Civil Society Dialogue
SUMMARY
Civil Society Dialogue Project, which is primarily implemented by the Cyprus EU Association and has 2 Greek Cypriot, 2 Turkish Cypriot and 1 international partner, has organised several co-laboratories/workshops and trainings in order to reach its overall objective of bridging the gap between the two communities.
DETAILS
Co-laboratories:
Diagnosis of the problematique
Dates: 20th October, 28 November, 28th December 2007
Venue: Cyprus EU Association
Using the Structured Dialogic Design Process as its methodology in the co-laboratories, the participants were asked the following triggering question:
“What Factors contribute to the widening gap between the two sides in Cyprus?”
Different ideas were generated by participants contributing from different backgrounds and perspectives, then clustered and prioritised. Prioritisation took place by voting, then the ideas that received the most votes were selected and explored further and the relationship between the factors was discussed. Finally, the participants came up with a root cause map indicating the underlying causes for the widening gap between the two sides.
Identification of goals and opportunities
Dates: 10 -11th March 2007
Venue: Forest Park Hotel, Platres
Using the same process, the participants were asked the following triggering question:
“In the context of the overall objective of bridging the gap between the two communities: What short- to medium term goals in your opinion if achieved would contribute significantly to the above objective?”
Participants met in Forest Park Hotel over the weekend spending 12 hours together for the residential co-laboratory. Once again, idea generation, clustering and prioritisation took place. The ideas that received the most votes were selected and explored further where the relationship between the factors was discussed. Finally, the participants came up with a root cause map portraying the goals and opportunities which can be utilized for bridging the gap between the two sides.
Economic Integration
Dates: 3rd July; 10th July; 27th July, 15th October 2007
Venues: Holiday Inn, Saray Hotel, Fulbright Centre
Using the same process, the participants were asked the three triggering questions in order to idealize the current situation, diagnose the problems and design an action plan:
“With the aim of economic integration, what are the benefits (opportunities) for Cyprus, of free movement of goods and services within Cyprus and the EU?”
“With the aim of economic integration; what are the obstacles including perceived threats in achieving free movement of goods and services within Cyprus and the EU?”
“With the aim of economic integration: what actions should be taken to overcome the obstacles and to reap the benefits in achieving free movement of goods and services?”
Participants had three sessions of 3 hours where they generated ideas, voted and drew a root cause map for each particular triggering question. The results of the final session, which was dedicated for designing an action plan, was then used to develop 5 other project drafts on 15th October. Participants interpreted all the results and with the assistance of the facilitation team prepared a final report.
Famagusta Revival
Dates: 10th November; 17th November; 4th December; 8 December 2007; 30th January 2008; 13 March 2008
Venue: Venus Beach Hotel, Lordos Beach Hotel, Fulbright Centre
Using the SDD process, the participants were asked the three triggering questions in order to idealize the current situation, diagnose the problems and design an action plan:
“What are descriptors of an ideal model of Famagusta/Varosha, a place of interaction, communication and cooperation of Greek and Turkish Cypriot Famagustians to serve as an example for a future united Cyprus and to act as a catalyst for solving the Cyprus problem?”
“What are obstacles that prevent us from achieving the ideal model of Famagusta/ Varosha?”
“What are action options, which if we adopt and implement, we will overcome the obstacles and achieve the ideal image of Famagusta/Varosha?”
Participants had six sessions of approximately 3-4 hours where they generated ideas, voted and designed root cause and influence maps for each particular triggering question. Participants interpreted all the results and with the assistance of the facilitation team prepared a final report.
Training:
Facilitator Training
Date: April 13-15th, May 7th 2007
Venue: Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institution
The Civil Society Dialogue project organized facilitator trainings for the Structured Dialogic Design Process. The first training session which was held in April was given by Dr. Aleco Christakis, who is one of the founding fathers of the methodology. The second session was organised in May, which mostly focused on using cogniscope software, which is specifically designed software for SDDP. Facilitator trainees simulated a co-laboratory during the first training and played the roles of a participant as well as a facilitator, where in the second training they explored the software and formed their facilitation groups (cohorts).
Wiki Training
Date: 4th December 2007
Venue: Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institution
The Civil Society Dialogue project organized a open to public Wiki training for teaching the participants how to set up and utilise free online portals like Wikis efficiently and effectively for different projects.
Lectures:
The Technology of Democracy
Date: April 16th ; 12th July 2007
Venue: Fulbright Centre
One of the founding fathers of the Structured Dialogic Design Process, Dr. Aleco Christakis offered two public lectures on the methodology and technology of democracy during his visits to Cyprus.
Seminar:
Media Literacy: Reading the News between the lines
Date: July 16th 2007
Venue: Fulbright Centre
Gary Gumpert and Susan J. Drucker, two very prominent professors in media communications and technologies offered a seminar on media literacy during their visit to Cyprus.
Other Events:
Environmental Symposium
Date: 12th January 2008
Venue: Colony Hotel
The Civil Society Dialogue Project, and the KTMMOB Chamber of Environmental Engineers organised an environmental symposium with the aim of bringing together environmental groups from both communities. This event provided an opportunity for leading non-governmental Cypriot organisations to point out alarming environmental problems Cypriots are facing, raising awareness of environmental issues and calling for action from all Cypriots to work together in facing this global crisis. The selected Cypriot environmental NGOs who participated in the event, presented their papers on specific environmental issues with the objective of building an “environmentally friendly community”.
Civil Society Dialogue Convention
Date: 12th April 2008
Venue: Hilton Park Hotel
The Civil Society Dialogue Project, organised a public Convention where he partners of the project and the participants from various events presented results and findings from all the Civil Society Dialogue Project events, trainings and co-laboratories aimed at developing a vision for a common future in a re-united Cyprus.
