The Interim meeting of «Thoulathy³: Cross-Border Collaboration brought together all 10 Thoulathy³ collaborations for their second meeting within the All-Around Culture programme. This time, the gathering took place in Tunisia, where the MitOst team facilitated a 4-day workshop designed to reflect on the progress made so far and plan next steps. L’Art Rue graciously hosted the group in a beautiful Tunisian garden of dareyquem, Hammamet.  The serene atmosphere of the garden encouraged everyone to adopt a different mindset and pace, one that fostered the necessary space for embracing alternative approaches to collaboration.

Throughout the meeting, the facilitators introduced methods that actively involved  the collective intelligence of the group, encouraging them to exchange with their peers and  provide constructive feedback in an interactive and playful way.  The first day was dedicated to participants welcoming  each other and familiarizing themselves with new names and faces from participating organisations. Everyone took their time to reflect on their expectations and set their own personal agendas for the upcoming days. 

After the welcome rituals were done, the group formed smaller circles to share their stories and memories from placements that have taken place since the Kick-off Meeting in Turkey. Placements are an integral part of the Thoulathy³ programme, providing participants an opportunity to visit their collaboration partners in their home countries. During a placement, people can get to know their partners better by joining their day-to-day operations, meeting local communities and partners, and  by simply exploring local streets and places together.

Thoulathy Barometer

With all collaboration projects commencing in September 2022, this meeting provided  a great moment for both  individual and collective check-ins to assess the progress made over the past eight months in each collaboration. The Barometer method serves as a straightforward approach to get a sense of where the group stands. It involves participants checking in individually and with their Thoulathy³ partners asking questions such as “how satisfied and confident we are with our concept idea? Administrative tasks? Our collaboration? The whole Thoulathy group?” As a result , the group obtained a visual representation of the status quo of each Thoulathy collaboration. 

Mentorship and work in progress

Another integral part of the Thoulathy³ journey is the mentorship process. Each Collaboration is supported by a mentor who periodically meets with all partners to discuss urgent questions and engage in reflective conversations. These conversations invite participants to take a step back and see their collaboration as a project in itself. During the Interim meeting, each Thoulathy³ had at least one session with their mentors to discuss the outcomes of their Barometer and identify core challenges. These challenges were formulated as questions to the whole group to be discussed in the following days. 

Karma Kitchen  – tapping into the collective brain of the group

Karma Kitchen is a method developed by the Tandem team and combines  World Cafe, Open Space and Case Clinic methodologies. The meeting facilitators presented this method to the group, inviting them to share pressing questions related to their collaborative projects, emphasizing the value of feedback from their peers. Over the course of two days, most of the Thoulathy³ teams took the opportunity  to hear what their peers had to say about the challenges they brought to the group. One of the most recurring topics was the question of sustainability and different ways of continuing collaborations after the end of this programme. Some participants were keen on exploring challenges of documentation, outreach, building  their audiences, as well as ways to deal with internal communication issues.

Ecosystem approach – mapping of practices

Building on the valuable input and fresh ideas received from peers, Thoulathy³ participants were invited to join a session led by Olha Kotska with a focus on ecosystem mapping and thinking. Each individual was  tasked with identifying the most useful and effective practices in their day-to-day work. By presenting these practices  to others and discussing within smaller groups, the entire group gained a solid overview of practical tools and methods employed in various areas of their work including: archiving, curation, PR and communications, and more. 

Until we meet next time

On the last day of the meeting, the Thoulathy³ group embarked on planning the next gathering. Everyone was invited to share their expectations and co-create the initial agenda of the final meeting, scheduled to take place in November this year. With all the ideas and suggestions duly noted, the meeting team proceeded with leading mentorship sessions while the group continued working within their smaller Thoulathy³ constellations. Following an evaluation process, the interim meeting of Thoulathy³ was concluded with resounding applause and expressions of gratitude among the participants. As a final touch, all attendees and team members gathered at a closing party, utilizing the opportunity to reflect on their time together in Tunisia and cherish the meaningful connections forged. The group will reconvene in November, once again in Tunisia. Until then, may the fruitful efforts continue!