Manama – Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue:

The second session of ‘Train the Trainers’ course, organized by the Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue in collaboration with Search for Common Ground (SFCG), was concluded on Saturday, 18th March 2017.

The four-day session, which focused on facilitating the community dialogue, was presented by Mr. Shoqi Maktari, the international trainer and the head of SFCG’s Yemen Office. Twenty Bahraini male and female trainers attended the session.

The second session was intended for the trainers who had successfully completed the first one titled “Designing the process of community dialogue.”

Mr. Maktari emphasized that dialogue facilitation is an integral part of the process of designing the dialogue. He pointed out that the role of the facilitator is very important and sensitive, and becomes relevant mainly during the dialogue session, while the designer’s role begins before the dialogue and continues throughout its course. Moreover, it is the designer who selects the facilitator.

At the end of the program, Mr. Suhail bin Ghazi Algosaibi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue, expressed his thanks and appreciation to Mr. Shoqi Maktari for his efforts in training the Bahraini trainers at the first and second training sessions. He also thanked the Bahraini trainers who participated in the session for their diligence and perseverance.

The training course focuses on developing young potential to support and maintain civil dialogue to make national initiatives more effective.

The third and final session of the training program will be held later this year.

Manama – Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue – BFD:

The first phase of the joint training program organized by Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue was launched last Friday, in partnership with the organization of Search for Common Ground.

This training course consists of three parts; each course lasts 4 training days, presented by Search for Common Ground designated training experts. 20 male and female Bahraini trainers are registered as part of this ambitious program.

At the start of the program, Mr. Amin Al Arrayed, Vice Chairman of Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue expressed his pleasure with the high number of applicants that had registered to participate in the program, remarking: “the program is in line with the principles and objectives of the Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue, and is considered one our most important projects.”

Al Arrayed added: “we aim to highlight the values of social peace and civil dialogue in Bahraini society”, noting that Bahrain Foundation for Dialogue is committed to supporting and improving communication between the different segments of society in a bid to foster respect and understanding. He further commented: “working on enhancing civil dialogue and participation improves and develops social bonds and contributes to building a coherent and constructive social and civil system, and will undoubtedly improve the prospects of peace and coexistence.”

Al Arrayed confirmed that “Youth are the key factor in this process, their active involvement should lead to enhanced social initiatives, spread of civil culture and humanitarian values.”

The first training period commenced under the title: “designing civil dialogue”, presented by International trainer Shoqi Maktary, Search for Common Ground Yemen office Manager. Maktary discussed the program’s objectives and criteria, and introduced civil dialogue as a gathering of participants of various backgrounds, enabling information and perspective exchange, and developing solutions for crucial issues from different societies.

The first training course is expected to end on Monday, while the second is to follow on Wednesday evening until 18th of March.

Bahrain foundation of Dialogue announced earlier signing an agreement with Search for Common Ground on the launch of this program. It is anticipated to extend over 18 months, and tackle civil dialogue designing and planning, fundamentals of peace and dialogue, with an outcome of qualified and proactive Bahraini youth, in addition to a number of civil dialogue experts.