As previously indicated, under the excellent Chairmanship of former Foreign Office COO Peter Jones, Oxford House has been engaged in a prolonged Transition Process. This has taken time but has borne rich fruit. The mission, vision and values of OH have been cross-examined, carefully refined, and eagerly readopted. My sense is that as an inspiring idea, timely initiative, and dynamic action-reflection entity, OH 2.0 looks set fair to flourish with a new team at the helm. I look forward to stepping back and supporting them in whatever way I can – and, more importantly, they want!
So, where are we at this point in time? The work of OH continues, with colleagues widely dispersed in a range of key projects, complex situations and significant institutions. Central OH activities (i.e. regular Briefings) have necessarily been affected by the demands of the Transition Process. A majority of these activities will resume in the near future, with new projects being proposed and undertaken all the time. More specifically,
i. We have come to the end of the 3 proposed phases of the Transition and are entering the early life of OH 2.0, possibly renamed IICER (viz. An International Institute for Culture, Ethics and Religion in Global Affairs) for easier embedding in other institutions.
ii. For the next 6 months a Transitional Board (TB) will assume responsibility for the work of OH/IICER as it develops.
iii. The primary tasks of the Transitional Board will be:
a. To confirm the formal legal identity and administrative structure of OH 2.0/IICER.
b. To pursue institutional partnerships (and, where appropriate joint projects).
c. To develop a coherent fund-raising strategy for the work.
NB. Of these three tasks, the key driver will be pursuing partnerships since this will almost certainly impact the other two tasks.
In terms of the on-going work of OH, there is still plenty of it! We continue to be deeply engaged with the crisis in Myanmar and in discreet ways in a host of other situations; a big report on Iran for EU Foreign Ministers and their staff is at the press; new Senior Associates and Associates are joining the team. All very encouraging to see!
We would love to hear from you if you are interested in knowing more about Oxford House, investing in its strategic work going forward, or being drawn into our activities individually or institutionally.
My own role will change in the coming months as I step away from day-to-day leadership of Oxford House and focus on specific projects. It has been a huge privilege to be involved in the beginnings of this fascinating enterprise.
Chris Hancock, Director