About the World Café

The World Café brings people together in an informal setting and uses the power of conversation to harness the collective wisdom of those present. The name reflects the informal café-style ambience in which participants feel comfortable to share ideas. It was devised by Juanita Brown and David Isaacs and evolved into a method that has been used around the world in a whole range of settings and situations.

The dual premise of the World Café is that people want to talk about the things that matter to them and that there is greater wisdom to be found in collective thinking and shared ideas. Movement is a key feature as participants move to different tables to share thoughts so contributions circulate around the room. Ideas are noted on paper tablecloths in an informal setting. The aim of the Justice Café events is to recreate the sort of environment in which a group of friends sit around in excited conversation about a shared passion and scribble down their ideas as they talk.