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Main Directors of a True Process of Dialogue
(Extract of the Manual of Democratic Dialogue, to publish itself.
Joint effort of IDEA the International, ACDI, O.A.S. and the PNUD)

The governing principles or defining characteristics of true dialogue processes, can help provide direction in the many judgments and choices a practitioner will need to make.  These principles are: Inclusiveness, Empowerment, Learning, Humanity, and Long-term perspective.  It may be helpful to think of them as the basic dimensions of dialogue practice—they are what makes dialogue an effective tool for addressing the complex challenges facing societies in the 21st century.
Inclusiveness. This principle rests on two fundamental assumptions: that the people in a problem system collectively have the knowledge and wisdom needed to address the problem; and that for positive change to be sustainable, they must take ownership of the problem, the process for addressing it, and the outcomes of that process.  A key corollary to this principle is that, when inclusiveness brings together people who are unequal—in power, social status, education, access to information—the practitioner must take steps to mitigate these power imbalances so that all voices can be heard and honored in the dialogue conversation.

Empowerment.This principle has dual aspects: on the one hand, the government authorities and inter-governmental institutions that often convene dialogue processes are genuinely open to sharing their power to make change with the dialogue participants; and on the other hand, the participants are truly willing to accept a share of the responsibility for creating change.  In short, true dialogues (as opposed to “fake” dialogues) are conversations in which “there is something real at stake.”

Learning.This principle, on one level, addresses the quality of interaction among participants in a dialogue process, calling for inquiry and openness
to perspectives and thinking that are different from one’s own.  It also helps people be self-reflective about the often hidden assumptions that shape the positions they hold.  The learning principle defines a central objective in dialogue processes: that of leading people to a deeper understanding of issues and of the role that they and others play in them.

Humanity.  This is another principle that addresses the quality of interactions in dialogue processes.  It calls for the environment of the dialogue be a “safe space,” such that participants will feel secure enough to open up emotionally as well as intellectually.  This characteristic, in combination with Inclusiveness, Empowerment, and Learning, holds the key to the capacity of dialogue processes to bring about change.

Long-term perspective.  This is a principle that provides underpinning for the other four, in that it calls for a commitment to allowing sufficient time for sustainable change to take place: change in the underlying patterns of relationships and behavior that sustain societal problems and precipitate crises; change in the socio/political structures that hold old patterns in place; and change that builds capacities for operating in different structures and maintaining different patterns.