When people from different countries, backgrounds, languages, and work cultures come together, the potential for innovation and exchange is immense—so too is the challenge of transforming that diversity into productive collaboration. The art lies in creating trustful relationships in a short time, fostering mutual understanding, and generating shared insights. Two projects illustrate how this can succeed in practice.
At the Practitioners Conference “Agency, Power, Space”, commissioned by the Berghof Foundation, more than 100 participants from over 20 countries and all continents came together. The conference served as a platform for exchange among professionals working in conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and civil society. The aim was to consolidate knowledge about the potential of transformative justice and to feed these insights into political dialogue in a meaningful way.
One key success factor was the diversity of dialogue formats. Traditional lectures would have turned participants into passive listeners. Instead, a broad spectrum of interactive settings was used—from paired conversations and thematic working groups to gallery walks and large-scale fishbowl discussions. This methodological variety allowed for dynamic groupings, opened up new perspectives, and created an atmosphere of mutual trust.
A pivotal moment came with the question: how can the multitude of voices and outcomes from the conference be synthesized in a way that resonates with political stakeholders? The solution: a concluding fishbowl discussion where key findings were reflected and condensed in plenary. The participants actively took on responsibility. As “ambassadors,” they carried the summarized insights into a subsequent political panel discussion. This not only made the group’s collective expertise visible and actionable but also gave weight to their shared voice.
A different context, yet a similar insight: At the 2nd International ROBOTICIST FORUM, hosted by the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, the importance of moderated spaces became clear—spaces where large, heterogeneous groups can recognize and harness their potential. The forum brought together representatives from ten universities across eight countries—from Bavarian universities and European tech schools to institutions in Asia. It was the first time this constellation had convened, for two full days at the university campus in Schweinfurt. The hierarchies were clear: university presidents, professors, postdocs. At the heart of the gathering was one key question: How can we teach, research, and share knowledge in robotics across global contexts? In other words: how can diversity be transformed into collaboration?
The event began with a high-level speed panel, in which university leaders outlined their perspectives on international cooperation. It quickly became evident: there was a strong sense of shared purpose and a real commitment to collaboration. In the subsequent large group workshop process, the focus shifted to dialogue and hands-on collaboration. Participants worked in mixed groups on concrete questions such as: “What synergies can be found in teaching?” or “How might research infrastructure be shared?” Results were documented and visualized in real time, creating a kind of map of potential cooperation. What proved essential was the mindset: the work took place at eye level—regardless of origin, discipline, or academic status. By the end, the group itself was surprised by how many ideas and actionable steps for future cooperation had emerged.
Structured dialogue enabled not only a deeper understanding of differing perspectives but also laid the foundation for future partnerships. Common priorities became visible, and initial working relationships began to take shape.
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