They are the EoC novelty of 2022. Their goal: to shorten distances and let communion grow on a global level
By Antonella Ferrucci
During the years of the pandemic, the Economy of Communion entrepreneurs faced many new challenges, just like everyone else.
We have told many of their stories on these very pages from which we understood that the practice of the EoC led to having a "creative little extra gear," communion, to deal with what was happening. We saw 
that the desire to confront each other was becoming stronger just like the willingness to share problems, ideas, possible solutions to the unprecedented scenarios that the pandemic was presenting to us, to network in short, beyond distances, giving concreteness to an increasingly "global" communion.
Paradoxically, the same pandemic that locked us in our homes, made us experience new possibilities for meeting each other that are offered by technology of which we had not yet taken advantage. And so the spring of 2020 saw a multitude of online meetings flourish in the various countries in which a 360-degree exchange began, with scholars trying to give a reading of the exceptional reality we were facing, in dialogue with entrepreneurs who, in their turn, shared what creativity and love for people (whether employees, customers or suppliers) suggested to them to move forward and give concrete answers to the new needs that the pandemic was bringing out. Often the Poles and EoC Associations have played the promoter’s role in such initiatives.
It was from that fruitful experience that the idea of "Circles of Communion” emerged, which today kicks off with a double value: on the one hand supporting those who are more isolated in their local efforts and on the other hand connecting concrete experiences in various parts of the world that can be mutually enriching.
But let's get a better understanding of what they are. “Circles of communion” are open groups of people with a common interest who meet periodically online to share their life and discuss a specific topic. The first goal is to strengthen communion and exchange experiences, best practices, questions and difficulties, with the intention of gathering experiences that can be also useful to others, to be shared through the EoC International Commission.
Circles of Communion are by their very nature spaces open to everyone, including those who have just begun their journey with the EoC, with a special focus on the contribution of young people. They are intended to last only as long as necessary to discuss the specific topic that prompted their birth; when they are deemed to have accomplished the task for which they were born, they will be closed to be later reopen, perhaps, in other ways. The topics can be the most varied.
Let us now see how they work. Anyone can propose to open a circle of communion around a topic that they believe would be of interest to others. To do so, you have to simply fill out in its entirety the form available here in which you can formulate your proposal.
Each circle of communion will need to identify two coordinators who will provide for the practical aspects of the organization of the circle, ensure its continuity for as long as necessary, and act as moderators and guarantors of communion. The moderators’ job will be to welcome new participants, gather their expectations, ensure that everyone can express themselves and that everything contributes to communion; they will check that each meeting is a moment of enrichment for everyone and, if necessary, listen personally to less satisfied participants; they will promote the shared identification of experiences 
or good practices to be communicated to the international commission for possible wider dissemination.
Periodically (about twice a year), the international EoC committee will propose a meeting for circle coordinators to take stock of their progress and exchange ideas for improving their way of working.
How to join a circle? On this page you can find a list of active circle of communion proposals with the relevant contacts to whom you can turn for registration or if you wish to receive further information. For further information, please contact Vibel Lopez, coordinator of the circles of communion from the part of the International EoC Commission: Vibel Lopez: +33 6 56667241 - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Circles of communion are not an end in themselves. They can help us experience global community, as long as we remain first and foremost a real community engaged locally in the concrete. But they can shorten distances, bring us together and get to know each other, give a voice to those who have new ideas to share, suggest long-distance collaborations, and let us experience concrete and global communion.
So what keeps you from joining one of the active circles or creating your own circle if the topic you would like to discuss is not yet in the available offerings?
Good communion to all!
