Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners

On behalf of the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Instead of a traditional greeting card, we would like to share with you the enchanting artwork by Maria Prymachenko, "Moroz (Frost) Came" (1988). She is one of Ukraine's most beloved artists, a national symbol of our people. “If we could gather all the folk artisans from across Ukraine, the wonders they would create — Kyiv would bloom not only with gardens but with buildings that would smile at the people…” – the artist dreamed. We, together with the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners, also dream of Ukraine united in peace, joy, creativity and inclusion! We work toward this, thanks to the support of our partners and colleagues. In the coming year of 2025, we wish you inspiration for great changes, strength for new achievements, and warmth in your heart that will unite us all on the path to a better future.

Since February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been experiencing not only physical, but also deep social impacts of the war: division within communities, psychological strain, polarization, and the spread of conflicting narratives are becoming increasingly noticeable. In such challenging conditions, the need for support and the restoration of connections between people is growing, especially among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local residents in communities. The project "Restorative dialogue approach for building social fabrics and cohesion of Ukrainian society" was initiated and is coordinated by the participants of UCoDP: Oleksandr Mitkov, Alyona Gorova, and Pavlo Kozeletskyi. The goal of the project is to identify narratives, analyze them, and develop future steps to create shared value foundations and strengthen social ties that have the potential to overcome polarization in society. The project's aim is to identify key narratives that unite internally displaced persons (IDPs) and representatives of local government bodies (LGBs) in the Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The work with them will subsequently focus on developing effective models for strengthening quality relationships and interactions in communities across the country. To achieve this goal, a methodology for focus group research was developed, within which information regarding divisive and unifying narratives was collected and analyzed, and summarized in an analytical report. A total of 86 participants were surveyed, including 70 women and 16 men (42 IDPs, 44 LGBs). The project results were presented at a workshop of UCoDP with the aim of generating ideas and strategies for community cohesion and strengthening social unity. The research initiative within the project was aimed at internally displaced persons and representatives of local government bodies who seek to support and develop cohesion within their communities while overcoming the difficulties and challenges they face. "This project is of great significance because it helps to shed light on the complex context of war and its impact on internally displaced persons and host communities. It allows us to understand how the adaptation and integration of IDPs, through the lens of their experiences, can help build more cohesive communities. By highlighting narratives and social relations in communities, the project represents the key aspects of interaction and tensions that arise between communities and their new members," says Oleksandr Mitkov, the initiator and trainer of the project. This project creates opportunities for forming processes of social cohesion in society and requires the involvement of all those who care, despite the challenges of the war. The project was supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung with the participation of the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners.

Public Discourse and Academic Research in Representing People Under Occupation: Are war-caused conflicts transformable? We invite you to register for the online lecture of the Aurora Peace Talks 2024 series, which explores the dynamics of war with sociologist and Professor Yuliia Soroka from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (KKNU). The AURORA Peace Talk will take place on December 16, 2024, at 16:00 Kyiv time. Registration is available via the link: https://lnkd.in/gC8Fidc8 The lecture will cover: - Challenges in analyzing digitized war data - The impact of Ukrainian discourse on social distinctions - Role of scholars’ experiences in understanding conflict transformation. The Aurora Peace Talks is an annual lecture series organised by the Aurora Karazin University Peace Education Hub within the framework of Aurora 2030 Capacity Building and Community Engagement, and the work with Aurora universities Associate Partner V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (KKNU). These talks are dedicated to fostering discussions on peace, justice, and conflict resolution.

As reported earlier, this year, the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners hosted a panel discussion for the second time at the EU Mediators' Community event – the flagship event of the EU, bringing together international actors, policymakers, practicing mediators, experts, and civil society representatives to discuss mediation and support for peace processes. We were recently asked about our key takeaways. Key questions were: How partnerships can enhance peace mediation and dialogue processes? How can EU-practitioner partnerships be further strengthened? Our thoughts are below: Mediation and dialogue processes can be enhanced, and EU- practitioners partnerships can be further strengthened if ownership of local dialogue and mediation actors is encouraged and empowered. To achieve that, EU and international partners can contribute by doing the following: 1. Accepting that conventional peacebuilding approaches and frameworks, mostly developed in civil war contexts (such as reconciliation, neutrality, etc.), do not work in Ukraine and must be reconsidered and adapted together with Ukrainian partners before interventions are planned and launched. 2. Introducing more flexible and open-ended funding instruments for dialogue and mediation initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion within Ukraine would have a substantial impact. 3. Engaging with Ukrainian mediators and dialogue facilitators as equal partners during the project planning stage, by commissioning conflict and context analysis, conflict sensitivity analysis, needs assessments, M&E framework development, theories of change, project activities, trainings, etc., to Ukrainian experts or mixed teams of Ukrainian and international experts. 4. Outsourcing as much project implementation as possible to local actors, particularly, dialogue facilitation and local conflict mediation inside Ukraine. 5. Acknowledging the contributions of Ukrainian experts in reports and publications. Nataliia Bezkhlibna Tetiana Kyselova Jakub Walenda Christoph Lüttmann

We would like to invite you to the December academic seminars from the series "Rethinking Peace and Victory to End Russian Aggression Against Ukraine," organized by the partners of the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners: the Mediation and Dialogue Research Center at the International Relations Department of National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, in collaboration with swisspeace at the University of Basel. The seminars will be held online from 17:00 to 19:00 Kyiv time (16:00 to 18:00 CET) and will be conducted in English. Please note that the seminars will not be recorded to encourage an open and honest exchange. Upcoming Seminars: December 5, 2024 Tetiana Kalenychenko, Denys Brilyov, Cedric de Coning, and Marko Lehti Topic: Winning the Peace: The Role of Agonistic and Adaptive Peacebuilding in Sustaining Social Cohesion in Ukraine This article examines the role Ukrainian peacebuilders play in strengthening social cohesion during wartime in Ukraine. The study focuses on an initiative to facilitate dialogue between two Orthodox church jurisdictions, providing new insights into how dialogue facilitation can contribute to internal peacebuilding and mediation. The seminar analyzes these dialogue practices through the lenses of agonistic peace and adaptive peacebuilding. Despite the ambitious reconstruction plans underway in Ukraine, which are mobilizing significant resources, the efforts of Ukrainian peacebuilders have received little international attention or support. This seminar aims to highlight the importance of involving the Ukrainian peacebuilding community to ensure that reconstruction efforts are conflict-sensitive and peace-positive. December 19, 2024 Oliver Fink and Wilfried Graf Topic: Track Two Dialogue in Times of War Massive intergroup violence, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, continues to inflict devastating harm on individuals and societies. Civil society can play a crucial role in supporting peace processes, even in seemingly unsolvable interstate conflicts. However, such engagement raises ethical challenges, such as how peace can be just and sustainable, how ‘victory’ should be defined, and how to differentiate the treatment of the aggressor and the defending victim group in negotiations. The late Herbert C. Kelman (1927–2022), a social psychologist at Harvard University, developed seminal approaches to unofficial ‘Track Two’ diplomacy and problem-solving, primarily in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This seminar will explore how updated forms of Track Two diplomacy—both unilateral and inter-coordinational—can be valuable in the Ukraine/Russia conflict, where conflict transformation is urgently needed. Registration: https://invtdu.to/_7emnk Program: https://lnkd.in/eTnH65j5

We invite you to participate in the training program designed to enhance facilitation skills for dialogue processes. The training will be conducted by certified facilitators from the UCoDP with the support of the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation, within the framework of the "Ukrainian Civil Society and Dialogue Forum" project, supported by the United States Institute of Peace and Salzburg Global Seminar. This text is published in Ukrainian, and we encourage you to share this information with your Ukrainian colleagues who may be interested in such an educational program. The training program includes the following topics: the basics of facilitation and communication skills, conflict analysis and dynamics, approaches to conflict resolution, values and principles of dialogue, and the role of the facilitator, among others. Training format: Groups of up to 16 participants, mentored by certified dialogue practitioners. The program will run from January to August 2025. In September-October 2025, participants who successfully complete the training will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practice by conducting a needs assessment dialogue in selected communities. Successful graduates of the program will receive a facilitator certificate and the opportunity to join professional communities. https://lnkd.in/ezb_QnhQ Навчання проводитимуть сертифіковані тренери-фасилітатори Спільноти Практиків Діалогу України за підтримки БФ «Право На Захист» у межах проєкту «Український форум громадянського суспільства та діалогу» за підтримки Інституту миру США (USIP) та Salzburg Global Seminar (SGS). Навчальна програма включає наступні теми: основи фасилітації та комунікативні навички; аналіз й динаміка конфлікту, та підходи до вирішення; цінності та принципи діалогу й роль фасилітатора тощо. Формат навчання: групи до 16 осіб під менторством сертифікованих тренерів-практиків діалогу. Навчання триватиме протягом січня-серпня 2025 року. У вересні-жовтні 2025 учасники й учасниці, які успішно завершать навчання, зможуть випробувати отримані знання на практиці шляхом проведення діалогу з оцінювання потреб в обраних громадах. Успішні випускники програми отримають сертифікат фасилітатора й можливість долучитися до професійних спільнот. Три модулі курсу відбуватимуться онлайн, ще три — офлайн. Кожен офлайн-модуль триватиме три дні й проходитиме у великих містах Заходу (Львів, Чернівці), Центру (Вінниця) та Півночі України (Київ, Полтава) з урахуванням безпекової ситуації. Для участі в програмі заповніть аплікаційну форму до 15 грудня 2024 року включно: https://lnkd.in/edu2bafs З відібраними кандидатами додатково буде проведено інтерв’ю. Успішні кандидати отримають лист-підтвердження про їхнє зарахування на навчальну програму до 25 грудня 2024 року включно.

Today, Ukraine marks 1000 days since Russia's full-scale invasion, marking a significant chapter in a war that began over a decade ago with the temporary occupation of Crimea in 2014. 1000 days of resilience. 1000 days of bravery. 1000 days of heroism and courage. Throughout this time, Russian forces have perpetrated war crimes against civilians, devastated infrastructure, tortured prisoners of war, and spread disinformation to mask their imperial ambitions. These actions continue to this day. As a nation, we have faced immense challenges. Yet what truly matters is not the number of days that have passed, but the days that lie ahead until we achieve victory—victory for justice, light, and peace. The last 1000 days have imparted a vital lesson: no matter what the future holds, we will stand firm, overcome, and ultimately triumph. #StandWithUkraine in the days to come. Together, we can bring our victory closer.

Participants of the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners actively support preparation of the conference ""Role of Dialogue and Mediation in Times of War and Ukraine’s Reconstruction. 30 Years of Mediation, 10 Years of Dialogue in Ukraine" to be held in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 20-21 November 2024. This conference is organized by the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine in partnership with the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, The Reforms Delivery Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and National Association of Mediators of Ukraine within the framework of the project "Building Dialogue and Mediation Capacity for Conflict Prevention and Resolution,", with financial support from OSCE participating states and partners. The goal of the conference is to promote the development of dialogue and mediation in Ukraine as tools for strengthening social cohesion, reforms design and implementation, and post-war recovery of Ukraine. Leading experts in the field of dialogue and mediation, representatives of public authorities with experience or interest in dialogue approaches, as well as representatives of civil society, academic community, and international organizations and diplomatic missions are invited to participate. Participants will discuss the experience of using dialogue and mediation in Ukraine over the past period and the prospects for utilizing mediation and dialogue in the future. They will explore specific challenges faced by mediators and dialogue facilitators in wartime, as well as concrete cases and lessons learned. Those interested in participating online can join at: https://lnkd.in/ebvjMgWk Meeting ID: 943 8125 6822 Passcode: 32411316 Please see the programme here https://lnkd.in/eBGgs-vZ

John Paul Lederach, a renowned practitioner-scholar of peacebuilding and reconciliation, has established an online archival collection facilitated by Humanity United and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame - a virtual space where you can access and explore resources developed across four plus decades of engagement in peacebuilding and conflict transformation. We want to share this information with all our colleagues as an inspirational and practical guide for everyone working in peacebuilding. Dr. John Paul Lederach is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict transformation. He is widely known for developing culturally based approaches to conflict transformation, designing and implementing integrative strategic approaches to peacebuilding, and for fostering a robust integration of the arts and social change. Throughout his career, Lederach has gained extensive experience working with non-governmental organizations, community-based initiatives affected by cycles of violence, and in national peace process design. He has worked extensively as a practitioner in conciliation processes in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast and Central Asia. In recent years, Lederach’s team has been crafting and curating an archival website of John Paul Lederach’s contributions to peacebuilding and conflict transformation. This archive aims to make John Paul’s work more accessible to people within and beyond these fields of practice. You can access the archival website directly at: https://lnkd.in/dCekKp8Q. Additionally, his team has recently published The Pocket Guide for Facing Down a Civil War: Surprising Ideas from Everyday People Who Shifted the Cycles of Violence. This guide addresses challenging dynamics in settings of protracted toxic polarization and open armed violence. Each chapter offers stories of creative and courageous communities that have confronted these cycles of harm. The insights and wisdom from these stories provide valuable guideposts in light of rising concerns about political violence in the United States and other contexts around the world. The Pocket Guide can be accessed as a free PDF download via this link: https://lnkd.in/enqkbFBh . For those who prefer a hard copy of the text, it is available on Amazon: https://lnkd.in/eZ4MR6J8

Since the beginning of September 2024, the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners has become a co-organizer of the large-scale international project “Ukrainian Civil Society and Dialogue Forum”. The project is being implemented jointly with the Right to Protection (R2P) Foundation and the Salzburg Global Seminar (SGS), with the support of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and will last until March 2026. The project is aimed at strengthening Ukrainian civil society to implement peacebuilding initiatives and increase its capacity for reintegration and recovery after the war. It is designed for those who seek to influence change in their communities, support peacebuilding, and promote dialogue in Ukraine and beyond. The Forum's program brings together people from different regions and fields to learn modern methods of dialogue facilitation and practical application of knowledge for conflict resolution. The main stages of the project: - Kick-off event in Kyiv. - Dialogue facilitation training (December 2024 - August 2025). - Mentoring of pilot dialogues supported by experts. - Public event on peacebuilding. - The final conference in Salzburg in February 2026, where the project's outcomes, achievements, and experience sharing will be presented. This will be an important step in summarizing the results and planning further initiatives. As a result of the project, it is planned to train about 150 dialogue facilitators who will gain the knowledge and skills to initiate and conduct dialogues in communities using trauma- and conflict-sensitive approaches, as well as work to increase the use of dialogue practices in the process of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. The first stage of the project, a kick-off meeting dedicated to synchronizing partners' actions and planning a training program based on the principles and tools of the trauma-informed approach, took place on October 24-25 in Kyiv. It brought together some of the partners and co-organizers of the Forum - the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners and the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation - and was dedicated to agreeing on joint steps in the implementation of the Forum. Due to the expansion of the project's geography (it is planned to involve Ukrainian society in both Ukraine and Poland), there is a prospect of international exchange, taking into account local experience in different regions. The participation of partners such as USIP and Salzburg Global Seminar will add international expertise and a platform for communication. The training and practical meetings of the Ukrainian Civil Society and Dialogue Forum will take place in December 2024 - August 2025. The selection of participants for the training will be announced in the coming weeks.