On Friday, 9th of October, we invite you to Estonian Dialogue Academy in Tallinn to a workshop on keeping the dialogue open in times of crisis.
Our guests are Sulaiman Khatib (Palestine) and Mia Biran (Israel) of Combatants for Peace, a joint Israeli-Palestinian movement founded by former fighters who once stood on opposite sides and chose to work together for peace. They will share how the movement has kept searching for solutions in the most fragile of times, including after 7 October 2023 and the war in Gaza. They will be joined by Anna Sidorova (Finland). Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she has organised dialogues among Russian speakers in Finland and refugees from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
Taken together, these experiences offer valuable reflections: What keeps dialogue alive when trust runs short. How to stand amid different truths, when tensions run high. What to do when words are not enough and must be joined by shared action. And how do those who hold the space manage to carry it themselves.
Everyone is invited to share their experiences and challenges. During this exploration, we will also work with practices developed by dialogue and peacebuilding organisations in Finland, Estonia, Ukraine, Poland and Austria (Teach Peace project). The language of the workshop is English.
You are warmly invited to join this exchange among practitioners to explore the powers and limits of dialogue in communities going through times of conflict, small and big.
About the speakers
Combatants for Peace is a joint Israeli-Palestinian movement founded by former fighters who once stood on opposite sides but chose to work together for peace.
Sulaiman Khatib is the Palestinian co-founder of Combatants for Peace and its Director of International Relations. In his youth he took part in the Palestinian resistance movement; for nearly three decades since, he has worked for dialogue and cooperation, speaking at the UN, in parliaments and at policy forums worldwide.
Mia Biran leads Combatants for Peace’s programmes in Israel and brings nearly 20 years of experience in human rights and complex social initiatives.
Anna Sidorova is a Finland-based facilitator and trainer who works with the Finnish Dialogue Academy. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, she started organising dialogues for Russian speakers living in Finland. Later they were joined by refugees from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Anna will reflect on questions such as: Is dialogue possible while a war is going on? And what role did the dialogues play for those who took part?
This workshop is organised by Estonian Dialogue Academy, International House Tartu, and Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia.
Practical information
- Date: Friday 9 October 2026
- Time: 14:00 – 16:30
- Location: Estonian Dialogue Academy
- Address: Telliskivi Creative City, Telliskivi 60a, building A3, Tallinn
- Facilitation: Estonian Dialogue Academy
- Language: English
Registration
Registration is mandatory. There is a maximum of 25 places available. If we reach that number, you will be put on a waiting list.