Dialogue for Change

As part of the "Dialogue for Change" project implemented by the Development Center for Strategic Strategies and Alternative (TATWIR), with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Lebanon, a dialogue meeting on the sectarian conflict risen during the the 'civil war' between the city of Sidon and East Sidon area was held. The meeting took place on the evening of Thursday 7 July, 2024, in a church in Majdelyoun. The project coordinator, moderated the dialogue among the attendees with exercises to highlight self-change, stepping out of ideological boxes, and recognizing the absence of a single truth. This meeting was held after two separate session for the residents of each area in Sidon to discuss all what they have learned and the knowledge that they have acquired that allows them to have a concrete and respectful dialogue among each other in order to pinpoint both their different and similar opinions on the subject.
Another set of sessions were at the Sur Forum Cultural Hall in the city of Tyre, one for the Lebanese while the other was for the Palestinian residents pf the city. As for the common meeting between the two sides, it was done on Saturday 20 July, 2024. The coordinator explained the general framework of the project that covers several areas in Lebanon. He considered that this part of the project was chosen under the framework of the memory of the 'camp war' and the efforts to create spaces for dialogue between the different parties involved. He highlighted the specificity of the Tyre region, where there are more than 7 camps and Palestinian gatherings along the coast. He praised the courage of the participating members and their strong desire to participate in the meeting to create avenues for dialogue with the Lebanese side.