4-days dialogue on “Covid-19”

Covid-19 is an issue that increasingly leads to segregation and polarization in societies. EMPK-members Natalia Sultanova and Christina Schumann together with Ilmenau Dialogue Center (IDC) have facilitated a 4-days dialogue program on that issue. Participants with opposed and conflicting perspectives trained themselves in active listening, asking open questions, understanding the view of others and building relationships. After the training participants took part in the 3 dialogue sessions, facilitated by EMPK and IDC members.

Dialogue is a methodology which since a long time has been successfully applied by Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue, Norway, in ethnical and political conflicts in many world regions. Dialogue, as defined by the center, is a conversation based on humility, respect and openness which allows us to learn about each other. Dialogue was introduced to Ilmenau by Dr. Steinar Bryn, who has been linked to the Nansen Academy since 1989 and has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize for his successes with this method.