Principle 7: Talk about the difficult topics
To talk about what is difficult is the first step in contributing to positive change and development.
Cajsa Olaisen Strønen used principle 7
In the article “Girls Are Easy Targets,” Cajsa shares her experiences to shed light on the reality of sexual harassment in Norway today.
Tips:
- You don’t always have to accept what others think, but you must always respect the person behind the words and opinions.
- Remember: respect and acceptance are not the same.
- Thriving societies are marked by tolerance and openness around taboo topics.
- It takes courage to bring up difficult issues, but avoiding them does more harm than good.
- Avoiding tough conversations can, at worst, prevent progress in a conflict or even make the conflict escalate.
Shared own experiences to set a stop to war crimes and religious persecution
Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad used Principle 7: Talk about the difficult topics to try to stop the sexual violence and persecution she and thousands of other Yazidi women were subjected to. Her village, Kocho, was one of the first Yazidi communities attacked by ISIS. Murad and 6,800 other Yazidi women were captured while their families were executed.
What are the dialogue principles?
The eight dialogue principles were defined when we tried to understand how the Peace Prize laureates managed to move their causes forward in such a peaceful and productive way. We realised there is a pattern in their approach. Dialogue is the overarching concept, while the principles are parts of dialogue that anyone can practise.