[spectre] INVITATION to WORKSHOP: Dialogue, Polis, and Democracy

[Emőke Bada]

Apologies for crossposting!

*Together with Pezhman Golchin from the Writers in Exile of the PEN Club
Germany, Ideal Spaces Foundation wants to invite you for a series of
workshops, dealing with a topic that has become critical today: the
capability for true dialogue as a prerequisite for democracy. *

The workshops aim to provide a deeper understanding of the connection
between dialogue, free citizenship and democracy, all of them threatened
today, and to encourage the participants to disseminate the need for all
three of them.

The first workshop will start on* April 19, 2024, at 10 am CET*, at the
foundation’s venue, *Nesslerstr. 16, 76227 Karlsruhe, Germany. *You can
register for the event on this link.
<https://www.idealspaces.org/news/dialogue-polis-and-democracy/?mc_cid=0c62da645c&mc_eid=ed65aeed96#register_for_dialogue_event>

*Dialogue *is more than just talk, or discussion. Dialogue, from the Greek*
dia-logos*, rests on respect for the other with whom I speak, not on
defending or pushing through my own position. Dialogue is an open-minded
and respectful conversation; to look at an issue from different
perspectives, with the intention being to find out something *together*
with the partner(s) in the conversation. A dialogue is rooted in respect.
This includes the other’s right to be (and to remain) in opposition to me;
and to make an exchange with the other on the base of argument, not on the
base of feelings/emotions or ideology. In a true dialogue, we can find out
something in common despite the fact that we have different positions.

The capability to lead a dialogue in this sense, a true dialogue, is an
endangered species today. Moreover, by its very origin in our Western
culture, the capability for dialogue is linked to the idea of free
citizenship – in its origins, the concept of the democratic polis, the
Greek ‘city state’ – and hence, to the idea of democracy. Dialogue, free
citizenship, and democracy intrinsically belong together, and without the
capability for dialogue, free citizens, democracy, diversity, and tolerance
become endangered species, too.

As a premise for liberty and democracy, dialogue has been eroded in recent
years, due to a combination of political, economic, and social forces
addressed in our workshops. Due to this erosion, the capability to lead a
dialogue not only needs respect and inner openness, but active learning by
doing. In our workshops, we want to offer this, together with the active
involvement of the participants. Each workshop is a dialogue, together with
the participants.

*The workshops are free of charge* and will be held as *hybrid events*,
that is, online participation is also possible. But we strongly recommend
participating physically, since a dialogue is best possible in person. For
those physically attending, travel and accommodation cannot be paid by our
foundation; but we are happy to provide you with documentation that you may
require to apply for travel grants. Please reach out to Emőke Bada (
emoke.bada at idealspaces.org) for assistance in procuring such files. We look
forward to seeing you at the workshop. Please click on this link
<https://www.idealspaces.org/news/dialogue-polis-and-democracy/?mc_cid=0c62da645c&mc_eid=ed65aeed96#register_for_dialogue_event>
to
register for the event and reserve your place!
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