Workshop on Intergenerational Dialogue

Between the 7th and 9th of June 2023, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa (The Dialogue Institute) conducted an interactive workshop focusing on intergenerational dialogue. The workshop hosted 19 young peacebuilders from the MENA for Youth, Peace and Security Coalition.

Through reflective sets of conversations and interactive exercisers the workshop aimed at co-creating knowledge on what intergenerational dialogue is, what it entails and what associated promising practices are. This included discussions on what the generational differences and gaps are in the MENA-region, what consequences they have on opportunities for young and old alike to participate across societies and how these gaps can be bridged through dialogue.

The workshop resulted in a number of recommendations on how to facilitate dialogue between generations that is meaningful, of which some were:

• Prepare both sides for the dialogue by e.g., let the participants reflect around their own age-based biases and by agreeing on a code of conduct for how to ensure a safe space for both young and old.
• Seek common grounds by focusing on what the similarities between the generations are rather than the differences.
• Practice active listening.

For more information read the full report on the workshop.