Community Dialogue was successful in obtaining funding from the Special EU Programmes Body to deliver a project entitled  -  "Steps into Dialogue".

This is under the European Union's PEACE III Programme, priority 1.2 Acknowledging and Dealing with the Past - Strand 3, Securing the Future 


OVERALL GOAL OF STEPS INTO DIALOGUE

The overall goal is to use dialogue as a mechanism that allows victims and survivors of the conflict to deal with and address their past and to begin to respect and understand the views and past of others.  Through this, Community Dialogue hopes to ensure people most affected by the conflict can begin to move forward to a peaceful society together.


There are two strands to the project:

1. Dialogue on the Ground:

To provide opportunities for individuals to engage in dialogue and discuss contentious issues of the past so that people can deal with these and move forward together (range of target individuals and groups including, former paramilitaries, ex-prisoners, families affected by troubles, women, young people, border communities and people living at interfaces).   

Community Dialogue recognises that new opportunities to engage people in dialogue are coming to the fore as fear level lessen and confidence grows with the evolving post-conflict society. Therefore it is envisaged that trust and respect between diverse groups and individuals will take place through the dialogue approach. This will contribute to the development of a smooth transition to peace and reconciliation for victims and survivors of the conflict.


2. Un-ravelling the Jargon:

The aims of this part of the project are to take governmental policy and strategy and simplify these documents into ‘layman terms’.  Pamphlets will be produced and workshops held to help the community at large understand the basic components and assist them in making informed choices about their future.  We will also develop leaflets looking at landmark events from the past in partnership with people affected by the violence and conflict. 

This will ensure and develop integration in this new inter-cultural Northern ireland by ensureing those groups most affected by the conflict and those marginalised groups in society are able to read and understand the strategic policy that frames their future.

The official launch of this project was held on Monday 22nd June in Belfast, and Tuesday 23rd June in Derry.  More information can be found here.

Keep up to date with upcoming events on our Events page.