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Description
The analysis of the 2018 Independence March in Wroclaw in the 2019 Ombudsman’s Report, as well as talks to its participants reveal the problem of social radicalisation and the lack of dialogue between people representing different views. Authors of the report recommend educational activities devoted to communication despite differences, to different cultures, to creation of space of dialogue and to extending anti-discriminatory activities outside Wrocław. According to our research, also journalists from our region wish to cooperate more with one another to prevent misinformation and stigmatisation of people with different views or background. We will address these needs by running a cycle of thematic dialogue meetings in our hometown Wrocław, but also in Jelenia Góra, Opole and Zgorzelec, attended by individuals related to organisations advocating for minority rights, national and patriotic groups, church associations, football fan organisations, as well as officials responsible for cross-cultural issues. Together we will diagnose important and challenging topics by discussing them. The objective of these meetings is to show that dialogue is possible despite extremely different outlooks and that peaceful coexistence of different social groups is possible. Between meetings we will run workshops strengthening participants’ communication skills – we will talk about how to build understanding and curiosity towards different values, and about what stereotypes are. We will practise violence-free communication and will talk about such issues as patriotism, freedom, or community. Finally, individuals taking part in talks will invent and organise a joint initiative. Furthermore, we will conduct a seminar and workshops for journalists from the Dolnośląskie province to discuss polarising language and to work together on methods minimising discrimination and promoting dialogue and understanding.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the problem of increasing social polarisation and radicalisation affecting the local communities of Wrocław, Opole, Zgorzelec and Jelenia Góra. The deepening divisions often resulted from the sensationalist portrayal of social reality by the media and the lack of space for open discussion of difficult topics.
Our aim was to create a safe space for dialogue, which would enable the inhabitants/s of these cities to talk openly about issues concerning local identity, national minorities, minority rights, patriotism or difficult history.
An important aspect of the project was to counteract on disinformation and promote equality language in the media. We focused our activities on building awareness of the impact of media language on shaping social reality and on promoting a nuanced way of describing events. In addition, we wanted to develop recommendations for creating media messages that avoid a culture of invalidation.
In each of 4 cities, we organised a series of meetings, dialogues and workshops to talk about difficult topics, build community and understand the diversity and identity of local communities.
In Jelenia Góra, we held events on the role of the media in shaping reality and building a space for dialogue. There were also workshops on effective communication and social inequalities and a literary reading, combined with a discussion on the construction of cultural identity.
In Opole, we implemented activities on regional identity and community building across divides. We also organised workshops on rank and privilege and different historical narratives. We concluded the project in Opole with an identity walk around the city.
In Wrocław, we held discussions on social unity and the inclusion of excluded people. We also organised meetings on the themes of patriotism and the role of dialogue in deradicalisation. The culmination of our activities was a seminar on Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation.
In Zgorzelec, we held discussions on border identity and solidarity despite differences. We also held workshops on social inequalities and the design of urban space. We also concluded the project in Zgorzelec with an identity walk around the city.
We have also produced a publication that presents methods for building dialogue and countering radicalisation, based on restorative justice.
Our project created a space for open conversation on difficult topics such as local identity, minority rights, patriotism or difficult history. Thanks to the participation of diverse community groups, we were able to create an atmosphere of trust and acceptance, conducive to dialogue.
Project activities also contributed to the transformation of conflicts in individual cities, this was particularly evident in Jelenia Góra and Zgorzelec. Through the organisation of dialogues, workshops and evaluation meetings, we were able to engage local communities in community building across divides and include excluded people.
The project involved representatives from a variety of backgrounds, including the church, national minorities, community organisations and people working on behalf of people with refugee experience. This made it possible to present a variety of social and cultural perspectives. Their participation was aimed at understanding minority perspectives and building dialogue around issues of identity and minority rights.
Another group were climate activists, who had the chance to discuss the impact of climate change on society and possible solutions. In addition, local level officials participated in training on restorative justice to contribute to a better understanding of the needs of local communities and to improve communication with them.
We organised a workshop for media and communication professionals on countering misinformation and the use of equality language in the media. Their aim was to raise awareness of the media''s influence in shaping social reality and to promote a more balanced and nuanced way of communicating.
Representatives of patriotic and conservative organisations were also involved, whose participation aimed to open a dialogue between different world views and to seek common values and goals.
One cannot forget the social groups directly affected by the project activities, such as those involved in culture or young people. For them, we prepared dialogue meetings, workshops and final events aimed at building community and countering conflicts and divisions.