PLEDJ - Canada

09/03/2026

Looking back to where it all began!

In 2024, we celebrated the launch of the Solidarity Dialogues, a transformative program grounded in the belief that, in times of division, we need solidarity over polarization, connection over isolation, and dialogue over silence.

In this reel, Mr. Brian Bronfman reflects on the origins of the Solidarity Dialogues and the vision that continues to guide this work: creating spaces where people can listen deeply, engage across differences, and move beyond division toward greater understanding, empathy, and shared humanity.

The Solidarity Dialogues is a community-led initiative that equips leaders with the training, tools, and mentorship to design and facilitate meaningful conversations within and between communities experiencing conflict and polarization.

Because dialogue isn’t about winning an argument or convincing someone to agree with us. It’s about creating the conditions to listen, learn, build trust, and find a way forward together.

Through dialogue, we strengthen the resilience of our communities and create pathways for diverse voices to be heard, especially in moments when division feels easier than connection.

And this work continues.

Want to be part of the next chapter?
Participate in a Solidarity Dialogue
Join the 2027 cohort and train to become a future dialogue facilitator
Learn more through the link in our bio.

The Solidarity Dialogues are in partnership with the Peace Network for Social Harmony Réseau pour la paix et l’harmonie sociale and funded by the Government of Canada. Canadian Heritage

08/29/2026

Coming up this weekend!

We’re so proud to celebrate Mina Lucacher, PLEDJ’s Solidarity Dialogues Program Coordinator, who will be presenting her own artwork at the Montreal North Art Symposium.

Thank you, Mina, for all your hard work and for continually finding beautiful ways to bring your creativity into the work you do at PLEDJ. We’re so excited to see you shine in this space!

Montreal North Art Symposium

Come support Mina and experience her work!
Want to learn more? Send us a DM!

08/26/2026

We are honoured to see PLEDJ cited in the new paper, “The Geopolitical Case of Arab, American, and Palestinian Students: Missed Opportunities,” which examines how occupational therapy education can better engage with geopolitical tensions, identity, and lived experiences.  

At the heart of the paper is a question that extends beyond the classroom: What does it really mean to create spaces for difficult conversations?

The authors reflect, “Students must be supported in developing the capacity to engage with disagreement, navigate discomfort, and sustain dialogue across differences.”

The article draws an important distinction between connection and dialogue. Bringing people together can create connection, but meaningful dialogue requires us to engage with complexity, listen across difference, acknowledge power and lived experience, and remain present when there is no easy resolution.

This deeply aligns with PLEDJ’s work through Solidarity Dialogues. We believe discomfort is not necessarily a sign that a conversation has failed or that a space is unsafe. Discomfort is where learning begins. Our work supports educators and communities in developing the skills to approach difficult conversations with empathy, curiosity, accountability, and care.

We’re grateful to Dr. Yousef Babish and Dr. Samia Rafeedie for advancing this important conversation and for recognizing Solidarity Dialogues as a resource for educators navigating identity, conflict, and lived experiences.

Read the full piece: https://lnkd.in/gBe2B8im
ResearchGate: https://lnkd.in/giUdc6eB

Learn more about PLEDJ’s Solidarity Dialogues: https://www.pledj.org/solidarity-dialogues-academica - link in bio!

How do we create educational and community spaces where difficult conversations can be engaged rather than avoided?

We believe this is a question worth continuing to explore, together.

  

08/21/2026

Learning, solidarity, and collective resistance beyond borders.

We’re proud to highlight our team member Noura Nasser, who recently participated in Anti-Racism, Social Justice and the European City (ARJEC) at the University of Padova, Italy.

Bringing together postgraduate students, activists, and scholars from across disciplines and contexts, ARJEC created an important space to examine settler colonialism, anti-racism, racial capitalism, and social justice, while connecting critical learning with grassroots organizing and local struggles.

As part of the Labour Exploitation group, Noura collaborated on the project “(In)visibilised Cleaning Workers’ Resistance in Padua,” exploring the experiences of those organizing and mobilizing for social change, with a focus on the racialization of labour, subcontracting, and workers’ resistance.

One of the key lessons from the experience was the importance of making invisible struggles visible while remaining accountable to the communities whose stories are being told. The project also highlighted the power of building transnational connections, sharing experiences across contexts, and learning from collective resistance.

For Noura, ARJEC was an opportunity to deepen her understanding of anti-racist and decolonial approaches, learn alongside organizers and scholars, and contribute to conversations about labour, migration, racialization, and social justice.

This endeavor has brought in opportunities for PLEDJ for future collaboration and partnership with local grassroots and activists in Italy.

We celebrate Noura for bringing these lessons back to our community and for continuing to build bridges across borders in the pursuit of justice and collective liberation.

08/18/2026

08/10/2026

What internal biases or cultural differences shape the way we interpret other people’s emotions while facilitating?

It’s worth reflecting: Did I genuinely observe that emotion, or was I projecting my own understanding onto the situation?

Effective facilitation means paying close attention to changes in people’s behaviour, body language, and engagement, without making assumptions. Instead of interpreting someone’s experience for them, notice what you observe and invite them to share their perspective.

For example, a facilitator might say:
“I’m sensing there may be some tension in the room. Would anyone like to share what they’re experiencing so we can explore it together?”

Creating space for participants to define their own experiences is at the heart of meaningful dialogue.

To learn more about the Solidarity Dialogues or participate in next year’s cohort, visit our website - link in bio.

The Solidarity Dialogues are in partnership with and are partly funded by Canadian Heritage .

08/04/2026

In this reel, Dr. Amal Elsana Alh’jooj, reflects on the question:
« How do you navigate boundaries, or don’t, in your life and in the spaces that you’re holding? »

When we think about creating lasting social change, it’s not about applying the same strategy everywhere. It’s about listening deeply, understanding the context, and adapting our approach so it resonates with the community we’re working alongside.

Navigating boundaries means recognizing the values, traditions, and realities that shape a community. By working within those boundaries, rather than against them, we create space for people to take ownership of the change. And when change is owned by the community, it’s far more likely to be meaningful, lasting, and sustainable.

This perspective invites us to rethink leadership, not as leading from the front, but as creating the conditions for communities to shape their own future.

What has navigating boundaries looked like for you in your work or life?

We’d love to hear what resonates with you. Share your thoughts in the comments.

07/30/2026

Introducing The Nadwa Series!

The word Nadwa (ندوة) is an Arabic term meaning a gathering, forum, or symposium for thoughtful discussion and the exchange of knowledge. Rooted in the tradition of bringing people together to learn, reflect, and engage in meaningful dialogue, it represents the spirit of collective learning and shared growth.

Through The Nadwa Series, we will be sharing research, evidence-informed practices, and emerging perspectives. Our goal is to make research more accessible, encourage critical thinking, and foster ongoing professional learning within our community.

In this edition, we highlight the article « Using Critical Dialogue to Unpack Oppression. » The authors explore how structured, facilitated dialogue can support critical reflection on oppression, privilege, and systemic inequities. Their findings suggest that engaging in respectful, reflective conversations, and learning from diverse lived experiences, can deepen understanding, strengthen empathy, and encourage more equitable professional practice.

Source:
Gockel, A., O’Neill, P., & Pole, N. (2022). Social justice conversations: Using critical dialogue to unpack oppression. Families in Society, 103(4), 377–393. https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894211062647

We invite you to read, reflect, and share your thoughts.
Follow along as we share more readings, tools, and resources, highlighting Global South you can explore and use in your own learning and practice.

07/23/2026

Meet the people behind our work at PLEDJ

In this video, our Director of Operations, Hanya Omar, shares more about who we are, the work that drives our organization, and why creating spaces for meaningful conversation matters.

One of the ways we do that is through Solidarity Dialogues, a program that brings people together to connect across differences, explore diverse perspectives, and build stronger, more understanding communities.

To participate in the Solidarity Dialogues - link in bio!

07/16/2026

Introducing the third post in PLEDJ’s Knowledge Sharing Series 🌍📚

At PLEDJ, we create and share research focused on the making and mobilization of local knowledges and practices of social justice and conflict transformation. Through participatory action research and experimental methods, we collaborate with local knowledge keepers as experts, centre Indigenous pedagogies, and work toward unsettling inequalities through collective learning and social transformation.

Our work also partners with community-based organizations and supports student training, producing accessible multimedia and open-access resources that amplify knowledge sharing across communities.

As part of this series, we’ll be sharing readings, tools, and resources you can explore and use in your own learning and practice.

📖 Third reading source:
Cheung, C. (2023). In Polarizing Times, the “Fine Art” of Tough Conversations | The Tyee. The Tyee. https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/09/15/Polarizing-Times-Fine-Art-Tough-Conversations/‌

Which slide resonated most with you?
Stay tuned for upcoming resources you can use!

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at PLEDJ — link in bio