Effective dialogue initiative: Role of journalists and media
Reporting stories from rural parts of the country is not particularly attractive to most Ugandan journalists: They must traverse longer distances to meet with sources, transportation costs eat into their story fees, and stories from outside the capital don't attract as much interest among urban news consumers. But who tells the stories of Ugandans who live outside the capital Kampala? Who bridges gaps between citizens and local authorities in rural areas? Who nurtures a feeling of connectedness and understanding within rural communities? The project 'Uplifting Community Voices' empowers community reporters and local correspondents to take care of that. 'Uplifting Community Voices' is one of several initiatives currently being researched by DW Freedom to uncover the key factors behind initiatives that successfully create and host formats for constructive and inclusive public dialogue.
The research is based on a two-step methodology including desk-research to identify and evaluate dialogue initiatives and 18 in-depth interviews with representatives of selected initiatives. A comprehensive report is currently in the making and will be available soon. The report showcases ways in which societal dialogue can be achieved, identifies challenges along the way and key factors in achieving success. Preliminary results are already emerging, for example, on the role of journalists in fostering dialogue. Journalists in dialogue initiatives: Not only storytellers but active participants The Tribal News Network (TNN) in Pakistan promotes dialogue between Afghan refugees and host communities by training women as local reporters Image: Tabish Naqvi
Many dialogue initiatives specifically focus on marginalized and minority groups, including ethnic and religious minorities, women, refugees, and underserved urban residents. Agência Mural , for example, amplifies voices from Brazil's urban peripheries, while the Tribal News Network (TNN) in Pakistan promotes dialogue between Afghan refugees and host communities by training women as local reporters.
Media plays a central role in many of these initiatives, which is why journalists and media professionals are not only involved but are also a key target group. Some interventions encourage journalists to examine their own role within public discourse critically – particularly in contexts shaped by conflict or its aftermath. In such settings, journalism takes on added dimensions, touching on issues of reconciliation, representation, and collective healing.
A dialogue project in Colombia, for example, seeks to rebuild trust between journalists and survivors of conflict through public dialogues and storytelling workshops designed to foster mutual understanding. Likewise, MiCT's 'Restoring Hope' project in Iraq brings together local journalists and artists to engage with the difficult legacy of enforced disappearances. In both cases, media professionals are not only storytellers but also active participants in broader societal conversations about justice, memory, and the path forward. Media as platforms for dialogue and tools for empowerment
Overall, media plays a central and multifaceted role in the dialogue initiatives studied.
In several projects, they serve as a direct platform for dialogue. For instance, DW Akademie's initiatives in Ghana and Uganda leverage radio programs and live townhall broadcasts to connect communities with local authorities and encourage public discussion. In Uganda, the project 'Uplifting Community Voices' mentioned above supports radio stations in reporting on rural stories more affordably, helping bridge communication between village, district, and national levels. At the district level, the radio stations themselves take on the role of dialogue facilitator. The outcomes of these discussions are then carried forward by the project partner, Media Challenge Initiative, which reports on the district-level dialogues to ensure that grassroots concerns are elevated to the national level. A district community reporter interviewing a local officer of a waste dump in Uganda Image: Musoke Lawrence
Several projects deploy creative and artistic media to stimulate dialogue and reconciliation. In Iraq, MiCT's visual‑arts‑based programs use art to open discussion on trauma and coexistence. In Colombia, DW Akademie supports communities in creating historical story‑timelines and collective narrative projects to advance local peacebuilding. A similar approach is visible in Lebanon through Adyan Foundation's 'Alwan Debate' project, where teachers and youth are trained on pluralism, nonviolent communication, and inter‑faith dialogue, backed by manuals and experiential learning activities. Scaling dialogue initiatives: Expanding beyond the community level
Community-level engagement forms the backbone of many dialogue initiatives. These programs often depend on direct, face-to-face interaction to involve citizens in discussions about issues that affect their daily lives.
When successful, many projects try to scale their efforts to the district level or even national level, building a network that spans multiple communities. Some initiatives also start at this level. Projects like OMNI Ethiopia's 'Voice of Peace' radio campaign involved state-level actors and regional dialogues from the start, demonstrating how government partnerships can expand reach.
While scaling remains a persistent challenge in participatory civic media, several promising initiatives have demonstrated the potential to bridge effectively between local, national, and even transnational levels. How exactly they managed to do so will be illustrated in the upcoming report. This much can be revealed: 'Uplifting Community Voices' is one of them.
Written by Ines Drefs, Hanna Hempel and David Schneider
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