Sieradz Dialogue: How does politics divide our families and friends?

The first community dialogue took place in March 2020 in Sieradz. It was attended by nine residents of Sieradz and six people from other parts of Poland. The dialogue began with activities helping the participants to get acquainted with one another. They were followed by a walk around Sieradz during which the locals showed the visitors their city’s landmarks.

After common lunch, group work started. A "difference game" allowed the participants to get used to an open conversation, and later we moved on to choosing the topic of the dialogue. During the three-hour meeting we heard many personal experiences of political conflict within families, with friends and neighbours. There were also some stories of participants bonding with other people despite their political differences.

What is a ”community dialogue”?

Community dialogues are our way of working to reduce the polarization of public opinion. We organize them in various places in Poland, and as well as - due to the ongoing pandemic - online. We invite people to a meeting, we connect strangers and create conditions conducive to candid conversations. The goal of community dialogues is not compromise, but respecting differences and finding what unites us. Along the way, we look for a new way of having a national conversation in a divided Poland.