Register for February 3 with Dr. P.M. Forni

Administrator — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:24:34 +0000

P.M. Forni, award-winning professor at John Hopkins University and author of Choosing Civility: The Twenty Five Rules of Considerate Conduct will discuss rules that are most essential in connecting effectively and civility with others. He will also provide examples of how to put these rules into practice and make life – and the lives of others – more enjoyable, companionable and rewarding. Download a study guide for Choosing Civility.

Thursday, February 3 | 7 – 8:30 pm
Sheslow Auditorium | Drake University

Register here!

If you have any questions, please call us at 515-447-4220.

About our next speaker, PM Forni

Administrator — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:20:49 +0000

P.M. Forni is an award-winning professor at Johns Hopkins University, where he has taught for the past twenty years. He graduated from the University of Pavia in 1974 and received his Ph.D. in Italian at UCLA in 1981. He has written and edited several books on the work of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375). He was a Fellow at Villa I Tatti, The Harvard Center for Renaissance Studies in Florence and is an Honorary Charter Member of the International Association of Protocol Consultants.

In 1997 Dr. Forni co-founded the Johns Hopkins Civility Project. An aggregation of academic and community outreach activities, the JHCP aimed `at assessing the significance of civility, manners and politeness in contemporary society. He was also the co-director of “Reassessing Civility: Forms and Values at the End of the Century,” an international symposium which took place at Hopkins in March 1998. He now directs The Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins.

Over the years, he has continued to illustrate the connections among civility, ethics and quality of life. In his lectures and workhops he frequently talks about the rewards of fostering a culture of civility in today’s workplace.

His book Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct (2002) has been translated into German and Italian. He contributed to a chapter on ethics and international protocol in the Convention Industry Council International Manual (2005). His article “The Other Side of Civility,” appeared in the November, 2005 issue of Johns Hopkins Magazine. In 2008 he published The Civility Solution: What to Do when People Are Rude.

On the occasion of the launching in Los Angeles of a Civility Project inspired by Dr. Forni’s work, the Mayor and the Los Angeles City Council declared May 13, 2009 “Los Angeles Civility Day.”

National and foreign publications that have mentioned his work include The New York Times, The Times of London, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and Forbes Magazine.

Dr. Forni has appeared on a number of radio and television shows, including the ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Sunday Morning, Oprah and BBC’s Outlook

Register for the February 3 event.

Civility dialogue lunches

Administrator — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:57:22 +0000

The Wallace Centers of Iowa will host a series of five lunches at the Wallace House for in-depth discussion about civility in the community. The lunches build upon Dr. P.M. Forni’s book,”Choosing Civility” and his lecture on February 3 at Drake University as part of the Better Together: Creating Community Through Civility series.

The first Civility Dialogue lunch will be on Tuesday, February 8 at 11:30 a.m., with the remaining lunches scheduled for February 15, February 22, March 1, March 8, and March 15. Dr. Forni’s 25 Rules for Considerate Conduct will be grouped into five areas, with one area discussed at each lunch.

Cost is $25 per person for each lunch. Participants can attend any or all of the lunches. Seating is limited.

Complete information can be found at www.wallace.org. Contact Janis Falk at 515.243.7063 or janfalk@wallace.org to reserve your seat.

Choosing Civility

Administrator — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:27:07 +0000

We’re proud to announce the third event in the Better Together Series. Dr. P.M. Forni, author of Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct, will speak in Des Moines February 3 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at Sheslow Auditorium on the Drake University campus.

Most of us would agree that thoughtful behavior and respect for different viewpoints are in short supply or simply forgotten in our hurried society with negative political campaigns and prevalent personal attacks. Dr. Forni, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, will discuss rules that are most essential in connecting effectively and happily with others.

He will also provide examples of how to put these rules into practice and so make life – and the lives of others – more enjoyable, companionable and rewarding.

In preparation for this event, we encourage you to read Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct. Book stores partnering with us to provide the book for purchase are Drake University Book Store at 3003 Forest Avenue in Des Moines and Barnes & Noble Booksellers at 4550 University Avenue in West Des Moines.

Support local libraries

Administrator — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:19:06 +0000

Iowans are invited to support the Better Together–Creating Community through Civility speaker series by purchasing Bill Bishop’s book The Big Sort for local libraries to use as part of the community book read.

To purchase book make checks payable to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and write Civility in the memo line. Checks should be mailed to 1915 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50309.

Community Read of The Big Sort

Administrator — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:56:58 +0000

In preparation for the September 16 session with Bill Bishop, we encourage you to read Bill’s book, The Big Sort.

We’re partnering with area bookstores to help make the book even more accessible to you! You can find The Big Sort at

Drake University Book Store
3003 Forest Avenue, Des Moines

Barnes & Noble Booksellers
4500 University Avenue, W. Des Moines

Download some discussion questions.

Special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for helping organize the community read:

Culture & Manners Institute
NEXUS Executive Women’s Alliance
Des Moines Social Club
Hopkins & Huebner
Kay Runge
Mary Kramer

About Bill Bishop

Administrator — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:52:04 +0000

Bill Bishop lives in Austin, Texas. He wrote The Big Sort with retired University of Texas sociologist Robert G. Cushing. Bishop has worked as a reporter at The Mountain Eagle, in Whitesburg (Ky.); a columnist at the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader and on the special projects staff of the Austin (Tx.) American-Statesman.

Bishop and his wife, Julie Ardery, owned and operated The Bastrop County Times, a weekly newspaper in Smithville, Texas.

They now co-edit The Daily Yonder, a web-based publication (dailyyonder.com) covering rural America.

Next Civility Event Announced

Administrator — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:35:35 +0000

Bill Bishop, author of The Big Sort, is coming to Des Moines in September to discuss his theory of how America came to be a country of swelling cultural division, economic separation and political polarization.

The event will be held September 16 at Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Register to attend.

In preparation for this event, we encourage our community to read The Big Sort. You may purchase The Big Sort at the Drake University Bookstore and other bookstores throughout Iowa.

Read a summary of The Big Sort.

Photo highlights from Jim Leach event

Administrator — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:40:42 +0000

Connie Ryan Terrell, Chairman Jim Leach, Barry Griswell, Laura Hollingsworth, and Jim Hubbell

Barry Griswell introduces Chairman Leach

Chairman Jim Leach addresses an audience of more than 300 people.

Gov. Robert Ray, Barry Griswell, and Chairman Jim Leach

Iowa Public Television Schedule – Jim Leach

Administrator — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:04:20 +0000

In addition to streaming the live Better Together session with Jim Leach on June 18, Iowa Public Television will be re-broadcasting the event throughout June. Check out all upcoming episodes.

THE JUNE 18 SESSION IS FULL. We invite you to watch the
live stream or broadcasts on Iowa Public Television.