformation of our civilization - that is, our economic, democratic, and learning systems - within our lifetime.

At the Presencing Institute, we see our work as helping prepare the soil for these burgeoning initiatives to take root, connect and amplify their impact. From 2010 to 2012, we hosted three annual in-person Global Forums that each brought together over 300 changemakers from across systems, societies and cultures to co-create new initiatives. Over the past five years, we’ve prototyped and evolved our flagship u.lab course, which has reached over 130,000 changemakers in 183 countries, helping them develop the inner leadership capacities needed to pioneer new ways of living and working. In 2018, we launched the Societal Transformation Lab, which supported and connected 300 place-based teams across 35 countries to simultaneously tackle social challenges using collective systems mapping and design processes.

Today, we’re excited to announce a new annual capacity building and systems impact cycle that re-launches the Global Forum and links these three initiatives, with the intention of cultivating a global eco-system for profound societal and civilizational transformation.

Going forward, The Societal Transformation Lab will facilitate an annual innovation cycle that consists of the following five main components: 

1. u.lab 1x

   A newly revised and improved u.lab 1x will run from September - December annually, taking participants on a journey from sensing and connecting to deeper sources of knowing to generating powerful prototype ideas.

2. u.lab 2x

   Running from February - May, taking teams on a journey from prototype intention to real world impact and change on the level of real world ecosystems. 

3. Global Forum

   An annual Global Presencing Forum, for sharing and celebrating results - July 2020, Berlin. 

4. DoTS

   Weave and connect change makers across sectors and geographies through monthly online Dialogues on Transforming Societies (DoTS).

5. Inspiring Stories

   Sharing learning experiences across acupuncture points of societal renewal.

Overview of the annual Societal Transformation Lab journey 2019-2020:

• September 12, 2019: u.lab 1x begins
• October 2019: application for u.lab 2x opens*
• December 1, 2019: u.lab 2x applications due
• December 11, 2019: u.lab 2x decisions communicated
• February - May 2020: u.lab 2x*
• July 2020: Global Presencing Forum Berlin*
• September-December 2020: u.lab 1x

*exact dates will be announced later this year

For more information about the new and improved u.lab 1x, click here.
For more information about how to participate in u.lab 2x, click here.