OVERVIEW This module has been designed to provide support for community healing, reconciliation and peace-building practitioners using dialogue as an approach. The module will help practitioners understand the concept and practice of dialogue when carrying out direct interventions, community healing and reconciliation in communities. The approach does not only help the practitioners, but also brings the conflicting parties together through dialogue, educating them about mechanisms that promote peace and healing among them. It explains what dialogue is, what the basic concepts of dialogue are, as well as the steps taken when initiating a dialogue between conflicting parties and communities affected by violence. The module is divided into two main sections. The first section defines dialogue and the characteristics of the approach, and the second section focuses on the roles and skills needed to carry out a dialogue process. The module was developed on the basis of the experience gleaned from using dialogue as a means of dealing with community conflicts in the Zimbabwean context. The module also complements the work of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) (see Ch. 12:252d of the Zimbabwe Constitution), which seeks to develop procedures and institutions at a national level to facilitate dialogue among political parties, communities, organisations and other groups in order to prevent conflicts and disputes arising in the future. AIM To have a community in which members are tolerant of one another politically, economically and socially as a result of dialogue. OBJECTIVES • To create a safe space that promotes healing through sustained dialogue; • To encourage sustained dialogue as a means of community healing; and • To establish and support dialogue processes at community level. OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE SESSIONS For participants to understand the concept and practice of sustained dialogue. Learning outcomes • Participants can define dialogue and can distinguish it from other forms of conflictintervention techniques and reconciliation strategies • Participants understand the dialogue process • Participants know the roles and skills of an effective dialogue moderator • Participants have practised and are able to moderate a dialogue. UNDERSTANDING DIALOGUE (Mini lecture and discussion) The purpose of this session is to ensure that participants develop an understanding of the term ‘dialogue’. 32 Community Healing: A training manual for Zimbabwe