Check out these groups using dialogue for civic engagement and participation. Discover ways you can use dialogue to solve social problems.
by Taylor O’Connor and Mustapha Ali | 2 October 2024
Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
I was researching to write a blog post on interfaith and intercultural dialogue initiatives when I came across this eclectic collection of other dialogue initiatives not associated with interfaith or intercultural cohesion. It made me curious about the concept of dialogue, and the many ways we use dialogue to build peace, advocate for justice, or address other interconnected social issues.
So if dialogue isn’t about building social cohesion, then what other uses does it have?
Well, I came to find from this eclectic collection of dialogue initiatives I found that dialogue is used in many ways. I found that many organizations use dialogue as an activity, but fewer organizations are explicitly focused on the use of dialogue as a core activity.
Many conflict mediator groups also use dialogue as a tool. But their efforts don’t center around dialogue. And I’ll cover these in another blog post shortly.
After clearing out interfaith/intercultural dialogue initiatives and mediation organizations, I was left with an assortment of organizations dedicated to dialogue for other purposes. They are actually all quite different, but the common thread I found in them was that they used dialogue in different ways to promote civic engagement and participation.
Lessons learned in researching dialogue initiatives
In my broader research about dialogue initiatives I recognized that there are two major types of dialogue initiatives. One is focused on interfaith and intercultural dialogue. This is covered in another blog post. And the other, covered here in this blog post, is dialogue initiatives for civic engagement and participation.
Reviewing all these dialogue initiatives, and specifically about those initiatives focused on civic engagement and participation, I learned a lot about the approaches they take and other lessons.
Approaches taken in dialogue initiatives for civic engagement and participation:
- The activities of many center around dialogue activities with diverse stakeholders, then raising up their voices to inform policymaking. Some focus on specific disadvantaged communities and work to amplify their voices to policymakers.
- Many focus on partnerships and consensus building.
- Some conduct learning exchanges and people-to-people activities for relationship building
- Some focus on dialogue and communication across divides, to address polarization, or dialogue about other societal issues
- Some are focused on bringing together a diverse collection of experts, leaders and persons with unique perspective, seeking to find innovative solutions to societal problems
Other lessons learned about interfaith and intercultural dialogue:
- Some mediation groups describe their activities as dialogue, but their activities are focused on mediation. For them, dialogue is one mediation tool.
- Whereas interfaith dialogue initiatives use dialogue as an ongoing process, generally civic engagement/participation dialogue activities are linked to taking a specific action to solve a societal problem or influence policymaking
- Many civic engagement dialogue activities center around consensus while others focus just on representation of diverse ideas
Initiatives Using Dialogue for Civic Engagement and Participation
Organizations described below use dialogue to address political issues at the national or international level, conduct dialogues to find solutions to social problems, or carry out dialogues to mobilize collective voices for peace. Many are focused either on bringing diverse voices from the community level to affect policymaking or convene experts and innovators to find solutions.
Blog posts here are explicitly using dialogue for civic engagement and/or participation. There are many topics and approaches associated with dialogue that I will cover in separate blog posts. I have completed one blog post on interfaith and intercultural dialogue already. And I will link other associated blogs here once they are complete.
Other associated topics to be covered in other blog posts include the following:
- organizations focused on teaching active listening, nonviolent communication or other communication tools
- Organizations focused on mediation and negotiation
- Organizations focused on forgiveness, reconciliation, and/or restorative justice
Also, I have not included dialogue activities not related to peace, justice or social cohesion. Dialogue initiatives associated explicitly with environment for example, or gender issues, social innovation, etc. are not included.
The Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) is a Philippines-based, regionally focused advocacy institution promoting human security, democratization and people-to-people solidarity. IID develops partnerships with civil society groups in the regionl. They facilitate learning exchanges, dialogue sessions and build coalitions across civil society groups. Their efforts promote South-South solidarity and engagement with policymakers to promote civil society involvement in peace processes and policymaking.
National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation
The National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD) is a US-based network focused on improving public engagement in the democratic process through dialogue and deliberation. They promote the effective use of dialogue to build understanding and find common ground among diverse groups. They host conferences, provide resources and training for practitioners, and foster connections among members to support collaborative efforts in addressing societal challenges.
KOFF – The Swiss Platform for Peacebuilding
The KOFF – Swiss Centre for Peacebuilding works to enhance the effectiveness of Swiss and international peacebuilding efforts by fostering dialogue and coordination among civil society, government, and international actors. It creates platforms for collaboration and learning between peace practitioners and policymakers, focusing on thematic areas such as conflict sensitivity, dealing with the past, and promoting sustainable peace. They organize roundtable discussions, offer training, and provides advisory services to strengthen peacebuilding initiatives worldwide.
Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
Promoting the legacy of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation works to advance dialogue and policy for sustainable development and peace. The Foundation works to amplify the voices of diverse stakeholders in policy conversations, driving impactful multilateral action to ensure respect for international norms and the protection of human rights. They conduct research, convene global forums and advocate for engagement with civil society actors to promote multilateral cooperation for social justice and sustainability.
The Everyday Democracy
Everyday Democracy works to promote inclusive dialogue and civic engagement to build a strong democracy and address community challenges across the United States. They support communities to engage in equitable dialogue and decision-making to create stronger, more resilient, and just communities. They provide tools, resources, and support for organizing dialogues on race, equity, and social issues, as well as fostering public engagement and collaboration across sectors to address systemic problems.
The Centro de Colaboración Cívica
Centro de Colaboración Cívica is an organization based in Mexico that works to promote dialogue, peacebuilding, and sustainable development through collaboration and civic participation. They create spaces for inclusive dialogue among diverse stakeholders to address social conflicts and foster peaceful solutions in Mexico and Latin America. They are involved in facilitating conflict resolution processes, supporting local communities in decision-making, and conducting research to inform public policies that promote peace and sustainable development. Centeral to their approach is both creating safe spaces for dialogue and supporting participants to develop capacitives for dialogue and participation.
Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute works to find solutions for the greatest global challenges of our time through dialogue, leadership, and action. They host seminars and events that bring together experts and innovators of all kinds to engage in discussions on critical global issues and formulate strategies for action.
Independent and Peaceful Australia Network
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) is a grassroots network of organizations around Australia that work together to build public dialogue and pressure for policy change that they country can play a positive role in solving international conflicts peacefully. Their network includes diverse community, faith and peace groups, as well as trade unions and engaged individuals, all working together to advocate to an Australia free of foreign military bases, and working to influence in Australia’s foreign and defense policies in a manner that are centered around peaceful resolution of conflict, not foreign interventionism. They organize events, provide educational resources, and coordinate campaigns aimed at raising awareness about issues related to peace and disarmament.
Use dialogue for civic engagement and participation
We’ve explored how dialogue is being used as a tool to promote civic engagement and participation. What started as research into interfaith and intercultural dialogue led me to discover a diverse array of organizations using dialogue for civic purposes. These initiatives demonstrate that dialogue can be a powerful way to strengthen communities, encourage public involvement, and address social issues through collaboration.
Now, it’s time to take action! Explore the organizations I’ve mapped out and learn about their initiatives. You may be inspired to get involved or you may find creative ways to use dialogue for civic engagement in your own efforts for peace. Whether you want to support local discussions or contribute to a global movement, there’s an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and make a difference in your community.
If you found this article helpful and want to find more blog posts like this mapping organizations that build peace across a wide array of themes be sure to check out our Resources page!
If there are any great organizations that are missing on this list and you think it should be added, please submit it at the link HERE. I periodically update my resource posts and use these inputs to help me. Thanks in advance!
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