Why Dialogue Matters
Youth and youth workers play a pivotal role in strengthening conflict resolution skills by acting as mediators, facilitators, and advocates for peaceful communication. Young people are especially influenced by their environments, and their ability to navigate conflicts constructively can reshape entire communities. At the same time, youth workers act as guides—offering training in mediation, negotiation, and dialogue facilitation to build critical peacebuilding capacities.
Given today’s heightened political and social tensions—both globally and locally—this work is more urgent than ever. Social media, misinformation, and cultural misunderstanding can quickly escalate divisions. Training youth in inclusive, respectful, and empathetic communication helps foster resilience, collaboration, and healing across different communities.
Workshop Goals
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Strengthen participants' skills in active listening, dialogue facilitation, and peer mediation.
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Support youth-led initiatives aimed at constructive conflict resolution.
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Build cultural sensitivity and intercultural understanding through storytelling.
Key Activities
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Empathy-Building Dialogues – Participants practiced reflective listening and explored how tone, silence, and body language impact communication.
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Urban Role-Plays – Small groups acted out real-life scenarios common in Berlin’s multicultural communities, such as intergenerational tension and school disagreements.
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Storytelling Circles – Attendees shared personal narratives related to conflict and reconciliation, emphasizing lived experience and cultural identity.
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Bridge the Gap – A creative visual exercise in which participants mapped out values that connect seemingly opposing perspectives.
Participant Reflections
“Dialogue isn’t about agreeing—it’s about staying present and curious.”
“Facilitating a group conversation without ‘fixing’ it was the biggest challenge—but also the most powerful tool.”
“Through stories, I understood someone I used to label as difficult. We were more similar than I thought.”
One participant, a social work student, reflected:
“I will bring these tools into my group sessions with teens and elders—different generations, but the same need to be heard.”
Outputs
Participants co-wrote a 5-step resource titled “Berlin Peace Facilitation Guide”, designed for youth groups, NGOs, and schools. It includes methods for dialogue warmups, active listening games, and resolution circles. In addition, the team plans to run monthly peer-led “Peace Cafés” for young people to discuss local tensions, share stories, and practice facilitation.