Theoretical input: Four key activities for initiating a dialogue The theoretical presentation on the four key activities should be made using the four petals of a flower as a visual representation of the process. Each petal will represent a specific activity. Even though the petals represent individual activities, it is important to highlight the interrelated nature of the different activities. This can be done by showing that a flower is made up of many individual petals. A single petal, despite its importance, does not form a flower. A flower is only created when all of the petals are combined. In the same way, a dialogue does not exist after the completion of a single activity. All of the activities need to be conducted individually and simultaneously in order for a successful dialogue to take place. The four key activities that need to be introduced at this stage are set out in Figure 4. Figure 4: The four key activities in initiating dialogue Engaging with the community and building participation Researching and framing Key activities in initiating dialogue Developing terms of engagement Managing administration Researching and framing: This entails understanding the landscape of conflict in a community, identifying the voices that should be included, determining the purpose of the dialogue in connection with reconciliation and healing, and agreeing on a strategy. Engaging with the community and building participation: This embraces building the support of stakeholder groups for dialogue and identifying individuals from each group that match the participant criteria. Developing terms of engagement: This involves building consensus among participants about the purpose of the dialogue, how they will participate in the process, what rules will govern the process, and how they will interact with their community and opponents during the process. Managing the administration of a dialogue group: This covers organising the process, not just to ensure that all logistics are covered, but also in a way that strategically reinforces the urgency of the dialogue and the safety of the dialogue space. Involvement of community leaders and respected individuals is also important for legitimacy. Each of the four key activities will be addressed in more detail in the following sections of this module. Module 3: Dialogue in community healing 43 3