Dialogue for Social Cohesion

In an era where geopolitical power struggles disrupt traditional peacebuilding, where identity and misinformation fuel divisions, and where trust in institutions is eroding, UNESCO’s Intercultural Dialogue for Conflict Transformation briefs series presents an adaptable, culturally grounded, and people-centred approach to peacebuilding.
 

With 89% of conflicts worldwide occurring in countries with limited capacity for intercultural dialogue, this four-part series draws on firsthand experience, country case studies, and expert analysis to demonstrate the transformative potential of dialogue in fragile and conflict-sensitive settings.
 

The Dialogue for Social Cohesion brief—developed in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation and Search for Common Ground—bridges theory and practice to explore the horizontal (community-to-community) and vertical (citizen-to-state) dimensions of social cohesion and highlights how inclusive dialogue can support both.
 

Case studies from Afghanistan, Germany, Somalia, and South Sudan illustrate how dialogue—whether through theatre, education, local governance, or environmental peacebuilding—can cultivate mutual understanding and trust, bridge identity-based divides, and restore, step by step, the social fabric in fractured societies.
 

Through actionable recommendations, this brief equips practitioners, policymakers, and civil society with the essential guidance needed to tailor and embed dialogue in their respective contexts, helping to ensure that peace processes are inclusive, locally driven, and enduring.