'Dialogues Unfolded'

Civil dialogue holds a crucial place in efforts to strengthen participatory democracy within the European Union (EU), shaping a more inclusive and transparent decision-making process. The EU Civil Society Contact Group defines civil dialogue as an interaction between public institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs), grounded in mutual recognition and responsiveness. It spans various levels of engagement, from informal consultations to legally recognized frameworks. This dialogue is essential within the EU’s intricate institutional landscape, where policymakers often seem detached from citizens. By facilitating direct interaction between policymakers and civil society, civil dialogue ensures diverse societal perspectives inform decision-making, fostering trust, accountability, and institutional responsiveness. The importance of civil dialogue intensifies within the broader debate on participatory democracy across national and European levels. Democracy transcends elections, in...

As socio-political turbulence continues to challenge democratic values and social cohesion, the DIAL Erasmus Plus project emerges as a groundbreaking initiative to address these issues. At its core, DIAL’s vision of “dialogue for all” seeks to make dialogue skills more accessible, fostering greater engagement and reducing polarisation. Unlike traditional approaches that often focus on youth, this project places adults at the center, acknowledging their unique needs and life experiences. By treating dialogue as a fundamental life skill comparable to literacy or digital competence, DIAL offers a learner-centered model that empowers individuals to navigate contemporary challenges with confidence and empathy. What sets the DIAL project apart is its innovative approach to dialogue training. While existing models, like the Finnish Time Out dialogue, have proven effective in structured environments, they often fail to address everyday interactions. DIAL bridges this gap by creating a low-thre...

In a rapidly changing world, societal and political polarisation is becoming an increasingly critical issue, eroding trust and fostering division. The Dialogue in Adult Learning (DIAL) Erasmus Plus project addresses this challenge by equipping adults with essential dialogue skills. Polarisation often stems from and perpetuates a lack of meaningful conversation, creating barriers to understanding and cooperation. DIAL aims to bridge this gap by developing a model tailored for adults, empowering individuals to engage constructively in everyday discussions. This initiative aligns with the European Association for the Education of Adults' call to prioritize dialogue training, recognizing its potential to counteract "us vs. them" thinking and strengthen the foundations of European democracy. One of the most pressing societal challenges today is the spread of misinformation, which thrives on polarisation and emotional reactions. According to recent studies, only a small percent...

  The DIAL project’s coordinator, The Sivis Study Centre from Finland, has been taking part in the national Well said ( Hyvin sanottu ) campaign for a few years. The campaign is coordinated by the public service broadcaster YLE, and its idea is to create safe spaces for dialogue and to strengthen mutual trust. One of the activities is the Well said festival, where we have facilitated dialogues every year. One part of the campaign is a national survey on dialogue. This year, 76 % of the respondents said they enjoy deep conversations and over 90 % agreed that listening is vital in dialogue – a skill we have tried to address in the DIAL project as well. However, people are quite worried that the culture of conversation and dialogue has deteriorated in the last year. This year 67 % of the respondents thought so. Most respondents call for more respect in public discussions and on social media. It might be a consequence of increasing polarisation, but this time 22 % of the respondents s...

In the face of recent developments across Europe, the importance of dialogue as a practical tool for fostering understanding, unity, and progress has become increasingly evident. We can all understand that with the continent grappling with a range of challenges, from political polarization and social unrest to economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, the need for open, inclusive, and constructive dialogue has never been more critical. One of the most pressing issues in Europe today is the rise of political polarization. As societies become more divided, dialogue emerges as a key mechanism for bridging gaps between opposing viewpoints. This means that European nations could foster a more cohesive and resilient society, if decided to encourage conversation that transcends ideological divides. This is particularly important as Europe navigates the complexities of migration, social integration, and the preservation of democratic values. The recent economic disruptions, before and ...

  At the recent conference organised by the European Association for the Education of Adults in Helsinki in June 2024, Isabell Kempf , Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning , stressed that the social aspects of adult education should not be underestimated, but they often are. She continued that adult education offers opportunities for dialogue, which builds functioning democracies. This is why we as educators of people of all ages should remember to offer opportunities to engage in dialogue in the classroom. Our task is to prepare our learners to a world where dialogue skills help them to participate as family members and citizens. In the Erasmus+ DIAL project we have learned that even though many other soft skills such as communication or time management are given stress in adult education, dialogue skills are often neglected. Besides democratic participation and work skills, the other benefits of including dialogue in the learning experience is that it bring...

I have always loved listening to others. Since I can remember I have been curious about people's inner worlds—what their dreams are, what shapes their thoughts, what inspires them, what triggers their anger, how they cope with sadness, what brings them joy. Other peoples' perspectives and the insights they can offer me have always been valuable to me. And I have often been a person that my friends turned to when they needed support, a shoulder to cry on, or simply somebody who could just be there for them when they needed a talk or feel happy for them when they shared their adventures. It was only natural to me that I offered space for them and gave them my full attention. In return, I myself felt enriched, a tiny bit wiser, and better prepared for my own life challenges. Luckily, my life path led me to find a profession that helps people learn how to better listen to themselves so that they can make better decisions and live a more fulfilling life. As a professional coac...

We constantly form judgements about people. When meeting somebody anew there might be a sense of good chemistry among us so that we can immediately connect. Or we might feel reserved towards them, for no good reason. A kind of gut feeling is telling us, beware. This is human and not easy to avoid. Judgments are helpful when we need to quickly assess a certain situation: “Am I safe/welcome here? Do I want to invest my energy in this project/community? Can I trust this person or not ...?” And of course, they might just as well be misleading, formed on the basis of our experience that has nothing to do with the person we have just met. I remember my friend telling me that she could not trust a man with a beard. Needless to say, she proved herself wrong in many cases and yet, she caught herself in mistrust every time she met a man with a beard. After some introspection she realised that men with a beard reminded her of her math teacher who made her feel miserable in the fifth grade, by...

  I was browsing through quotes about the role of dialogue in democracy. I came across this one from the late American journalist William Greider : “ Democracy begins in human conversation. A democratic conversation does not require elaborate rules of procedure or utopian notions of perfect consensus. What it does require is a spirit of mutual respect – people conversing critically with one another in an atmosphere of shared regard. ” It's almost time for the European elections, and we live in a very divided world. Have we lost the ability for dialogue? This was, actually, the same question we asked when we set out to apply for our project. We wanted to bring dialogue to everyone in all kinds of settings to prevent polarisation. Schools, workplaces, voluntary organisations or even blocks of flats are all micro-democracies because they bring people together to decide on matters that unite them and that are meaningful. This means that we need dialogue skills for democratic participat...

  “ Here I am, surrounded by words—books I read in a day, essays I ace with minimal effort—yet I find it so hard to put together a complete sentence when it comes to something real. Maybe it's the fear. I fear that if I open this box, the words that come out will be a mess, a reflection of the chaos I call home. See, my family is a paradox of loud silences and explosive outbursts. We communicate in a language of slammed doors and mumbled words. My attempts to have a normal conversation, to share my day or a thought, are usually met with dismissive grunts or remarks that cut the conversation short. It's not that we don't love each other, I guess. We just don't know how to show it healthily. Affection is a foreign language, replaced by a tense standoff where everyone walks on eggshells, waiting for the next blowup. This constant state of hypervigilance is now into every aspect of my life. I find myself holding back, not just with my family, but with everyone.  Friends try...