Diane Devenyi: positive activism

Happy and grateful movement

“Typically we complain about what we don’t like that’s happening around us, and make demands for it to be improved,” says Diane Devenyi about the political system in Toronto, and worldwide. “The new political paradigm – the paradigm for true democracy – is to focus on what is working really well and on what we can all do to make it even better.”

When she spoke to Tempo Toronto, Diane was deciding whether to run for Mayor in Toronto’s Municipal Elections, October 2010, so frustrated was she with the way the then current Mayoralty candidates were campaigning. “Einstein reminded us,” she said, ” that insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result.”

“I am faced with the sad reality that the political arenas that are most personal to us – our cities – are where the fewest of us go out to vote. Only one third of us are engaged enough to go out and cast a ballot.  I am a proponent of Ghandi, who invited us to be the change we wish to see. It’s now time to do something different.”

Diane’s newest project is www.TheVirtualMayor.com where people are invited to “be the change for a change”. An online community is invited to engage in Toronto’s municipal election by co-creating a vision for Toronto’s future through contests, blogs and forums.

Fearless Mastery

Diane Devenyi is a recovering Toronto lawyer who is committed to educational reform and changing the way we all contribute to life. The path she has revealed is Fearless Mastery, a 21st century learning practice that maximizes learning for all ages and abilities (website www.thelearningforce.com). The vision has grown into an innovative program called The First Five Days, which features Fearless Mastery and creates a space in which participants connect to their passions and express them positively through service in live and online communities.

Diane is finding support for her work in various organizations: as Founder and Director of The Learning Force, as a member of United Global Shift (led by Dr. Monica Sharma of the United Nations), and as an Ambassador for Impact First International (formerly Gems of Hope). Current projects include bringing The First Five Days to The Bahamas, Costa Rica, and North America, as well as growing the Happy and Grateful movement worldwide.

G(irls)20 Summit

Spearheaded by The Belinda Stronach Foundation, and supported by a coalition of over 50 organizations, the G(irls)20 Summit invited one young woman from each of the G20 nations, and one from the African Union, to discuss how girls and women can help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges. Diane Devenyi created a video (top of page)  that encapsulates the ‘Happy and Grateful’ movement. It is addressed to G20 leaders, and each G(irls)20 delegate expresses positive affirmations about what they would like to see in the world.  For example, Leah Stuart-Sheppard, Canada’s delegate, is “happy and grateful that every woman and girl has a chance to have an education.”

“My personal vision is that we all be the change for a change”, said Diane.

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