Enhancing the construction of spaces for reflection and dialogue, from community prevention and stimulation, is an opportunity for improvement and coexistence. 
Objectives
The main objective of the project is to improve coexistence and community cohesion through the active participation and co-responsibility of the citizens.
Through the Citizens' Cohesion Meetings, the project offers comfortable and friendly spaces to encounter diversity to express emotions and feelings about conflicts in general and specially conflicts in the current social context.
Project Phases
In order to organise the Citizens' Cohesion Meetings several steps are undertaken.
Information, preparation and invitation of diverse opinions are of paramount importance together with the readiness to enter into frank and dialogical encounters.
For those reasons several local stakeholders are invited to join efforts to ensure success.
Local Civil Society:
Organisers contact, inform and invite the diversity of local organisations (cultural, sportive, youth, cooperation, human rights, trade unions...) in each municipality.
The same goes for the neighbours associations which have extensive membership in the community.
Municipal Mediation Services:
Another local actors involved in the preparatory process are the Municipal Mediation Services. Their technicians provide guidance about the local reality and further strengthen contacts with local stakeholders.
Public surveys:
To reach the non-organised citizens in each municipality public surveys are organised in several public spaces of the municipality.
These surveys enquire citizens about their perception on the polarisation of the community and their readiness to enter into dialogue with people with other ideological backgrounds.
Citizens' Cohesion Meetings
After analysing the results of the survey and to ensure diversity participants are invited to attend the free and voluntary encounter/workshop in a friendly atmosphere to build bonds and share emotions for coexistence and cohesion in the community.
This space includes several methodological tools based on the principles of Appreciative Dialogues.
Seven Citizens' Cohesion Meetings (Espais de Cohesió Ciutadana) bringing over two hundred participants have been organised in several towns in Barcelona's area since 2018.
Interested in Organising an Event?
In the current socio-political context, are there any taboo topics that "do not encourage open and constructive dialogue" in your community or organisation?
Have internal communication and / or personal relationships been affected?
Do you find it necessary to express your emotions?
Would you like to be able to share in a kind space that you have encountered?
If you have any of these questions, you are welcome to contact AHEAD to explore the possibilities to organise a similar event in your context.
Stakeholders
The Project Stakeholders are diverse and based at local level.
Local Civil Society:
Organisers contact the diversity of local organisations (cultural, sportive, youth, cooperation, human rights, trade unions...) in each municipality.
The same goes for the neighbours associations which have extensive membership in the community.
Municipal Mediation Services:
Another actor involved in the preparatory process are the Municipal Mediation Services. Their technicians provide guidance about the local reality and further contacts with local stakeholders.
The project is implemented with the support of the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP)
The International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP) is an institution of research, dissemination and action created by the Parliament of Catalonia in 2007 with the aim of promoting peace culture both in Catalan society and the international arena, and providing Catalonia with an active role as an agent of peace in the world.
Grounded in the principles of democracy, justice, equality and equity in relations between individuals, peoples, cultures, nations and states, ICIP works for human security, the prevention and peaceful transformation of conflicts and social tensions, the strengthening of peace and coexistence, and the defence of human rights.
ICIP is a public institution but at the same time it is independent, with its own legal personality. It aims to support public administrations, the academic world and civil society, and reports to Parliament, the Government and the citizenry as a whole.
Together with AHEAD and other Peace organisations new proposals and strategies are shared and synergies planned.
Mediator's Team
The Citizens' Cohesion project is designed and coordinated by a professional team of community mediators and human rights educators, supported by trained volunteers on community mediation.