We were first introduced to Solutions Not Sides back in December as part of an effort to create a more open environment for discussing the ongoing conflict. Their workshops provide a safe space for constructive conversations, encouraging students to ask questions and engage thoughtfully with the topic.
 

'Invaluable insight statistics and headlines fail to convey'

For many of us, discussions about the Israel-Palestine conflict are heated and take place online. My experience with the Bridge Builders Programme (BBP) completely challenged that idea and showed me how doing so can lead to a deeper understanding of the issue itself.

The gift of offline spaces for difficult discussions:

“Ma nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?” - Why is this night different from all other nights?

This article was written in collaboration with Diverse Educators.

Dialogue is fundamental to building relationships and resolving differences. It is a crucial tool for addressing conflicts, yet when pain and injustice run deep, the idea of engaging in dialogue can feel futile - or even wrong.

There is a kind of work that often goes unseen. The kind of work young people do when they sit with complexity, when they speak gently in difficult conversations, when they refuse to let conflict harden them. It is the work of listening, and listening well. 

For many who have taken part in the Bridge Builders Programme, this will feel familiar. The habit of sitting with difficult truths, of questioning without hostility, and of holding more than one perspective at once is something that quietly stays with us long after we leave the room.