It is imperative that we give young people the tools to play an active role in building societies that welcome diversity, rather than fearing it, that encourage an open-minded approach to the other, rather than the cultivation of bias and intolerance to those who are different. Recognizing the diverse communities living in Lebanon, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, undertook the Wahda program to examine the efficacy of youth dialogue centered on identifying bias and increasing tolerance. With USAID’s support, Wahda trained 27 facilitators and delivered 208 dialogue activities to more than 300 youth across ten dialogue groups in the Saida region, in the south of Lebanon.

This handbook was designed during the delivery of the Wahda program. We are delighted to extend this resource, with the theory and practice of dialogue, to educators across the world to teach young people these valuable dialogue skills in their local contexts. This handbook provides a practical resource to support teachers, facilitators, youth volunteers, practitioners, dialogue trainers, and anyone who wants to give young people, whether in school or elsewhere, an exceptional experience of dialogue with their peers and community.