Dialogue for Change and transformation (DCT)
The “Dialogue for Change and Transformation” (DCT) project focuses on building and strengthening a network of religiously engaged leaders and actors across the MENA region, with a special emphasis on empowering youth and women. It provides participants with the tools to design and implement local initiatives that promote dialogue, peace, and social cohesion within their communities. At its core, the project encourages a deeper reflection on the role of dialogue today, asking how we can renew dialogue tools to ensure that religion remains relevant and responsive to the critical issues facing contemporary societies.
This project challenges participants to think about how religion can evolve to address pressing concerns like human rights, social cohesion, and the complexities of today’s world. The goal is to prevent religion from becoming stagnant or confined to one perspective and instead explore its potential to promote unity and justice. By fostering open dialogue, the project seeks to answer important questions: How can we use religion to fight extremism? How can religiously engaged actors provide solutions or critical and in-depths perspectives on AI and the soul, healing, justice, degrading economies and the world system? What role can it play in advancing rights and creating a more just, cohesive and emancipated society? Ultimately, the DCT project is about renewing the power of dialogue to respond to the challenges of the modern world.
Launching meeting
This project launch brought together more than 70 youths, academics, activists, journalists, researchers, theologians, and religious leaders from across the Arab world to analyze and discuss local and regional challenges related to key topics such as women’s rights, AI’s impact on society, the interrelation between religion politics and economy and the resulting “othering” and extremist narratives, the roles of youth and women in society and politics, and the evolving responsibilities of religious leaders and institutions in light of new technologies, and many more.
The event underscored the importance of interfaith dialogue and cooperation. It also highlighted the urgent need to transform religious discourse so that it intersects with the economy, societal changes, and politics, helping to achieve greater peace and prosperity for communities. By fostering an exchange of ideas between leaders and youths, the event encouraged a deeper understanding of how religious institutions can contribute to addressing contemporary challenges. The dialogue emphasized that religious leadership and narratives must evolve to better engage with the pressing issues of the day, ensuring that it plays an active and relevant role in shaping a just and harmonious society. By the end, four teams were formed from Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, committed to advancing initiatives in their communities and championing the recommendations with relevant authorities.
Regional initiatives
Following the launch meeting, three teams from Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, were formed to carry forward the recommendations and values discussed. To support their efforts, a Regional Training Workshop was held in Beirut aimed at building the teams’ capacities in initiative design and project cycle management.
Through sessions on dialogue methodologies and tools, peacebuilding and conflict transformation, and technical training, participants developed practical skills to design and implement community-based initiatives aligned with the goals of the network.
Initiatives
Lebanese initiative
Can you believe many in Lebanon have never met someone from a different sect, let alone visited their regions or lived with them? Hear what participants had to say after experiencing this for the first time in Broumana — a town known for peaceful coexistence. Through hands-on learning and shared living, youth broke stereotypes and explored real conflict transformation.
Masahet Aman
Masahat Aman - Safe space in Arabic is an initiative that tackled inclusive citizenship. In Jordan, youth from Madaba and Zarqa came together to explore this concept, recognizing it as both an institutional and personal process. They discussed its impact on their communities and developed solutions, gaining the skills and confidence to drive meaningful change.
"Chababeek" Egypt
Chababeek—Arabic for “windows”—is all about opening up to others. The Egyptian team tackled big questions around identity: With so much diversity, what really makes us Egyptian? How do we bridge the gaps between our many identities? Chababeek invites us to open our windows, see each other, and start the conversation.
Rising to Lead: Women in Politics and Public Life
While women everywhere face barriers in politics, our partners in Jordan are not only empowering women, but building a strong community of support—encouraging them to be bold, be free, and drive change. Participants had a lot to say during this training on elections and women in politics.
Youth camp
!!Disclaimer!! This includes an abundance of delicious food, traditional clothing, cute souvenirs, colorful flags, sweet treats, and stunning scenery!
A workshop that brings together both Western and Eastern perspectives—because what separates us and what connects us becomes clearer when we sit down, share experiences, and listen to each other. “I felt like I was not alone,” Zainab shared. And we believe that this feeling is political.
It carries a powerful message: when young people come together to understand one another and examine their shared contexts—exploring structural violence, inequality, and discrimination through each other’s lived experiences—the personal becomes political. In doing so, we’re not just empowering individuals. We are building lasting networks of collaboration that extend far beyond the walls of the conference room—reaching into communities, across regions, and between countries.
Through role-playing games, cultural expositions, and meaningful discussions, participants were able to see through each other’s eyes and begin to understand their own perspectives more deeply.
Webinars & Podcasts
As part of our peace promotion efforts, we organized a series of six podcast episodes and six webinars that explored diverse topics such as identity conflicts, transitional justice, religion and AI, and freedom of expression and FoRB, forms of governance, healing trauma and reconciliation and peace processes.
The sessions and episodes saw active engagement and discussions through chat questions, comments, and discussions on our social media, with viewers expressing strong appreciation for the variety of perspectives shared and the respectful discussion in critical and very sensitive topics. You can watch our episodes here or on Youtube channel!
Stay Connected