Keeping the Conversation Alive The planned conversation sessions may have come to a close, but further sharing need not stop there. Here are some ways to keep the conversation alive. Produce a report or reading list for further exploration of the topic. Seek a wider audience for the conversation(s) through the media. The planners may offer to find three to five participants to hold "mini-conversations" on local radio or television. This would convey some of the richness of the discussion to a wider audience, and perhaps stimulate further conversations in the community. If there are audio or videotapes of the conversations, they might be shared through local radio programming or cable-access TV. With the permission of participants, local media might be invited to cover conversations. At the very least, the planning committee should write an op ed or press release detailing the highlights of the discussion. Plan another conversation to reach a new audience. Plan another conversation with the same participants so they can explore different issues. Encourage participants to write about the conversation in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper or for opinion pages in other publications. Mount an exhibit of the memorabilia and other items participants have contributed to the conversation. Create a listserve or use another means of electronic communication to encourage individuals in the group to keep in touch with each other; this will allow them to continue sharing information and ideas in informal conversations. Keeping the Conversation Alive | Evaluating the Conversation Experience