Tools for Changemakers
Europe in Dialogue
In recent years Europe and the rest of the world have witnessed a growth in populist movements that seek to take advantage of a perceived mistrust between individuals, communities and countries. Far right movements are more visible, Islamic radicalization is a concern for many, outbursts of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are more frequent, while some unresolved historical traumas and injustices bring up old conflicts and tensions. Europe seems to be more fragmented and polarized than some decades ago.
For this trend to be reversed, people and organizations at all levels need to be involved in building trust and social cohesion. Dialogue, properly practised and understood, can be an efficient tool for bringing individuals and communities closer to each other, enhancing understanding, mutual respect and acceptance. It can address prejudice or misconceptions and can help heal historical wounds and trauma. For this to happen, we need practitioners who have a deep understanding of dialogue as a powerful tool, and have the confidence and skills to use it efficiently in their grassroots work in their communities.
About the conference
Tools for Changemakers – Europe in Dialogue is a five-day event which aims to bring together grassroots practitioners (trainers, facilitators, activists, community workers, educators, etc) active in the fields of community-building and trust-building. The issues we will be looking at are not exclusively European but actual and relevant globally, therefore we are welcoming participation and contribution from all parts of the world, enabling learning at a world-wide level.
Together we will examine different dialogue approaches, look at examples from experts in the field, hear personal experiences and share models and practices that enable dialogue. We will consider examples of good practice, analyse the obstacles which can impede progress, offer and receive training on dialogue tools for building trust and equip people to better respond to their local challenges.
Our participants will be inspired and motivated through listening to great speakers, through meeting people who work on the ground on a range of different projects and through gaining confidence and skills in addressing the challenges faced by their communities.
In previous years our forum has gathered people of all generations and backgrounds, from all parts of Europe and beyond, who have shared passionately and openly from their lives. This variety of backgrounds makes our event a unique and rich experience.
What we offer
The conference offers plenary meetings, small group gatherings for sharing and discussion, dialogue opportunities, training, time for reflection, networking opportunities and artistic moments.
Our starting point is the belief that dialogue is an essential process for building trust and social cohesion in today’s tumultuous times. The word dialogue comes from the Greek, dia, meaning through and logos meaning speech. Today we view dialogue as a type of discussion aimed at fostering mutual insight and understanding. It requires deep listening and a desire to learn from others.
We have invited inspiring thinkers and trainers who are keen to pass on their knowledge and skills to those wishing to heal their communities through dialogue. They will be offering 9 different 'Training Tracks', designed to give delegates some practical tools covering a wide variety of methodologies.
Who should attend?
- Grassroots practitioners (trainers, facilitators, activists, community workers, educators, etc.) active in the field of community- and trustbuilding in Europe and the world
- Young changemakers engaged in Europe’s future
- Organizations active in the field who are looking for partnership / support
- Teams and individuals engaged in IofC work in Europe and beyond
- Anyone else interested in learning about dialogue as an efficient methodology for addressing mistrust and division between individuals and communities.
Programme
The morning plenaries will focus each day on an aspect of dialogue and will provide a 'flow' through the conference.
In the Opening Session (Why dialogue?) the speakers will put into context why dialogue is so important in today’s fractured world.
On the second day of the conference, the plenary (Let’s talk!) will offer insights into what we mean by dialogue, and how and where to start. We will hear stories from expert practitioners about some of their experiences in setting up dialogues, the highs, the lows, the pitfalls, the successes.
On the 3rd day (Let’s listen!) we will take a look at some of the innovative projects taking place across Europe. We can learn much from people doing the work. How they have used dialogue as a tool and what contribution this made to the success of their project. What can they tell us about what works and what doesn't work.
The 4th plenary (Let’s reflect!) will consist of stories of personal transformation and identify some of the key features for successful dialogue.
Before closing the conference we will consider our next steps, and the actions we may wish to take as a result of our experiences and learning together (Let’s act!).
Leading up to and included in the event are three very exciting initiatives aimed at young people:
- Young Ambassadors Programme (YAP) – This programme for young people will be an integral part of the conference for the sixth consecutive year. The programme brings together young people from various parts of Europe to share experiences, learn, exchange knowledge and work for change. The programme equips a new generation of changemakers to meet the challenges we face in Europe.
- Learning to be a peacemaker (LPM) – A programme for young European Muslims. The programme will be in two parts: a course in Islamic approaches to peace-making, designed and led by imam and broadcaster Ajmal Masroor, followed by full participation in the conference.
- Caux Scholars Program: (CSP): For the first time this year the Caux Scholars Program will fully integrate with the confrence. The Caux Scholars Program is a 4-week residential conflict transformation program held annually at Caux, Switzerland. The Programme deepens the work of practitioners in mainstream disciplines of conflict transformation, legislation and policy, development studies, international relations, and transitional justice through experiential learning tools and engagements with scholars from all over the world
Training Tracks
Trainers: Louie Gardiner and Su Riddell
Maximum number of participants: 12
Becoming and being our best Selves calls on a lifetime’s commitment to daily, moment-to-moment practice. If this is true, what can we possibly learn together in the 10 short hours we will share, that can resource us throughout our lives?
In IofC, we believe that changing the world starts within. So, we will start with Ourselves. We learn to listen to others and to the still quiet voice within that many call ‘God’. But whether you believe in God or not, how well do you attend to you? The you that is the most sensitive, potentially sophisticated and potent instrument for change on the planet? How do you attend to the self-hatred, accusations and shame you generate within yourself, about yourself? How do you deal with the labels, judgments and acts of hatred that others direct towards you or others around you, if you do not know how to deal with your own inner aggressor?
YOU are where we begin. We will open your eyes, minds, bodies and hearts to a new approach – Presence in Action - that will help you begin the process of healing and resourcing yourself from within. This way of working equips us to engage in dialogue from a place of clarity, or Presence, enabling us to remain our best selves and at the same time build trust with the other. Join us, if you believe this is a crucial next step for you.
Different versions of this training have been delivered over the last 5 years in Switzerland and UK. Each time it is different – orientated to focus on the particular issues and context of the situation and the people in the room.
We can’t wait to see you!
What past participants say
"This is a gentle and powerful approach to understanding the thoughts, beliefs and emotions that tend to affect our lives and our relationships. It goes further than most personal training & self-development methods in that this new understanding is reached at a deeper, more embodied level … so much so that it leads to a level of awareness that is not just in the head but in your whole being. This leads to internal shifts and change that have more impact, clarity and stickability than anything I have tried before."
"…it's extremely powerful and unique in how it helps you understand and face into your emotional life, objective reality and the way you interact with the world… you have to feel ready for it… and you have to be prepared to step into in the unknown."
“… I’ve learned that it takes great concentration to listen to and acknowledge another person without layering on my own context… I am more aware of the challenge to separate facts from interpretations.”
“I did not anticipate the depth and validity of the approach to tackle the issues; to look at myself in the situation; to get out of judgements of others concerned in the situation; to better understand the positioning of others and their attitudes in the situation…”
“I did not anticipate that I would gain something so effective and easy to work with from day one of learning about it”
About the trainers
Louie Gardiner is the creator of the P6 Constellation – the framework that enables people to access the praxis of Presence in Action. This powerful approach equips people to engage in deep personal change, transforming their relationships with themselves, others and the wider world. She is a Director of Presence In Action (PIA) Collective CIC and Potent 6 in which she is the Lead PIA Practitioner & Learning Partner; Change Consultant & Trainer-Facilitator. She has been serving within Initiatives of Change since 2010 and initiated the REAL Change programme in 2015 in the UK in response to emerging needs within and beyond the fellowship.
Su Riddell is an Outreach Worker for Initiatives of Change, based in Oxford, UK, amongst other things running small groups to deepen the practice of the Quiet Time. She uses Presence in Action daily to clarify and illuminate her own Quiet time practice, and offers one-to-one sessions with people to support them in finding their own clarity and integrity. Su, who has been involved with IofC for 40 years, likens the REAL Change experience to that of a picture restorer, removing years of deposits from the surface of an Old Master so the original emerges fresh and bright.
Trainer: Bhavesh S Patel
The Inside-Out Leadership training will deepen your understanding of the importance of self as a fundamental part of any dialogue. It will also explore the idea of your dialogue with yourself, that is always running in parallel to your dialogue with others, even when facilitating.
This training is for anyone who thinks that ‘who’ I am is as important as what I ‘do’. One of the key concepts is the idea that making a positive difference in the world begins with making a positive difference in our own lives. The emphasis is less on tools for change, and more on you as a tool for change!
The training will offer concepts and methods for learning about self from a range of fields including complexity science, developmental psychology, ecology, systems thinking, coaching, spirituality, etc.
The learning and application gained during the training could be useful in all areas of life except the ones that don’t include you.
About the trainer
Bhavesh Patel designs and facilitates learning and development for people, organizations and networks. He believes that in an increasingly uncertain world, there are no off-the-shelf ideal pre-defined solutions. Instead organizations can find their evolutionary capacity through engaging the hearts and minds of their own people. This leads to a variety of work from strategic development to helping community groups discover their shared vision. He also works as a trainer, delivering workshops that explore skills in self-management, communication, training and facilitation. Bhav has a Master’s in Management Psychology and has worked in over 30 countries for a mix of social and corporate clients.
Trainers: Leonid Donos and Urszula Majewska
In this training track you will:
- learn various tools for citizen participation in democratic processes
- prepare a plan for these processes focused on the final users and stakeholders
- practise the various stages of these processes, for example diagnosis, definition of stakeholders etc.
This training is created especially for representatives of local authorities and NGOs and for activists involved in the work of local governments who want to improve their knowledge of how to implement dialogue-based decision-making processes effectively.
After many years of work at the local level, we want to share our experiences of engaging citizens in the creation of the local budgets, participatory budgeting and urban participatory planning.
We believe that when working with NGOs, local authorities and citizens, dialogue-based processes are most effective way of building trust and confidence.
During the training we will find space for discussion about deliberative democracy and how ordinary people can have an influence on political processes. We will focus on how to navigate local politics and involve citizens in the creation, implementation and monitoring of participatory democratic processes.
This training will give you the opportunity to learn from each other and make contacts which may be useful for further cooperation.
We would like to work on real life challenges. So please come to this track with a problem you would like to solve in your community, or with ideas relevant to your context.
About the trainers
Leonid Donos is a project manager, chief expert on strengthening participatory decision-making projects, and a consultant on participatory budgeting, citizen participation in municipal budgeting, and youth involvement. He is also a specialist in participatory urban planning and strategic spatial planning. Leonid uses nonviolent communication and dialogue methods in his group facilitation work.
An expert in the field of participatory democracy working with Social Innovation Lab in Poland and Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia, Urszula Majewska’s passion and work focus is social communication and participation, including tools for public consultation, participatory budgeting and supporting local activities. By education she is a specialist in international relations, a journalist and a mediator. She also graduated from the School of Public Consultation and Resolving Social Conflicts. After 10 years working in local government in Warsaw and three years as Deputy Director of the Social Communication Centre of Warsaw City Hall, she coordinated a project to implement participatory budgeting in Georgia and worked as an expert and trainer in citizen participation. She currently works at the Social Innovation Laboratory in Gdynia and is collaborating with Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia in the field of participatory budgeting.
Trainers: KAICIID & WOSM trainers (TBD)
The workshop will equip the participants with a better understanding of dialogue as a conflict prevention and conflict resolution tool as well as with skills and knowledge necessary to develop dialogue-related projects and facilitate dialogue processes in their communities.
It will also introduce the participants to:
- Important theoretical and practical information on Dialogue.
- Models of Dialogue and the role identity plays in dialogue.
- The number of hands-on and easily replicable dialogue activities.
The KAICIID Dialogue for Peace (DfP) programme, jointly developed with the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), aims to equip participants with the tools needed to meaningfully participate in building a culture of dialogue, contribute to reconciliation efforts, and dispel stereotypes within their societies and beyond. In 2014- 2019, more than 2600 young people from all around the world have participated in the DfP programme, with 40 trainings and over 300 training sessions organised.
The participants will also have a chance to play the DialoGo! Game. This KAICIID-developed interactive board game, challenges players to practice facilitation skills, overcome misunderstandings, dispel stereotypes, as well as develop better listening and communication skills.
This introductory course is designed for everyone (youth leaders, peacebuilders, teachers, students, or families). The game encourages critical thinking and advocates respect for the other and is available for free in 7+ languages.
Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a “Taste of Dialogue”, which provides the opportunity to experience dialogue followed by a debriefing and analysis of the session.
What participants will gain
- Understanding of dialogue as a process, methods and models of dialogue.
- Knowledge of dialogue’s role in conflict resolution and peace making
- Insight into the role of identity(ies) in dialogue: (minority/majority, belief, nationality, gender, age...)
- Practical experience of dialogue
- Confidence and know-how on implementing dialogue activities in their communities
Requirements
Because group dynamics are essential to the quality of this training it is necessary for participants to commit to participating in the entire training track. No late drop-ins can be accepted.
Trainers: Badi Niyazi and Elisabeth Palugyay
What is this training about?
In the last three years, KAICIID’s Programme for the Social Inclusion of People Seeking Refuge in Europe implemented the project "Integration through Dialogue" in Vienna with refugees and migrants. Based on this experience the“Integration through Dialogue” Toolkit was published in 2019. It contains 13 modules designed to integrate newcomers into all aspects of their host country, by using a dialogical approach to practical integration topics.
The “Integration through Dialogue” Toolkit Facilitation Training equips participants with basic knowledge, skills and techniques to facilitate dialogue sessions with refugees and migrants in their communities and cities to strengthen social inclusion. A mixture of theoretical and practical elements, including hands on experience in facilitation and dialogue, will give participants the opportunity to directly apply what they learn in their professional and private life.
Who is this training for?
This training is suitable for persons who are interested in the field of integration who:
- want to enhance their facilitation and dialogue skills and
- are interested to use dialogue into their own initiatives and projects with refugees and migrants.
Integration through Dialogue:
The “Integration through Dialogue” Toolkit provides a specific direction on how integration of refugees and migrants can be achieved through dialogical approaches. This horizontal approach allows to ask critical questions focusing on the inclusion into a new culture, thus providing agency and independence in the new environment. In order to ensure effective inclusion and participation, KAICIID believes that organizations need to build the capacity of people seeking refuge to approach integration proactively and from a position of empowerment, equipped with dialogue skills. “Integration through Dialogue” encourages to understand dialogue as an approach to support integration and inclusion. It provides a simple way for those working on refugee and migrant integration to introduce integration-related dialogue into their own work.
What will participants learn?
In this training participants will learn how to set up their own dialogue sessions with people seeking refuge in their communities.
The training includes:
- basics in facilitation, understanding the role of a facilitator
- understanding of dialogue and dialogue dynamics
- practical introduction to the “Integration through Dialogue” Toolkit
About the trainers
Badi Niyazi works as a Project Coordinator for the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and focuses on the development of KAICIID’s programme to support people seeking refuge in Europe. Prior to joining KAICIID, Badi worked as a form teacher, teaching German and history and developed various integration projects with pupils newly arrived in Austria. He also completed the Teach for Austria fellow programme striving for educational justice by supporting socio-economic disadvantaged pupils. Badi was active in civil society organizations, like the Committee on Peace and the Committee on the Status of Women at the United Nations. He holds a Master’s degree in political science from the University of Vienna and a Bachelor’s degree in German and history from the University College for Teacher Education in Vienna.
Elisabeth Palugyay was in charge as Migration Officer and Head of Section for refugee aid and migration for the Red Cross Austria in Vienna when she started her cooperation with the International Dialogue Centre KAICIID and became a founding member of the Network for Dialogue. She was responsible for integration projects in Vienna implemented by the Red Cross, with a special focus on intercultural exchange. The development of the toolkit for the project “Integration through Dialogue” was part of that cooperation. Elisabeth Palugyay holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and International Law from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany. As an alumna of the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna, she put a special focus on international relations and humanitarian law. In her current role as Fellow of KAICIID’s International Fellowship Programme, Elisabeth is promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue as an essential part of intercultural integration projects and long-term social inclusion.
Trainers
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fees
- Accommodation and food*CHF 380 (4 nights)
- Forum FeesCHF 720
- TotalCHF 1100
- Accommodation and food*CHF 480 (4 nights)
- Forum FeesCHF 720
- Total CHF 1200
- Accommodation and food*CHF 580 (4 nights)
- Forum feesCHF 720
- TotalCHF 1300
- Accommodation and food*CHF 680 (4 nights)
- Forum FeesCHF 720
- TotalCHF 1400
* Prices per person with full board.
We apply a registration fee of CHF 50 to all registrations.
You can also attend one full day of the event. The Daily Forum Fee is CHF 270 and includes full participation, one meal and two coffee/tea breaks.
Not included is the mandatory city tax of CHF 5.00 per person per night (free of charge for children up to the age of 15).
Click here for more information on the fees, possible subsidies and the different room categories.
