Multipolar Dialogue in Europe and beyond

Multipolar dialogue in Europe - a laboratory of dialogic capabilities

THREE CAPABILITIES NEEDED FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE

interpersonal, reflective and collaborative capabilities

Multipolar Dialogue in Europe arises from the awareness of an existing polarization and fragmentation in Europe when the epochal challenges of humanity require greater collaboration and cooperation at different levels.

I would like to share with you, very briefly, some thoughts on our specific methodology. I will focus on three aspects that seem to be important to me. There are certainly others that we could develop later on. However, it seems to me that these three have a special weight for the fact that they are rooted in European thought and that they acquire a new depth in the light of the charism of unity.

I propose a simple scheme that was born in the wake of our memorable meeting on 17 April last and from the numerous reflections made with some of you. I use secular language, with some exceptions.

I distinguish three capabilities necessary for constructive dialogue: relational capability, reflective capability and collaborative capability.

I use the term capability in the wake of the capability approach of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. The word expresses all the resources that people and groups need to pass from an unwanted or unsatisfactory state to a desired or more satisfactory one. These authors argue that human rights are not enough to promote human well-being, but we must focus on the development of human capabilities. The difference between freedom of speech and expression and being able to make one's voice heard exemplifies the difference well.

The relational capability increases social peace and creates the conditions to be able to exercise the other two capabilities. The reflective capability can lead us to an anthropological vision and a shared social ethics. And the collaborative capability allows us to solve problems and therefore to progress together.

In this perspective, the purpose of our project would be to acquire these capabilities in "a synodal journey". Training in dialogue with a continuous reflection on our activities to develop good practice.

RELATIONAL CAPABILITIY

For a culture of encounter

Pope Francis speaks of an authentically multipolar Europe where ethnic, cultural, religious and political diversity is considered as a resource in the perspective of a mutual gift and collaboration to promote the common good of all.

This vision requires a new culture of encounter. In our project we focus on the primacy of relationships: getting to know each other, listening to each other, enhancing the wealth of the other.

To create an authentic culture of encounter, participants are invited to make a solemn pact of mutual love as the basis of every relationship on the common journey. Even in moments of conflict or divergence it should be lived because it is an unconditional commitment to be faithful to the pact even if this commitment fails in others. This can involve, at certain moments, letting oneself be hurt, ready to transform the pain of misunderstandings and resistances into love, understanding and possible collaboration.

This culture of encounter requires a conversion of our basic attitude towards others. Abandon the will to change the other, to persuade him, to control him, and rather assume a generative and caring attitude. Switching from a directive relationship to a supportive one. In this perspective, dialogue takes the place of debate.

The real novelty of our project would be to develop this generative approach also towards the thought of the other. In this perspective, a space of trust is created where everyone can express their thoughts according to their own conscience. In this generative dialogue or dialogue of consciences that can lead us to the reciprocity of consciences, the partners offer each other mutual assistance in the birth of the other's thought, as proposed by the great moral theologian Bernhard Häring.

THE REFLECTIVE CAPABILITIY

For a culture of thought

An authentic dialogue requires not only a new way of relating but also a reform of our way of thinking. Authors such as Edgar Morin urge a knowledge of knowledge as the basis of all educational programs.

The reflective capability, as proposed by Margaret Archer and Pierpaolo Donati, expresses the characteristics of a mind that is not a passive consumer of ideas imposed by others, but relates autonomously to the facts of the external world and also relates to others who behave in a similar way.

We can ask ourselves the question: What is the right thought to face today's complexity? Carol S. Dweck talks about the need for a growth mindset, a growth-oriented mindset as opposed to a fixed and closed mindset.

Here we must bear in mind that the search for truth challenges us all. In today's world of opinions and relativism of values, in the depths of our soul, we feel an infinite thirst for the true, just and beautiful. Perhaps our culture is in crisis precisely in this aspect.

Today, polarization often takes the form of conscientious objection that is opposed to the conscience of others. In that case, the sense of responsibility leads us to uphold values that are considered non-negotiable. According to some authors, we are witnessing a real war of conscience around topics such as sexual ethics, immigration, climate warming and, last but not least, vaccination.

Our task would be to elaborate a methodology of the dialogue of consciences. I believe that this is perhaps our most difficult aspiration: to create the conditions so that the truth can emerge among us, up to the point of grasping the thought of Jesus among us.

To achieve this, the Multipolar Dialogue in Europe wants to be a proposal for a true synodal path, a process of common growth. "Slow thinking" is preferred to bring out the truth among the the participants of dialogues gradually and does not want to immediately reach full consensus in "quick thinking".

COLLABORATIVE CAPABILITIES

For a culture of collaboration

I like to quote here one of the most authoritative authors on dialogue, Paulo Freire who, in his Pedagogy of the oppressed, underlines that reflection and action go hand in hand and that “authentic dialogue means transforming the world”. The dialogue, therefore, does not stop at the round table but leads us to action. In this perspective, the task of dialogue is to arrive at a consensus necessary for common action.

According to a widespread mentality, you can only collaborate if you agree on the main values that stand out from others. But perhaps in order to heal the deep wounds of the globalized world, a transversal collaboration is also necessary with those people who have a partially different conception from us. The idea of differentiated consent and qualified dissent, developed by Franz Kronreif, promotes a new type of social relationship: collaborating for the realization of some values ​​while remaining on different platforms for others in an open and sincere relationship, respecting differences.

Summing up:

The Multipolar Dialogue in Europe is a project that gives space to

• a dialogue between different polarities in Europe to avoid polarization and to facilitate multipolar and transversal collaboration, and
• a dialogue on dialogue, a shared reflexivity as a laboratory of thought

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Our online meetings take place in three moments:

• A common awareness of the objectives and methods - plenary session
• Practice of dialogue - in groups
• Shared reflection on the first two - online platform

Our project promises a new approach on at least three fronts:

• a generative relationship with a supportive attitude for the other's thinking
• a collective intelligence that brings out the truth among those in dialogue
• a transversal collaboration based on a differentiated consensus

I am well aware that my expositions arouse comments from you and that we do not have the opportunity to elaborate on them here. I will put at your disposal, on our site which will open soon, an expanded version of this text with the possibility of continuing our "community discernment".