The first Country Learning Mission in Thailand laid an important skill of deep listening and nonjudgmental dialogue. The subsequent activities from country learning missions in Sri Lanka and Malaysia helped make the learning platform a safe space where everyone developed trust and learned from one another. As a preparation tool to support participants in their action plans, where they will engage in possible resistance or criticism, INEB offered a three-day workshop on non-violent healing communication skills which was entitled “Engaging in Dialogue in the Face of Conflicts.” The workshop aimed at building a skill to embrace conflicts and transform them into a workable solution. Participants reflected on the helpfulness of process work in managing conflicts with those who communicate through hatred and violence.
For participants to hone acquired skills through tangible actions, the workshop offered the Process Work model for dealing with conflict. This included a session where participants identified three levels of realities. Then, through experiential learning, participants get in touch with various signals that they could connect in order to access their dreamland reality. They practiced switching roles to identify with the other side of conflict. And, finally, the group engaged in a group process on a controversial topic. This activity gave participants tools to engage with others using the nonviolent healing communication skills they have acquired and practiced during the workshop.
Participants will be advised to integrate what they learn within their action plans. INEB will routinely track the implementation of the action plans and provide support to participants, when required, when engaging with people with differing views. After the completion of their projects, participants will report back to INEB on their experience engaging with such dialogues. If appropriate, INEB will facilitate the sharing of outcomes and challenges to other participants during the group check-in sessions.
The workshop, which was held at the Wongsanit Ashram Bangkok, was offered to 17 participants from both Sangha for Peace and Women for Peace participants on November 10-12, 2023.
