Community Dialogue

Community Dialogue We work to build an equal, inclusive, participative society by engaging people in consensus building dialogues and shared learning It changes people forever.

In the summer of 1997, an IRA cease-fire led to multi-party negotiations after years of conflict. Northern Ireland's future was being negotiated behind closed doors while tensions permeated the community. In this context, 30 people of diverse backgrounds but sharing common purpose formed Community Dialogue to encourage deeper understanding of our diverse positions on the critical issues affecting

our future and to build an agreed peaceful society shared by our divided peoples. Vision:
Our vision is of a vibrant, just and inclusive society, informed and empowered through consensus building dialogue. Mission:
To engage people at all levels in dialogue that challenges racism and sectarianism and encourages peace building. We:
•Facilitate dialogues within and between diverse groups on issues of conflict.
•Train people in dialogue and dialogue facilitation.
•Produce learning materials to encourage peace building attitudes and behaviours. Dialogue is:
•A different, more effective way of talking about contentious issues.
•An unfolding process of transforming and deepening understanding. It deepens understanding of conflict, producing shared understanding between people in divided societies by shifting focus from stated positions we argue over to needs underlying them. Dialogue involves active listening, trying to understand where others are coming from. In our dialogues we ask people to:
•Question their positions and look at the needs underlying them.
•Question the positions of others and look at the needs underlying them.
•Explore how to meet those sometimes shared and sometimes conflicting needs. We also ask:
•What do you want?
•What do you need?
• What could you live with? The impact of moving from argument over position to understanding shared need is profound and transformative. They understand the need to see conflict from other perspectives; they see that shared needs underlie conflict. They have the power to respond to conflict in a creative win win rather than destructive zero sum way.

08/05/2026

David and Jim speaking a few weeks ago about what excites him about the Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative!

02/04/2026

A video David, Lyn and Jim took part in recently talking about the new Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative, (DPC) Dialogue and the importance of Dialogue today.

Proud to celebrate our own Jim O’Neill and Lyn Moffett on receiving the Quiet Peacebuilders Award at the Guildhall on Mo...
26/03/2026

Proud to celebrate our own Jim O’Neill and Lyn Moffett on receiving the Quiet Peacebuilders Award at the Guildhall on Monday 👏

A well-deserved recognition for their decades of dedication to reconciliation and peace building.

John and Pat Hume Foundation

20/02/2026

The Dialogue Practitioners Cooperative and Community Dialogue are hosting an online Zoom conversation for peace and reconciliation practitioners across Northern Ireland.

📅 Tuesday 3rd March
⏰ 10:00am – 11:30am
📍 Zoom (link sent after registration)
👥 Limited to 20 participants (first come, first served)
📩 RSVP by Thursday 26th February to [email protected]

The session will explore current challenges facing the sector, including polarisation, far-right activity, anti-immigrant sentiment, shrinking community capacity for conflict resolution, funding pressures, practitioner burnout, and political instability. The aim is to provide space for reflection, peer support, and collective thinking.

This Morning, David (on behalf of CD and the Dialogue Practitioners co-operative/DPC & ReMiT) and Risa (on behalf of DPC...
17/02/2026

This Morning, David (on behalf of CD and the Dialogue Practitioners co-operative/DPC & ReMiT) and Risa (on behalf of DPC & ReMiT) facilitated roundtable discussions at the YANI Interculturalism Seminar in Belfast. Around 70 young people from across the UK and Ireland came together to explore interculturalism and engage in honest conversations about exclusion, intolerance, migrant tensions, and anti-immigrant protests. Encouraging to see such thoughtful leadership and dialogue among young people committed to building more inclusive communities.

YouthAction Northern Ireland Migrant Centre NI Forward South Partnership

Have a merry Christmas from us all at Community Dialogue 🎄
19/12/2025

Have a merry Christmas from us all at Community Dialogue 🎄

From our Armagh dialogues: women voiced a painful reality living in fear despite being law-abiding, with police unable t...
10/12/2025

From our Armagh dialogues: women voiced a painful reality living in fear despite being law-abiding, with police unable to respond to the threats they face

From our Belfast dialogues: ethnic minority voices shared painful accounts of daily racist abuse when collecting childre...
03/12/2025

From our Belfast dialogues: ethnic minority voices shared painful accounts of daily racist abuse when collecting children from school and even at work.

From our Antrim dialogues: Loyalists called for honest engagement on the border poll debate seeking reassurance that the...
26/11/2025

From our Antrim dialogues: Loyalists called for honest engagement on the border poll debate seeking reassurance that their community would be safeguarded in a New Ireland.

From our Armagh dialogues: women spoke of fear and frustration as health care workers faced violence during recent riots...
19/11/2025

From our Armagh dialogues: women spoke of fear and frustration as health care workers faced violence during recent riots a stark reminder of their vital role in our communities.

Address

44 Limavady Road
Derry
BT476JY

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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