Network for Peace through Dialogue creates opportunities for individuals and groups to engage in constructive conversation in an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect. During the 2011-2012 period, human trafficking was one issue addressed in the Network’s program titled “Dialogue–Not Argument.” A new educational resource on sex trafficking, “Modern Slavery: The Secret World of Trafficking,” is now available for purchase. It includes a DVD, background information and an outline for discussion and  features a passionate anti-trafficking activist, Sr. Eugenia Bonetti. It is an excellent tool ... (continue)

A documentary is available featuring a several-day-long dialogue process held in Nigeria in October 2010. 200 Muslim and Christian youth met in a safe place in Nigeria for several days of face-to-face, in-depth dialogue experiences. The women and men discovered their equal, shared humanity and that "an enemy is one whose story we have not heard." It was part of the 2nd International Conference on Youth and Interfaith Communication in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. (continue)

“Hawo’s Dinner Party” is a resource to support conversations and actions around building bridges between refugees from Muslim majority countries and receiving communities in the U.S. in the lead up to the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. This 30-minute DVD will serve as a tool for service providers, grassroots community groups and employers nationwide that are helping to integrate newcomers with unique needs, often against considerable obstacles. NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. Contact sahar@activevoice.net to learn more. (continue)

This post includes details on a new National Issues Forums documentary film on how schools can use deliberation to uncover the best ways for them to address the achievement gap. The film will be aired on PBS stations around the country in 2011, and you can (1) request a free copy of the film and (2) help make sure your local PBS station airs the film. (continue)

NCDD’s director Sandy Heierbacher created a number of public playlists on YouTube in June 2009, featuring some great, short videos that show and/or introduce people to dialogue and deliberation. The playlists, which are added to regularly, can be found at www.youtube.com/user/sheierbacher/videos?view=1. Here’s the playlist featuring Sandy’s absolute favorite D&D videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA133E21A785D527C&feature=plcp Well over 100 YouTube videos are organized on these public playlists, which are periodically updated: About dialogue & deliberation (people talking about D&D) Dialogue & deliberation in practice (includes clips of actual ... (continue)

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law the “nation’s toughest bill on illegal immigration,” (NY Times, April 23, 2010), which aims to identify and deport illegal immigrants from the state. Highly controversial, the immigration issue has been a hotly-debated topic in Arizona politics in particular over the past few decades. Rarely is this debate more thoroughly examined than in the award-winning film, CROSSING ARIZONA, a critical tool in educating students to all sides of this debate. CROSSING ARIZONA, Directed by Joseph Mathew & Daniel DeVivo ... (continue)

We live today in an increasingly globalized society where different cultures and faiths are brought into closer contact than ever before. This situation presents both extraordinary possibilities for cross-cultural understanding and profound challenges. While greater opportunities exist for the blending and sharing of cultures, longstanding tensions across cultures and faiths remain. In some cases these tensions may be more intense precisely because the boundaries between cultures and faiths are thinner and more porous than ever before. This Public Agenda Choicework guide explores the question: What ... (continue)

Most states are establishing some form of academic standards--goals for student learning that define what students should know and be able to do at different stages of their school careers. However, while many people agree with standards in principle, they often have very different ideas about how to make them work in practice: focus on accountability, quality testing and incentives; focus on providing needed resources and support; and focus on flexibility and local control. This Citizen ChoiceWork Guide (and video) from Public Agenda was developed for community conversations, classrooms, study groups, and individuals. (continue)

The United Nations estimates that 300,000 children are currently fighting in conflicts around the world and hundreds of thousands more are members of armed forces - either being trained for combat or used as laborers. Physical, sexual and emotional abuse is commonplace. Most of these children were forcible conscripted or abducted by fighting forces to become instruments of war, to kill or be killed. Without exception, the experience has devastating effects on their physical, psychological and intellectual development. What started out as a film-making adventure in Africa transformed into much more when three young Americans' travels took a divine turn, and they found themselves stranded in Northern Uganda. They discovered children being kidnapped nightly from their homes and subsequently forced to become fight as child soldiers. This film is dedicated to exposing this tragic, and amazingly untold story. (continue)

Active Voice is a nonprofit, fee-based service provider whose work is an outgrowth of promising practices developed by the Television Race Initiative (TRI). Active Voice creates campaigns based on powerful issue-driven films. AV campaigns encourage individuals and community groups to probe, discuss and take action on timely and relevant social justice issues. In collaboration with a wide range of partners, Active Voice creates companion materials and trains facilitators in how to use the films as catalysts for civic engagement, volunteerism and coalition building. (continue)