Up early and out of the hotel to walk to the venue at the historic Dialoghaus in Hamburg. It felt like a mecca for creatives as the closer I came to the building the more folks I saw heading in the same direction. In recognition we stopped together at the entrance and captured this photo. The day had begun.

Think of your fondest memory of any sort of reunion. One you could not wait to attend. Family, work, school, or club – combine them all into one event and you have it. Fantastic energy, everyone is family, and all are welcome, amidst organized chaos and joy. The Keynote began and Mike Rohde @rohdesign humbly spoke of the revolution and community that has burgeoned since his book, The Sketchnote Handbook, was published.

It was astounding that you could not predict the livelihood of anyone directly. Yes, there were many graphic artists and professional visual notetakers, but there were also just as many folks from other fields. The fact that all came together with one intent: to learn, share, and grow, was evident in every session and conversation. In Ed-camp style, folks interested in sharing an idea pitched the sessions and then the whole room was asked to show their hands in interest. If accepted, and most were, someone met these folks off stage, wrote the title on a sticky note, and found an appropriate room and time frame for the idea. The atmosphere was that of a really exciting auction of interesting and unique objects only the offerings were ideas that were ready to sprout and grow (within us) before our eyes. It went surprisingly fast and within a short period of time the crowd parted and found their way to one of the many meeting rooms.

Each of the Kaleidoscopic sessions sparkled. They merged seamlessly into each other as ideas flowed like the water outside. Sketching with Caroline Chappel during her session: From Sketchnoting to Graphic Recording was a highlight. Meeting Caroline, @chappelcartoons in person was a delight (especially since her event the night before was cancelled due to a travel delay) and learning from her in that session is something that stays with me today. Personal mindset and an open expectation for learning (wherever it occurs) were key players for all. The Speicherstadt District of port warehouses and the views of the network of short canals from the open windows of our building displayed a historic industrial setting begging to be studied and burgeoning with new businesses. Repurposed and vibrant. The Enesco site offered the perfect setting for this event filled with magic and possibility. Even while taking a break to have a light lunch a gathering sprouted up around me and I soon found myself in rich discussion around how you teach sketchnoting  and the path others were taking to spread that practice both in business and in education. Seeds there were planted for all.

Before the sessions began I met Luis Gonzaga @LuisGonzagacom and we talked about peace. The closing announcements identified that Luis and his historic city of Lisboa, Portugal would be the host for the next event, ISC18LX, and the room erupted in cheers. Knowing that the camaraderie and creativity that had bridged cultures, continents, careers and ideologies would have another opportunity to spread inspiration gave everyone closure. Peace can be spread through Doodles. The International Sketchnoting Camp proved that. PeaceDoodle is coming your way soon. Let’s create Peace through Doodling, shall we?