As a first post, I wanted to introduce a concept that is near and dear to my heart: the Classroom. When I was in grad school, my statistics professor declared in our first session that to him the classroom is a sacred thing: in the classroom we can come together to freely exchange opposing ideas without taking up arms. That concept has now become sacred to me. And it applies now (in one man's humble opinion) to this forum we are calling "Open Source Peace." Here we can be part of or an audience to great discussions from diverse points of view, diverse backgrounds, different industries, different levels of experience... and it will undoubtedly be illuminating. The adage goes that one gets out what one puts in; collectively we contribute to this stone soup and we will leave profoundly nurtured. I have also learned about the nature of facilitation. Facilitation is the art of eliciting all available perspectives and ideas; capitalizing on the variety. Here we must self-facilitate, and maintain consciousness of the importance of respecting and even encouraging different points of view with a growth mindset. Perhaps we can say it is our contract as participants in Open Source Peace. We will always be able to find someone who’s smarter than us, and even if we’re the smartest ones in a room, there will undoubtedly be someone who has more knowledge. Just as in Business Law: without consideration there can be no contract. For the speakers and audience members alike, each perspective deserves a voice. The contributions we each can make and allow in this place promote an intellectual pollination that has no equal... because we are all different, yet open. Our openness will lead to new knowledge, and with a no to J.D. Salinger, that knowledge will lead to wisdom (“knowledge should lead to wisdom, and if it doesn’t, it’s just a disgusting waste of time!”). Please join us in this forum, and please do so in the spirit and manner. Thank you in advance for your insights and lessons. Let us remember that with this privilege of sharing, learning, and enjoying comes responsibility. Our responsibility is to make the most out of this new space. Take what you know, what you’ve learned, what you are, out into the world and share it. Foster, facilitate, defend the free exchange of different ideas, and make the world your classroom.