Inter-ethnic Dialogue as a Personal and Collective Healing Process: Examples from Former Yugoslavia

Abstract

Civil society programmes in the former Yugoslavia that involve inter-ethnic dialogue have a greater impact on individuals, groups, and perhaps on society, when the projects engage the whole individual, intellectually and emotionally. Researching the publications and reports of hundreds of projects that involve inter-ethnic dialogue, and talking to participants in and organisers of those initiatives, one can conclude that programmes to conduct interethnic dialogue are not necessarily helpful or useful They may just scratch the surface, and not have any real impact on the participants and on society.

How they are conducted is key to their success. This phenomenon is elucidated by examining experience in the field. The initiatives that contribute to an indigenous healing process, on the personal and group levels, receive better evaluations by participants, are more sustainable, and are more effective overall.