Lokahi Foundation-EU Roundtable on

 “Addressing the ‘wicked problem’ of sectarianism and intercommunal tension:

Empowering Eastern and Central European civil society” 

Hosted by the Islamic Institute Sofia 

27^th – 28^th November, Sofia, Bulgaria

27^th: Central Military Club

28^th: Hotel Sveta Sofia

Accommodation: Sofia Hotel Balkan, 5, pl. "Sveta Nedelya" Square, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Programme

Tuesday 27^th November - Central Military Club

14.00: Welcome Address

          Introduction and address from Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Haji

          Response from Prof. Gwen Griffith-Dickson, Director at Lokahi Foundation.

14.20: Panel 1: Presentation of the Bulgarian Situation

          Panel Members:

-        Prof. Mihail Ivanov – former advisor to President Zhelyu Zhelev

-        Mr. Robert Djerasi – Jewish Community

-        Ms. Rositsa Atanasova – Independent Researcher

-        Dr. Arif Abdullah – Islamic Institute Sofia

15.00: Break

15.20: Panel 2: Minorities in Eastern Europe

-        Dr. Dermana Seta – OSCE Advisor on Combatting Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims

-        Dr. Konrad Pedziwiatr – Krakow University of Economics

-        Dr. Zora Hesova – Charles University in Prague

16.00: Roundtable Session

Questions arising from both panel sessions are put to the panelists, and the wider issues are discussed

17.00: End of Session

19.00: You are invited to join us for dinner at a local restaurant.

Wednesday 28^th November – Hotel Sveta, Sofia

09.00 Welcome and Registration

09.15 Summary of discussions from the previous day

          Prof. Gwen Griffith-Dickson

09.30 Roundtable Session: Civil Society Responses to Inter-group hatred

          The scene across Eastern Europe

          What projects are showing promise?

Where do gaps remain?

10.30: Break

10.45: Group Exercise: Learning from Each Other’s Stories

Demonstration of a Lokahi methodology used to build understanding between different communities

12.30: Lunch

13.30: Roundtable Session: Techniques for Counteracting Hostility

Lokahi’s principles for creating change and converting hostility to trust

Discussion of other methods used to overcome hostility and mistrust between communities/identity groups        

What training would work well for local activists in your area?

14.30: Break

14.45: Roundtable Session: What’s Next?

International exchanges for civil society actors working on religion and society

          Future projects and networks

15.30: Guided Tour of Historic Sights of Sofia

          Organised by the Islamic Institute of Sofia, with our thanks.

19.00: Dinner, hosted by Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Haji