Finding Common Ground: Young Participants from Five Countries Explore Dialogue
6 October 2026
On 6 October, the Dutch network of the Anna Lindh Foundation, together with Initiatives of Change Netherlands (IofC-NL), welcomed approximately 30 young participants from the Netherlands, Armenia, Greece, Egypt and Jordan through the West East Bridges Foundation. The session explored negotiation, communication, intercultural dialogue and finding common ground across cultural differences.
Dr Reynier Overhoff and Fran Walsh, chair and deputy chair of the Assembly of the Rule of Law, emphasised that finding common ground requires respect for the rule of law. Calls for dialogue risk becoming hollow without that commitment.
Cornelis Hulsman shared insights from his lifelong experience in intercultural dialogue, highlighting the importance of critically assessing information presented by media outlets and activists. IofC-NL chair Lotty Wolvekamp introduced participants to a central principle of Initiatives of Change: change begins with oneself.
