Armanni Beatrice

What an immersive experience! I wasn’t expecting the BIP would have been so intense and interesting in a personal and professional way. It’s difficult to find the right way to begin because it has been a mix of thought and feelings I wasn’t really ready for.

The opportunity to confront the theme of discussion and dialogue with people from many countries has been so useful to understand different ways of thinking.

All the activities, theoretical and practical, with a socio-political approach, linked to the main theme of dialogue/discussion in education, helped in opening the brain in a different way of seeing arguments such as philosophy and pedagogy.

During the moments of circle time it has been possible to understand the dialogue is essential for the construction of identities and thoughts.

By listening to each other we have had the possibility to challenge ourselves in trying to see different perspectives and learn a lot about how to approach them.

It has been one of the most beautiful and formative experiences I’ve ever had since I started studying. It has been a journey full of challenges, new knowledge and explorations that have been essential for personal and professional growth.

Thanks to all of the figures who have worked to make this project possible, because I’ll bring this amazing experience always in my heart and in my head due to the new meaning I learnt to give to dialogue and discussion.

Barbuscio Lorenzo

I got to Rhodes eager to experience something new, something I did not ever experience before: I expected an environment full of people who wanted to dialogue about how to make the most out of this precious resource, the dialogue. My hope was to find new didactical and pedagogical ways to interact with the idea of discussion/dialogue, also to get new paths of research for my thesis.

All the lessons and workshops proved to be very useful: we experimented in very different areas of research. We tried to dialogue through different tools, starting from something more practical ones (like picturebooks) to something more philosophical ones (like the Elder_Flower project). As the workshops went on, I progressively started reflecting on its true meaning by sharing my ideas, negotiating them and trying to apply them to real contexts.

Personally, in considering the ones I resonated with the most, I am definitely biased in saying the ones about Children’s Literature were really inspiring! I truly enjoyed and practiced a lot with trying to recognize different keys to read the same elements and create different possibilities of discussion. I always believed that picturebooks are the most magical way to access everything you want to achieve: I’m sure there’s a book for everything you need and a book can really be read with different lenses to discover new things every time.

I also considered from a new perspective or deepened the knowledge about other topics related to dialogue. I hadn’t really experienced the philosophical approach in university, but this was a pleasant new practice to come in contact with. I got to really develop new ideas together in a very differentiated community, with people with backgrounds and ways to feel that sometimes were the opposite as mine. Dialogue isn’t about getting to the same point as the other, we can “agree to disagree” but still you truly have to be open to the otherness in order to understand where they stand. And that’s exactly what I had the chance to learn (at least, a little bit more) during this Erasmus.

Belotti Alessia

The BIP experience has been very formative and meaningful for me, both from an educational as well as relational and personal point of view.

I was able to reflect on fundamental but often underestimated issues, inquiring in depth the topics that have been proposed; that helped me to find links between different disciplines and an immediate reference to everyday life.

Moreover the way in which activities are carried out enabled me to be in contact with people other than me, with different cultural and social backgrounds. I left my comfort-zone and I got involved, learning to know others and rediscovering some sides of myself.

I especially appreciated the moment called: “Thinking together” and the way in which it was proposed. It was an opportunity for genuine comparison, exchange and dialogue.

The BIP was a 360° educational experience because through several workshops I reflected on the importance of dialogue in all of its shapes and on its impact not only in the educational and didactic sphere but also in everyday life, in relations with others and with myself.

On the other hand, from a human point of view, it left me so much, I had the opportunity to get to know some colleagues and to get in touch with other students and professors from other nations, with cultures and ideas very different from mine.

Besio Mira

What was Erasmus+ BIP for me? It is difficult to describe in a few words what this experience was. It was certainly a short but very intense experience. The main themes were dialogue and discussion as an opportunity for growth and confrontation. In fact, the BIP was an opportunity for growth in every sense: first of all, there was professional growth. I am studying to become a teacher and there were several interventions with respect to how to propose dialogue with children. However, the richness was also being able to listen to the contributions of teachers and students from other faculties: their point of view was really interesting because it was alternative and different from the usual. In fact, we all questioned and compared ourselves, enriching the proposed topic with our various points of view.

But BIP was not only this: BIP was also friendship and authentic relationships allowing personal growth. Dialogue was not only the key theme, but we students and teachers really put it into practice. This made it possible to create meaningful relationships between us and the lecturers, fostering a true community of research, help and comparison.

Birolini Elisa

The BIP experience was for me a formative and enriching experience both from a personal and professional point of view. The possibility to know people coming from different countries and the opportunity to share ideas, about education and more with them, immediately attracted me and motivated me to participate with interest. I believe a lot in the value of change, infect, I had a lot of international experiences during my university years, but I admit that this BIP in Rodes was one of the most interesting for me. I appreciated a lot the context where we were, Rodes is beautiful, and in October, also a peaceful island. Then I loved the theme, the methods, the places and times that Professor Elena Theodoropoulou, and her staff, chose for our experience. Thanks to what I have just said, among participants, a very welcoming and stimulating climate and sharing environment were immediately created, within which expressing the personal point of view and knowing each other’s became natural.

Thanks to the interventions of the professors and the sharing of the other students, I had the opportunity to rediscover the value of listening, an activity that is often considered, at least in our country, not very useful or in any case of secondary importance, but it is extremely important.

During this experience I therefore tried to be “all ears”, with the intention of learning, knowing and capturing as much as possible. The moments I loved most in this regard, were the final moments of sharing in circle, in fact at the end of each day there was a space to reflect on the different topics discussed during the day, for this purpose we sat on the ground, in a circle, a setting that is rarely experienced in a university, but which from my point of view, allowed us to live an authentic experience of meeting, dialogue and training between people passionate about education, both professors and students.

Colceriu Diana-Felicia

When I left Cluj to go to Rhodes, someone told me that this kind of intensive program will change me in ways I cannot imagine. In that moment I thought that such a thing wouldn’t be possible in just a week, but it turns out that I underestimated the things that I will learn, not only about dialogue in education, which was the topic of the BIP, but also about myself, about who I am and who I want to be, about how I interact with people and the way I make friends and durable connections.

I will take you with me on a short trip down my memory lane. First stop is the first day and the first workshop. This is the first time that we formed groups to work together and I suggested that we should mix, to get to know each other, not just stay each of us in our comfort zones. And I think that this moment sticks with me because it’s the start of our friendship that developed after this throughout the entire week, while we were visiting Rhodes, having dinner together or just staying on the floor of the hallway and simply talking.

The entire experience was extremely enriching to me. I realized that, while we were learning about forms of dialogue, we engaged in such a meaningful dialogue with each other. Personally, I felt like I could speak my mind freely and be vulnerable in this group which is amazing because this is, for me, the exact core of an authentic dialogue. So it wasn’t just theoretical knowledge that I gained, but a deep, practical understanding of the exact topics we were talking about. For me, this BIP was a journey of connection with amazing people that I would love to meet again as soon as possible and a journey of personal growth.

Thank you beautiful people for all the dialogues and for all the memories.

Collares Borghetti Fernanda

The experience in Rhodes in the BIP program was immensely enriching. It offered me a unique opportunity for sharing my work and research and required me to immerse myself in a universe where I did not master the current language, even while discussing the concept of “dialogue.”

Contradictory? No.

Challenging? Absolutely.

This experience showed me that language does not always impede communication and that a variety of languages—expressed through bodies, voices, minds, and emotions—can foster understanding and connection.

Colombo Gaia

Trying to sum up all the suggestions I’ve received during this BIP:

I’ve learned the difference between dialogue and conversation, which is something we don’t usually reflect upon, instead it’s extremely important. Conversation can be just a sharing of opinions without reflection/discussion on them, so it doesn’t necessarily ask you to be open to change; instead, dialogue invites you to be open to change since it helps you to think from different perspectives, to understand yourself deeper and to open your mind to the alterity.

I’ve learned that through dialogue you can develop yourself and your own vision, and even if you don’t necessarily have to change your opinion, you always get enriched from dialogue, and so you change in the sense that you develop.

I think that this openness to change is one of the most important things nowadays, talking about change in all its meanings:

• the change of the subject, so your own change which is often scary (ex. elderness, growing up, death, etc.) and asks you to adapt and be open also to improvisation;

• the change of society (ex. the public spaces and spaces of the city, the political and social rights, etc.);

• the change of the environment (ex. climate change, and the relationship between changes and the value of photography and pictures).

This is important also if we think about the implications of dialogue in education: through teaching dialogue, we can help children to develop themselves, to understand better the world and to be able to move/act critically in it, in a democratic way of thinking; to earn the tools to be critical thinkers, not manipulated by the others; to adopt an open approach to change and to dialogue, taking into account that things and thoughts can always develop. Dialogue itself is not definitive, it’s always “ongoing”, “in progress”. As we are, “persons to be”.

D’Adda Anna

This experience was so important for me, because it helped me to understand what it means to be with people and create bonds.

In January I’ll leave for Erasmus in Finland and this week in Rhodes was a small hint of the months that I will spend then.

Speaking English all the time wasn’t easy for me, but it helped me and taught me how important it is to be understood by everyone and to be inclusive.

It was a really beautiful occasion full of values, listening and sharing. An environment was created in which dialogue and discussion were treated at 360°, with great capacity for reflection and interaction between teacher and student and between the students themselves.

Even the opportunities to visit the city of Rhodes were a moment of lightness and serenity, but at the same time an important moment to create friendships outside of a university classroom.

And friendship was the starting point and basis of this little journey. because without bonds and friendship it would have made no sense to talk about dialogue and discussion, because without the opportunity to know and listen to the other it would have been much more complex says my opinion, talk about myself, share and confide.

So, i’m so happy and grateful to take part of this small experience and I hope to have, in the future, many more opportunities like this, which will leave a mark on me and make me happy.

Dăian Alta

It is no small task to talk about our shared experiences in Rhodes, for they were, in fact, first lived and only later experienced. One can come prepared, neither for Rhodes itself nor for the richness in humanity and sensibility that this programme and its organizers offered us so gracefully and generously. My only wish regarding this immeasurable philosophical legacy is that, through these modestly expressed impressions, future BIP generations can gain a glimpse of what treasures still await their discovery, not underneath the earth of Rhodes, but within the atmosphere brought to life by all the partners of this tremendously enriching programme.

I will only abstain from making metaphysical assessments of our time together to avoid putting off those sceptical of such approaches. However, from the first workshop until our last goodbyes, the limits between the phenomenal and the metaphysical were hard to read. If I were to make any analogies between this experience and any other, they would have to be related to a psychoanalysis session. In this strangely and inexplicably familiar, safe space, a space which seemed shielded from the passing of time, almost suspended in a mystical atmosphere, each of us appeared to surrender our voices to the Other, finding ourselves, in the end, filled and fulfilled by the harmonies that our intertwined voices spoke and sang into existence, as if in a choir.

Each person, lecture, workshop, and interaction contributed to what was ultimately a call to openness, authenticity, introspection, sharing, dialogue, and generosity. Again, I would simply end by stating that this programme provides a genuine encounter with one’s most bare self.

With immense gratitude to Prof. Elena Theodoropoulou, directress of the L.R.P.Ph., her doctoral students, all organizers, partners, lecturers and fellow students.

Fabris Alyssa

It’s already November and I am now reflecting on this intense journey, full of excitement and curiosity.

If I had to describe this BIP with one word, I would choose ήλιος (sun). This experience has enlightened me: I have discovered new beautiful places like Rhodes and its university, met new people who I hope to have become friends and practiced my English. Furthermore, talking about education has opened my mind and it has given me the possibility to interact with all the participants, who before were simply strangers.

As a consequence, I have been able to question my own ideas and I got to know other people’s points of view: listening to them has been really enriching. Also, all the lessons and the workshops proved to be very useful because each contribution of professors explored dialogue from different perspectives.

Through the discussions and the practical workshops we built a genuine and active Community of people.
I hope that philosophising even about things that seem trivial, as we have done, will be a practice of learning that spreads more and more to all schools in all countries.

Thank you all for this experience which has left me with lots of new questions to keep thinking about.

Forcella Gabriele

The BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) we did from 29 October to 2 November at the University of the Aegean of Rhodes was an opportunity for sharing and meeting with students and professors from different European universities.

I admit that initially the theme of the project (Forms of dialogue/discussion in education. Philosophical perspectives & approaches) worried me because I did not know what I was getting into; my doubt was how I would integrate my studies with philosophical approaches. When the workshops began with various professors who dealt with the main subject from many points of view, I realized that we would not be talking about something abstract, but something closely related to reality, our daily lives and the educational contexts in which we will work.

Personally I really enjoyed the workshops in which we were called to put ourselves completely into play, both with words and with the body, working in groups, discussing, listening to different points of view, making works that were the result of thoughts, different experiences and stories.

I also appreciated this project because it has been a good opportunity to meet people, not only students or professors in our “institutional” roles, but personal stories and experiences that have linked us and made me know cultures and points of view “far” from mine.

Thank you all who have left me something, both professionally and humanly, because I think it has enriched my way of confronting others, so I learned that perhaps it is almost more important a silence than one word too much that risks not creating something positive, especially in today’s society, where it seems that who screams louder in a discussion is the winner, forgetting, however, that, as I learned from this BIP, in a dialogue there is no winner, or rather both the parties win.

Humbert Jodie

First of all, I can say that the BIP was an enriching experience. From a purely tourist point of view, thanks to this programme I was able to discover part of the island of Rhodes and its history. It’s a very rich area, both aesthetically and historically.

Concerning the content of the programme, I appreciated the diversity of the courses we were offered. All the subjects were interesting and gave us a different vision of the place we leave for dialogue. It made me think about issues and areas that were previously unknown to me. The format of one hour of lessons and one hour of group workshops kept me focused throughout the (long) days we had. The activities in small groups were also a good way of getting to know new people and improving my spoken English.

I’d like to thank you for organizing this second BIP and wish the whole team all the best for the future.

Lunardi Greta

From the moment I decided to apply for this project, I had the feeling that I was doing something that would push me beyond my current knowledge—something that would change the way I saw some important aspects of what I was studying and experiencing at university. This was the feeling I had, and it became clearer and clearer as I spent time in Rhodes.

There are three key words to describe what this project meant to me during my university career: intense, challenging, and unexpected.

It was intense mainly because it was a full immersion in the subject of dialogue, starting from a very naive point of view. I didn’t have the knowledge, but I had the curiosity and passion that guided me to discover new things, to ask questions, and to dive deeper.

This leads to the second aspect—the challenging part of doing something I wasn’t used to, not knowing from the beginning whether I would be good at it. From the very first moment, I started questioning my abilities, my knowledge, and my suitability for this task. But, for some reason, I wasn’t worried. Instead, I was excited.

This is my last year of university, and this project has been a unique and unexpected opportunity to discover more about myself, especially in relation to what I was learning about education and dialogue.

The people I met, the thoughts we shared, didn’t create new certainties, but rather new starting points—new questions. And this has been the most beautiful way I could have hoped for to approach philosophy.

Since middle school, I’ve always felt a deep and strong attraction to philosophy, to dialogue, to listening, thinking, and questioning. But I didn’t want school to diminish this attraction by forcing me to study it. I wanted to experience philosophy, not just study it. So, I waited, nurturing this attraction with small pieces of insight until the right moment arrived.

And that moment happened to be in Rhodes.

Thanks to this project, I discovered what I really want to do in my future after I complete my university studies. Over the past five years, I’ve discovered the beauty and power of education, and I’ve built my professional profile in this field. But I also had the sense that something was missing—an approach to knowledge and, most importantly, a way to help children approach it.

And philosophy was the missing piece.

Thank you all for the experience, and for having “insegnato” me (from the Italian word insegnare, meaning “to leave a mark,” from the Latin in-segnare).

I wish you all the best.

Mazzola Aurora

The BIP was a surprising and enriching experience, both culturally and humanly. The theme on which we focused is “Forms of dialogue/discussion in education. Philosophical perspectives & approaches”, with a particular consideration on discussion in educational field: it has been analyzed through artistic, philosophical and pedagogical perspectives, through interactive modalities and workshops.

We have addressed the subject by highlighting various aspects related to dialogue and its value, through open and motivating discussions. Over the course of the week, a real learning community developed, where the constant exchange of ideas and perspectives fostered genuine collaboration. In addition, the friendly and respectful atmosphere encouraged everyone to participate, share thoughts and actively listen.

These moments allowed me to grow, enrich myself and reflect on myself, on my beliefs and my abilities; through the confrontation with people of different nationalities and with visions different from mine, I was able to know and understand the point of view of others and it allowed me to develop empathy but also broaden my horizons, discovering new perspectives and overcoming stereotypes and prejudices.

This has generated a fabric of shared meanings, demonstrating how dialogue can be a fundamental tool not only for learning, but also for building identities, authentic relationships and critical thinking. The BIP was a place of exchange and transformation, where I could not only learn but also transmit something to the people with whom I related.

In conclusion, this experience allowed me to broaden my boundaries, and my conceptions related to philosophy and education and see how it is possible that the same idea sounds different when it’s said by other people. I hope to spend this knowledge as best I can in my future as a teacher, always with and in an eye for discovery.

Patrícia Câmara Teves Ana

What now? What remained from this experience?

I took a break from my work so I could be here and, without a doubt, it was worth it. It was an extremely enriching experience and significantly expanded my understanding of the multiple dimensions of dialogue in educational contexts.

The diversity of perspectives presented brought a unique depth to the event, approaching dialogue not only as a simple exchange of ideas, but as an essential tool for human development, critical education and social transformation. Thus, by exploring the various philosophical and pedagogical approaches to dialogue, it became clear the transformative potential that it has in individual and social formation, especially from childhood onwards: dialogue has the power to shape more conscious and sensitive individuals.

Each author explored dialogue as a transformative force capable of uniting people, a way of being and sharing with others, of listening and listening with depth and authenticity. Therefore, this meeting was clearly a space for reflection that inspires us to carry out dialogical practices capable of transforming educational environments into communities of collaborative and mutual growth.

Pedretti Elisa

Before actually taking part in the BIP experience, I thought it could be an opportunity for educational training and getting to know new people. Back home, I realised not only that I had broadened my horizons, but that I had found a real family, with whom I could truly be myself and with whom I could discuss any topic.

This is why I believe that BIP is a real resource not only personally but also professionally, because being able to compare yourself with people with different ideas, approaches, nationalities and backgrounds can really enrich you and open you up to new visions that you would never have thought possible.

Besides being an opportunity for dialogue and confrontation, the BIP was an experience to live the university world in a different way: in Rhodes, there were not only dialogues between students and professors, but many moments in which you really got to know each other and discover a beautiful city.

In conclusion, I would like to thank all those who organised and took part in this experience because they will always have a special place in my heart.

Telò Chiara

Before leaving for Rhodes, we had the opportunity to get to know each other in an initial online meeting, during which several questions had already emerged that had aroused my curiosity. The questions referred to dialogue, which was the main theme of this experience.

During the workshop the dialogue theme was explored through a philosophical approach, which made the work, for me, challenging, but at the same time very stimulating. It gave input to numerous questions on the different issues, which then became sources of numerous reflections. These reflections emerged from the considerations of the students and professors, from whom I learnt a lot.

The different university and culture backgrounds, personal experiences and one’s own critical thinking contributed to develop many different looks at the subject matter.

The various topics addressed were in fact deepened through discussion and dialogue between us.

The dialogue established was always free, engaging, open to listening, welcoming and interesting. Each intervention became a stimulus for further reflection, and the combination of these reflections gave an even broader, richer and deeper picture of the topic in question. These reflections also concerned very touching and personal topics.

We approached the topic of dialogue from different perspectives, and the reflections we built together allowed me to develop new awareness not only on a professional level, to be taken into account in relationships with children, but also on a personal level.

Adam Léa

Perceptions about the probable difficulties that discussion/dialogue entails for the facilitator and the discussants as well or, inversely, about the “natural” and effortless aspects of discussion, if they are any.

I) Introduction

Dialogue, apparently so natural and spontaneous, is in reality a complex practice, marked by tensions and opportunities. It is both a space for exchange and a test of communication, requiring participants and facilitators to overcome their biases, emotions and the limits of language to construct a common meaning. This dynamic, explored throughout history by thinkers such as Aristotle, Hegel and Gadamer, reveals a dual dimension: that of the challenges that hinder interactions, and that of the human dispositions that, paradoxically, make them possible. Understanding these mechanisms not only helps improve the quality of exchanges, but also enhances the value of dialogue as a fundamental tool for mutual understanding and collective transformation.

II) The challenges of dialogue

a. Potential difficulties for the facilitator

The role of the facilitator is crucial in ensuring that the dialogue runs smoothly and fairly. But it is a complex one.

First of all, as Foucault points out in Surveiller et punir (1975), you have to know how to manage power dynamics, because in a discussion/dialogue, power relations inevitably intrude. Indeed, certain participants may monopolize the floor for a number of reasons: ease of speaking, in-depth knowledge of the subject or their position (social status, etc.). This will marginalize others in the discussion and create a harmful asymmetry in the dialogue. It is therefore important to ensure that all participants have a fair chance to speak.

In addition, the facilitator must maintain a respectful framework and avoid emotional drift. According to Plato in Phaedrus, the “facilitator” must manage emotional reactions that risk diverting the dialogue from logos (reason) to pathos (emotion). He presents logos as the key to arriving at a common truth, in conflict with pathos, which represents the personal emotions and ingrained beliefs of participants, making it difficult to listen genuinely and rationally. According to Plato, these tensions are almost inevitable, but they need to be contained to prevent them from degenerating into genuine dialogue.

Finally, structuring dialogue and stimulating participation is a complex task for the facilitator to manage. In his theory of communicative action (1993), Habermas explains that this enables us to be rational in communication, and thus reach a rational consensus. But in order to reach this consensus, we need to structure the dialogue and stimulate it, so that it doesn’t become a “sterile exchange”.

b. Challenges for participants

Dialogue/discussion participants also face challenges, both internal and external.

First of all, taking the floor and overcoming the fear of expressing oneself is a first obstacle for participants. This may be due to a lack of confidence or a fear of other people’s judgment. Levinas explains in Totalité et Inifini (1961) that the encounter with the other constitutes both a threat and an opportunity, since the individual is exposed to difference and vulnerability. Participants must therefore accept that to speak in dialogue is to accept being seen and judged, but to do so respectfully.

What’s more, as we saw in Magda Costa Carvalho’s workshop, it’s sometimes complicated to understand the other person’s point of view. Cultural, personal and even ideological differences can make it difficult to open up to perspectives that differ from our own. So, we tend to infantilize a child when he expresses a point of view, denigrate a person who is hierarchically below us at work, or stick to our positions because we don’t come from the same social background. Kahneman speaks in particular of confirmation bias, which leads us to confirm our existing beliefs, preventing the necessary openness to dialogue.

Finally, the last challenge facing participants in a dialogue is active listening. In a lively discussion/dialogue, it can be complicated to really listen to people, especially when you’re thinking about your response or even your next intervention. Arendt, in The Condition of Modern Man (2018) explains that active listening can only take place if there is mutual recognition of the other as an equal, as this requires deep, active listening. In order to achieve this active listening, we need to curb our own desire to defend our own opinion in order to better understand that of others.

We could also say that managing emotions also involves the participants, who must be able to put aside their own sensitivity to prevent the exchange from lapsing into pathos.

c. The limits of language

Language itself can be a barrier, an obstacle to dialogue. We experienced this ourselves at the Rhodes seminar. Words can be misinterpreted, they may not exist in the language in which we express ourselves, they may be insufficient to express a complex idea, or they may be prejudiced by different cultural contexts.

Ludwig Wittgenstein studied this phenomenon in Philosophical Investigations (1953). He explains that the meaning of words is contextual, cultural and dependent on the “language set” to which they belong. This is what can lead to misunderstandings, thus complicating and skewing dialogue.

III) The “natural” and facilitating aspects of dialogue

Despite the various challenges that emerge during dialogue, certain social and human characteristics make dialogue more instinctive and fruitful.

On the one hand, dialogue is part of the natural dynamic of human interaction. According to Aristotle, human beings are naturally inclined to live in community and to communicate. It’s a need based on the human instinct to seek meaning and build relationships, to socialize. According to Aristotle in Politics, man is a political animal (zoon politikon) who seeks connection with his fellow creatures. Even if dialogue can prove difficult, it still manages to emerge and overcome the immediate difficulties it encounters. So, dialogue is a human need for interaction, but also a need to satisfy intellectual curiosity by discovering new perspectives.

On the other hand, as we also experienced at the Rhodes seminar, the appearance of silence creates dialogue. We said that silence is a form of active listening and connection. Moments of silence in a dialogue allow you to reflect and avoid impulsive responses, thus facilitating a deeper exchange.

IV) Opportunities for learning through conflict

It’s not only the “natural elements” of the human species that can facilitate dialogue. Finally, internal and external conflicts can enrich dialogue and make it more authentic.

a. Conflict as a driving force for progress

For Hegel, the confrontation of ideas in dialogue is “a productive dialectic”. In his view, conflict is a necessary element in the dialogue’s progression to a higher level of thought, since oppositions enable us to go beyond our initial positions and tend towards a richer synthesis. It is therefore in this process of confrontation, according to Hegel, that new ideas can emerge. But for this to happen, the dialogue must be lively, emotions must not take over, and participants must be open to others.

b. Vulnerability as a dialogue ethic

Authentic dialogue often requires participants to show their vulnerability. This vulnerability is shown by sharing their doubts, mistakes or personal experiences. This has been seen as a source of difficulty, a challenge, but it can also be a strength for creating a solid human connection and an enriching dialogue. We’ve seen this with Arendt and Levinas, who explains that dialogue demands openness to the other, and thus reveals a certain part of our fragility. But if the dialogue is well framed and respectful, this vulnerability is ultimately the foundation of profound and enriching communication.

V) Conclusion

Dialogue, though “natural” in its anthropological foundation, is an act that requires a conscious effort to overcome biases, emotions and inequalities of power. Philosophers remind us that, however difficult, dialogue is essential to building a society based on understanding and the co-creation of meaning. The tensions that characterize it are not obstacles to be avoided, but opportunities to grow, individually and collectively.

Armanni Beatrice

Dialogue and discussion, listen and be listened to.

These aspects are present in every moment of our life. The philosophical approach of BIP has been essential to make me understand the importance of dialogue/discussion applied in education also thanks to a pedagogical approach.

Children should train in dialogue since kindergarten and us, as teachers have to create the right environment to make them free to express themselves by using their voice.

All the lessons, the workshops proposed, the moment of confrontation with each other make me go on wondering about me, but, especially the teacher I wanna be. I’m sure that approaching dialogue/discussion in education, since childhood, helps our students to really understand what kind of person they wanna be and analyze themself, especially in the relationship with others.

All the subjects have been an occasion to analyze and sometimes destroy some of the concepts I had in my mind. It has been a continuous mentally and emotional up and down that helps me analyze and focus on different perspectives I have never considered before.

In the end, after this experience, I can say dialogue/discussion is essential to open up to each other by showing identities, listening and being listened to. Thanks to dialogue, relationships can be transformed, can change in different ways and people are able to find themself both in what they are saying and from what they learn from others and I’m able to say this because I experienced it first hand.

Barbuscio Lorenzo

During my university studies, I have developed a desire to better understand the complex dynamics of dialogue, especially the ways in which language and communication shape the learning process. Before coming to the BIP, I thought this topic had two very interesting points that explained the importance of the practice on ‘dialoguing’ and ‘discussing’. The first one is related to dialogue being the core of democracy, meaning that schools should educate to democratic ways of thinking. The second reason is related to the individual skills developed by children through dialogue itself. In fact, we can all agree that experiencing social practices helps children have more control over their inner functions, like Vygotskij said.

Given the length of this text, I’m going to analyse only the first matter at hand.

Therefore, democracy is based on sharing ideas in a community (through discussion or dialogue) as the main starting point to create a society that is more open and inclusive for the different needs of the people. Regarding this matter, we explored the role of communication as a feature of all humankind, intertwined with the position of Power. This is based on the value of narration as a way to make your voice heard, that can be seen as a possibility to spread awareness about unique points of view (for example, the ones of the minorities).

However, this is not enough to cover its deeper meaning. We need to consider three main elements that can be a common ground for developing authenticity during dialogue.

1. We need to create an education to ambiguity, a positive attitude to the possibility of interpreting things in different ways. No one has the same sensibility and rationality to understand the implicit contents when someone is communicating. So, it’s normal to ‘talk it through’ so that by trying and trying the two parts can contaminate each other with seeds of new thoughts and questions, universal questions. This movement through words can be observed in musicals too. For example, I’m thinking about Wicked where the songs come back multiple times, but each time the characters sing them in a very different way and with a very different meaning. We can see it in the song Defying Gravity by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (in the movie or on Spotify) in the ‘I hope you’re happy’ line at the beginning of the song (00:05 on Spotify) and in the end (04:21). But can we truly understand what they really mean? We can have different opinions, based on different interpretations each of us made while watching or listening to this segment.

2. We also need spaces for dialogue, both in a physical and a metaphorical sense. This means that, as we saw in Children’s Literature, everyone needs a place where they feel welcomed to express their history and/or personal point of view. Human beings, both adults and children, are social beings and, based on this nature, their dignity is the possibility of preserving their personal and social dimensions through creating and narrating their own reality. This means that every person has the right to search for an environment that truly listen to them and to what they have to and want to share.

3. And this leads to the final point, we need to learn that listening is a power position, more than we usually tend to expect. When we talked about listening as a political practice, we realised that a dialogue always has two “ends”, one that is speaking and the other listening, but we often tend to focus (as a cultural habit) on the production skills and rarely on the receptive ones. We can surely state that having the ability to speak is a privilege, also for those who can’t. However, with no one listening, this privilege becomes useless: if the other “end-in-dialogue” (government, association, person) doesn’t have that disposition to dialogue, the arguments will be in vain or, at least, will have a smaller scale of resonance in the other. Considering the genocide in Palestine is enough to realize this: you need a great deal of strength to listen to what is unheard, as stated by Fiumara in The other side of the language. In this case, if you don’t have this strength or, better, the interest of listening to the voices of the weak, you’ll continue to have the power to ignore a problem that is greater than any of the countries alone.

These points help us understand that dialogue is about commitment in taking responsibility in giving value to what the other wants to share. This means that we have our ideas and we can share them when we want to, but we also know when to stay silent and empower the other by listening and letting the other contaminate our own ideas with theirs. It’s a reciprocal effort that needs practice and openness.

Through this excursus, I tried to create my own idea over dialogue, but of course I don’t think this is the end of the process: I’m still questioning if there are more reasons on why the dialogue is this important, but the real question is how much time would it take for us to explore all the possibilities? Can we even talk about ‘all the questions’? That’s the beauty of universal questions: you know when you start, but never know when or if you’ll finish.

Belotti Alessia

Thanks to this experience I was able to reflect on the concept of authentic dialogue, discover its different nuances and the close link with democratic practices.

First of all I think it’s important to consider the two main components of dialogue: the speaking and the listening. We often give more importance to what we say, to the form and content of our thoughts, understanding listening as a passive and secondary practice. But without active listening, dialogue cannot exist.

Indeed the political expert Susan Bickford, in her book: “Dissonance democracy”, focuses on the role of the practice of listening in political interaction, defining listening as “Political agency”. Analyzing specifically political listening is central to the development of democratic theory and to envisioning democratic practices for contemporary society.

Thanks to active listening you can also reflect on your own ideas, point of view, thoughts and you may be open to a possible change through interaction with others.

In my opinion, sometimes, we tend to passive listening because we fear that comparison with others could call into question the principles on which we base our vision of the world and of life therefore we are afraid of losing the certainties that give us safety. Instead, it is essential to get out of this perspective to intend the dialogue as a possibility of improvement and complex and open movement through the words.

These assumptions should be the basis of any democratic society and it’s for this reason that I believe it is necessary to educate children in these practices starting from preschool. Only in a society open to dialogue, active listening, constructive confrontation is it possible to form future citizens capable of actively contributing to the common good, understood as the final goal to aim for.

Besio Mira

The central theme of the Erasmus+ BIP has been dialogue. Even before having this experience, I was already aware of the importance of discussions. Indeed, discussion and dialogue are crucial because they allow for the exchange of different ideas, opinions and perspectives, fostering personal growth and the broadening of new horizons. We live in a complex and interconnected world where no one person alone has all the answers. Thanks to BIP, I not only learned but also experienced through the workshops that through dialogue, we can learn about alternative viewpoints, challenge our beliefs and enrich ourselves both intellectually and emotionally. This process helps us develop critical and especially creative thinking, thanks to the contributions of all the people around us. In fact, dialogue with the other is a valuable resource because seeing the other’s point of view makes us find solutions to problems that we could not solve on our own, makes us see another horizon, and makes us change.

Moreover, dialogue is essential for building relationships based on trust, empathy, and mutual respect: this is exactly what happened during the BIP. So many new friendships and so many meaningful relationships were born precisely because through dialogue there is a chance to truly bond between people. In fact, discussion is a tool to express one’s point of view and a way to create more cohesive and aware communities. In fact, in this experience we created a real community of research, discussion and friendship, where everyone’s views were different but unique and were valued as a resource, not a barrier.

Birolini Elisa

Dialogue was the heart of BIP experience, it was not only the theme of different and rich discussions, but above all, it was a search mode and an active practice that we experienced firsthand. Thanks to what has just been said, I understood well the value that dialogue in education holds: it is a powerful form of knowledge of ourselves, of other people and of the world.

Thanks to participation in different workshops, including for example, the one of Professor Magda Costa Carvalho, I understood that the possibility of living in total an experience of authentic dialogue depends on the ability of the parties to be open and question. I also realized that the practice of active listening and the establishment of a relationship of mutual trust can lead people involved in discussion to openness. The consequence of this attitude is a change; following a dialogical experience we are in fact never the same as before.

After Professor Eleonora Zorzi’s workshop, I then reflected on the fact that dialogue is often fed not only by words but also by silence, experiences that are often underestimated and missing in our culture, but which sometimes allow an even deeper understanding of oneself and of the world.

Another aspect that I considered and which I think is important to underline is the often-ambiguous nature of dialogue which does not always guarantee communicative success, an experience which can sometimes be frustrating but nevertheless growth-promoting.

Although I believe that a dialogue experience can also be lived internally, I would like to focus here on the dialogue between two or more people. Taking up the speech of Professor Elena Theodoropoulou, dialogue with others means getting out of our habits, place and going to the place to the other. As a future primary school teacher, it is therefore natural for me at this point, thanks also to the interventions of Professors Mazzini and Carvalho, to reflect on how much adults are able to leave their position of presumed superiority and listen to the children for establishing an authentic dialogue with them. Following this experience, I believe it is even more important to propose dialogue experiences to children in the purpose to guide them to be an active part of their learning process and their relation and life in general.

Colceriu Diana-Felicia

The possibility of authentic dialogue

During the lectures in Rhodes I started asking myself what are the conditions for an authentic dialogue. A lot of times we seem to think that we are engaged in a dialogue but, in reality, we are having either a conversation or a monologue. So therefore, to be in an authentic dialogue, both sides that engage in it have to be emotionally present in the event that is the dialogue. This relation brings to my mind the game that Gadamer was talking about in Truth and Method, when he describes the way we access a text or a piece of art. The game he describes invites the participants to play it and, while they are playing it, they get to a point where they abandon their own subjectivities. The only thing that remains is a self that maintains the person, so that the event of the game is not just merely a flow, but something that we chose and that changes us while we are playing it. In this game takes place a metamorphosis of the players, a metamorphosis which makes them all of a sudden and completely different from their subjective selves from before. Once the event is over, you come out enriched from the above mentioned metamorphosis, you manage to find something that you didn’t even think you were looking for¹.

In a very similar way the dialogue invites the two sides that take part in it to be present and to engage completely with the other, with the alterity. For this to happen, they need to leave aside their own subjectivities, they need to be open to the possibility of change, of metamorphosis. Both sides experience this change and they come out of the dialogue eriched. There is obviously a risk in letting yourself take part in the dialogue, but it is a risk that we like, that makes us want it even more.

Therefore, with this conception in mind, I am asking myself if dialogue in education can ever be an authentic kind of dialogue or if it just remains at the level of a conversation or a monologue. Usually, what we call dialogue in education is quite one-sided: the student receives information from the teacher. There is no room in this relationship for the improvement of the teacher through the dialogue. Or so it seems. But there are some forms of dialogue in education, like workshops of philosophy for children, that engage both the students and the teacher in what I believe to be an authentic discussion. Also, any sort of working-together activity seems to have the potential to become an authentic dialogue. As teachers, I think we need to understand the importance of letting ourselves be part of the dialogue, letting ourselves be potentially changed by the interaction with our students. To be able to teach you need to let yourself be taught by the event that is the dialogue.

¹ Hans-Georg Gadamer, Adevăr și Metodă, București, Teora, 2001.

Collares Borghetti Fernanda

I am a writer and the author of children’s books. Recently, I created a card game designed to promote children’s active voices, that I invite you all to discover (https://thehappygang.com/products/tu-podes-mudar-o-mundo). This game serves as a parallel tool in the research I am conducting as part of my master’s degree in philosophy for children at the University of the Azores.

My thesis is intitled Contributions of the Philosophical Community of Inquiry to the Recognition and Appreciation of Children as Epistemic Agents, and I explore dialogue as a fundamental element for public action and democracy.

Thus, many of the topics discussed during the BIP program aligned with my studies, particularly regarding dialogue as a cornerstone for a truly democratic practice. Some aspects of what happened in Rhodes resonated deeply with me:

• Voice as an Identity Element
  

This concept resonated with my work as a reading mediator, offering recognition and validation of my practice. The activities and conversations led me to think that simplicity in communication enhances the effectiveness of dialogue. Speech is probably one of our most potent political instrument and the primary mechanism of epistemic
agency.

• The Art of Improvisation as an Exercise in Belonging and Collectiveness
  

This topic was equally impactful in my work and research. It showed me that, in a certain way, almost no words are needed to convey implicit ideas and foster understanding among people who are sharing a common space.

• The Compilation of Films
  

The experience of watching and thinking about different clips from films was important because it stressed the urgency of placing ourselves in another people shoes and, as a facilitator of philosophical dialogue with children, it moved me profoundly. It left me reflecting deeply on empathy and shared human experience, between ages (old people and not so old people).

• The Image as “Silent Speech”
  

The conversations about the Silent Speech was also important in my experience of the BIP and this approach expanded my understanding of communication, highlighting the importance of visual literacy and how diverse interpretations can lead to more assertive dialogue.

• The Humanistic Approach to Reading Children’s Stories
  

Given that I am a writer and promoter of reading and dialogue with children, all the work we did with children’s literature seemed especially significant to me. It aligned closely with my work and enriched my perspectives regarding the contribution of children’s books as an instrument of humanization for all ages.

In conclusion, participating in the BIP ERASMUS Program allowed me continue to deepen my understanding of dialogue and to reflect on the distinction between rhetoric and assertive, meaningful communication.

Thank you all for the opportunity

Colombo Gaia

Even if it could seem obvious, I truly believe we could summarize this BIP experience with the words “openness to dialogue”. In fact, the peculiarity of this BIP experience was that we had the chance to explore every day the topic we were talking about.

What I mean is: we were discussing about dialogue and discussion, and we were doing it through dialogue and discussion themselves. This is something that really impressed me, since we had the chance to see immediately on ourselves some of the positive effects of dialogue and democratic discussion we were talking about. This helped us also to understand more the topics and to make links between the different lessons.

The whole environment of open discussion stimulated us also to have dialogues after lessons with our colleagues and Professors about topics we were interested in (both personal and professional, for example our future job as teachers, the ethical issues linked to it, how we could adapt these suggestions about dialogue with our future students, etc.); I think this clearly represents a positive, immediate effect of the project, and it helped us to strengthen mutual understanding and the sense of community too.

Even if I would have liked to stay more in order to get deeper into the topic, discuss even more and have some time to make order in all the suggestions I’ve received, I really feel enriched by both the “formal” and “informal” discussions because they gave us the chance to compare with people from different countries; this makes you in touch with different perspectives and ways of thinking that maybe you could never meet in your home countries since they are based on a different culture and mindset.

This is one of the reasons why I really appreciate this kind of Erasmus project, and I’m so grateful I’ve taken part in this BIP.

D’Adda Anna

I believe that, to talk about dialogue, is necessary an open and listening educational environment, which is the basis not only for dialogue, but for the general growth of each person.

In an educational environment, in fact, it’s created a place where the child can be himself and, at the same time, it is a place that teaches the child to be himself.

We discussed, in the lesson with Professor Carualho, that the basis of dialogue is listening. Listening must become an educational and political practice.

Listen the voice of everyone is so importante for a dialogue and, like the italian philosopher Adriana Cavarero says, voice is unique and unrepetable, and when we use that, we show our singolarity.

So, to answer the question, the educational environment open to listening is necessary for a dialogue/discussion in which we can express ourselves thoroughly.

Furthermore, education is the first solution for the freedom and with that we can opposite ourself from the oppression.

So, if education means freedom, education means also dialogue and discussion without oppression. That’s another reason to have an educational environment.

Education is also the beginning of the idea of society and, at the basis of a correct society, there is dialogue, therefore education and dialogue are strictly connected.

Is also important nurturing dialogue, like we talk with prof. Mazzini, and find a good place to do that; an educational place, where children can be theirself, where they can express their creativity, discuss and dialogue each other.

So we have to ask ourselves if there is a place, in our city and in our society, for the children.

And we noticed how is difficult to find an educational environment where they can express theirself. But this is a problem because dialogue is so important and, so, is necessary to find an educational place where children can grow their discussion and theirself.

Dăian Alta

Reflections on the idea of dialogue through the lens of intersubjectivity

There is one question in particular which has been haunting me since coming back from Rhodes, but I can now attempt to answer in light of my experience there, even modestly. To voice something, to have a dialogue, should I be me and you be you, or should we all surrender and abandon ourselves, only to be regifted by the Other, through the echo of our own voice, projected back to ourselves by the Other’s ?

Like in a duet, dialogue is also a process that requires subjects to become profoundly involved with each other, not just in their addresses but also through their ideas and emotions, all within an embodied dimension. To try to illuminate this, I will refer to Hans-Georg Gadamer’s concept of game and to the phenomenological principle of intersubjectivity.

A phenomenological concept, intersubjectivity, among other things, underlines the primacy of co-created meaning in our existence. Again, coming back to dialogue, we are not simply exchanging lines; we all actively contribute to a shared reality through voicing, active listening, and meaningful silence. Thus, dialogue can aid us in transcending the lines between subject and object, finding ourselves in a dialogical Moebius strip.

Let us now reflect on Gadamer’s game. The reason for which it is relevant to our short inquiry is that the game’s essence resides not, depends not on the players themselves but within itself, on itself. Similarly, philosophical dialogue also differentiates itself from a mere exchange of opinions by becoming a polyphonic song, a co-constructed and co-sustained horizon of meaning, a stimung, constantly in metamorphosis. Similar to players of a game, participants in a dialogue both surrender to the rules of this process and also co-create its unfolding. This is all to say that authentic dialogue if we can call it that, requires a dynamic in which participants surrender themselves fully to the transformative powers of the encounter with the Other.

By merging these concepts, intersubjectivity and Gadamer’s game, we can rediscover dialogue as a lived process of mutual discovery and authorship, where meaning is fluid and forever evolving, engaging us in a process of mutual discovery.

Fabris Alyssa

I think that nowadays many people cannot express their feelings and ideas in an appropriate way. In my opinion, one of the main reasons is the fact that people are not so used to dialogue. In fact, it is important to discuss not only within the family but also at school and in other social environments, in order to develop critical thinking and learn how to express personal ideas in a respectful way.

These issues were deeply discussed during our BIP, where dialogue allowed us to create a community and to become aware of the power of our voices. As Professor Costa Carvalho said, the voice is an essential tool to be free in a democratic society and we must use it to dialogue, to build bridges and connections between people.

As far as I am concerned, I think that debating is characterized by many obstacles, like possible misunderstandings or difficulties in expressing complex opinions and ideas. Perhaps some people may not be able to accept the opinions of others because they are too stubborn or, on the contrary, some other people are too shy and scared to participate in the discussion. In Rhodes I have realized that, as adults and teachers, we have to help the children to express themselves and educate them to dialogue. Even if we do not agree with someone, we must respect them. Indeed, the dialogue does not require a meeting point or a conclusion, but the process is what it is important.

Philosophy is often seen as a useless and abstract discipline, but, as we experienced in the BIP, it is very powerful: it develops not only dialogue and reasoning, but critical and creative thinking too.

As I said when I introduced myself at the first meeting, I really love picture books and children’s literature. During the workshops we had the possibility of analyzing some books and writing stories or poems. In this way, I find those instruments very useful to start a philosophical discussion with children and to help them to express themselves.

I particularly enjoyed our moments of discussion, during which we were sat in a circle and debate many provocative questions. I have learned that the mutual confrontation of the points of view and the construction of a community are essential to have a good debate. As Professor Zorzi said, dialogue is ambiguous but is also an authentic exchange of meanings and ideas that can transform us in a profound way.

So, why do we need discussion and dialogue? Personally, I am convinced that dialogue is essential to share our own feelings, ideas and opinions, but also to expand our knowledge and to learn how to accept other points of view. Moreover, as pointed out by Professor Peraud, discussion allows us to be free in a democratic society. Furthermore, we are social beings, so dialogue and discussion encourage cooperation, teamwork and the research of a solution when there is a problem. Indeed, during the experience in Rhodes we took part in many groups’ activities, in which confrontation and negotiation were fundamental.

In this regard, I find each contribution rich in suggestions and will treasure what I have learnt.

Forcella Gabriele

If I think about the space (both physical and metaphorical) in our contemporary society and cities in which children can express themselves I ask myself: does it exist? In what way are they allowed to be really children? During my academic studies, I have known better one of the most important figures of the Italian pedagogy of the last century, the teacher and children’s writer Mario Lodi, who said that the first document a teacher must follow to teach is the Constitution, in which is reiterated the right of speech and expression for every citizen; and Lodi has been a great pioneer for his time because he put in practice this constitutional ideal giving to children the space to be themselves as citizens.

Starting from this personal opinion, thanks to this BIP I have understood better the importance of some aspects of the dialogue and discussion to create significant spaces in this sense, especially in an educational context, in which both adults and children have to be all ears to be open to listening to other voices and points of view.

Learning to discuss is really important, especially in educational contexts, because it allows children to exercise their right to speech and think as active citizens: when they come into contact with the otherness they are both presence and absence, that is, they have a face and a voice (or another type of language to express themselves, in an inclusive perspective), but at the same time they’re silences and thoughts; and a philosophical approach to the discussional/dialogical activity allows to find a balance between these two dimensions of the human being that is called to confront with the other, so as to create a context in which the parties involved can express a common flow, a shared direction, a mutual intention and intension in a grooving education perspective.

This is what I think we need dialogue for: to pass through the words and to get passed in a complex and open movement that is always an exchange.

Humbert Jodie

This seminar has shown me that dialogue is not just about words. I’m thinking here of the workshops by E. Zorzi and V. Gospodinov, which demonstrated that dialogue can also involve music, sounds (other than speech) and photography. M. Da Costa Carvalho’s presentation also made a particularly strong impact on me. She reminded us of the importance of the voice in dialogue. As I tried to explain in my previous email, all the courses (and not just the ones I’ve just mentioned) enabled me to explore aspects of the notion of dialogue and discussion that I didn’t know about.

Today, I can say that I try to approach discussions differently. Since I came back from BIP, I’ve been trying to listen more often to what people have to say. I mean really listen. I’m no longer just interested in the words, but in the whole exchange. I try to observe the body language of the person I’m talking to. More recently, I’ve also been trying to hear what’s not being said, taking silence into consideration as a tool for dialogue. Without over-interpreting, I try to welcome silences as much as possible (even more than before). Finally, since the BIP, I think I’ve come to see the notion of dialogue a little more globally and I feel more ‘present’ in the discussions I take part in.

Lunardi Greta

• Why do we need discussion/dialogue?

The “why” question is something that we all start asking from childhood, and it is very significant for human beings. This type of question has the direct consequence of making us move physically, emotionally, and mentally. We want to know, and by the act of questioning, we find that the true answer is another question, and we go deeper and deeper, or higher and higher.

And when we ask, we do not only want the other to listen and answer, but also to join in the search for that answer. By searching, we nurture our mind and our soul, because someone who searches and asks has a void, but not like a desert—rather, like an empty space ready to be enriched by something.

By emphasizing this crucial sense of openness, we also have to acknowledge that it cannot be unbounded. It must have some boundaries, some limits, with the aim of being able to understand what we discover, to make decisions based on them, and to act.

The “why” question is open, but it must lead to a whole movement of the human being (as mentioned before: mentally, emotionally, and physically) for the purpose of empowering and connecting our minds to the reality that we inhabit.

Throughout history, we have always tried to leave signs of our passage in this world. We have always felt the need for dialogue, both with those around us and with those we do not yet know but who could learn something from our very personal life journey.

So, the “why” is in us, in our nature.

• What is the role of silence in dialogue?

The second aspect I wanted to point out—and one that I have frequently questioned since the BIP
—is silence.

I wanted to start from what I expressed during our circle time about it, linking it to our culture and the important distinction that we need to make between passive and active silence.

Regarding the first point—our culture—we, as Western people, come from a culture of words: speaking, thinking, and expressing through words. We have always given words absolute importance, above all other forms of expression.

And maybe a possible answer to this question is that we need to understand how to use words in the right way, how to express our thoughts, and how to respect others by expressing ourselves. We have the chance to decide what to say, and by choosing the right words, we make the most important choice as human beings: to think first and act second. We choose to be rational rather than instinctive, not because we have to suppress our instincts, but because we recognize the balance we must strike between our deepest feelings and their manifestation.

New questions may arise, and other meaningful concepts have not found space in this text, but these are the most important considerations—even though they are not destinations.

Mazzola Aurora

διά τι. One word, five letters, one great meaning: Why? To tell the truth it would not be correct to talk about one single meaning. This word because, in fact, it opens up to a multiplicity of questions, some without answer, that we ask ourselves every day.

Dialogue is a fundamental tool in relationships, offering a valuable opportunity to truly know the other person. The word comes from “logos” meaning ‘speech’, and “dia” implying ‘fra’, which suggests a ‘speech’ between individuals; however, dialogue can also serve as a means of awareness of ourselves, our ideas and beliefs.

The basis for the effectiveness of any group action is precisely the dialogue. To unite the different narratives in a single great story, it is essential in each team practice listening to oneself, listening to others and listening to what emerges from the confrontation: it is through dialogue that we create a communicative climate.

Dialogue allows learning to continue. When we learn to dialogue, to ‘feel’ ourselves and the other, we can access a collective intelligence, defined by Pierre Levy as “an exploitation of individual intelligence, put in relation to the maximum degree in real time. A sharing of all the cognitive abilities, skills and memory of people participating in the information flow. “

In education discussion is a form of communicative interaction between teacher and children and it is focuses on mutual listening, respect and the shared construction of knowledge. It is not simply a transfer of information, but a dynamic process that stimulates reflection, active participation and development: at school, dialogue manifests itself in classroom discussions, group work and moments of confrontation.

Dialogue facilitates active and participatory learning: it stimulates the students’ curiosity and involvement, transforming them from mere listeners to active participants. This way children use critical and creative thinking, making learning more lasting.

Discussion permits the building of positive educational relationships: In the classroom, a climate of trust and mutual respect is established between educator and students, but also among children. It promotes autonomy: dialogue encourages students to express their ideas, but also to learn to listen, respect speaking shifts, accept different opinions and negotiate common meanings. Often, instead, our listening is more focused on what is said than on the singularity of the one who speaks: word and thoughts are important but never as much as how a person’s voice sounds like. In fact, our voice is unique and unrepeatable and, with it, we express our singularity when we speak.

It also promotes the inclusion and exploitation of diversity: it gives a voice to all and allows cultural, personal and cognitive differences to be recognised and appreciated. Dialogue allows us to see world from the point of view of other people and experiment care, cooperation and reciprocity; the school is a democratic space where there are plural visions, and everyone is represented.

Through dialogue, children can learn to listen actively to each other, accepting different points of view and showing empathy by asking questions, reflecting and exchanging experiences. This develops critical thinking within the minds of children, who are able to express their ideas without fear of judgment and without using prejudice; the school is an open listening environment for dialogue and listening through which we can express ourselves!

In conclusion, dialogue in education is not only a teaching method, but it’s a philosophy that values the human relationship and the potential for shared growth. By promoting personal and collective growth, it becomes a powerful tool for forming responsible individuals who are able to contribute positively in everyday life.

Patrícia Câmara Teves Ana

I decided to participate in this BIP as a student of the 2nd year of the Master’s Degree in Philosophy for children. It means that, this academic year, I am doing research for my dissertation project.

The theme of the project is the verbal and non-verbal elements in the philosophical dialogue. Specifically, I seek to explore the place of vocal gestures (sounds such as mmm, humm, hmm) and silence in dialogue in a community of philosophical inquiry. The interest in this topic was born from my interactions and practices with children. They are the ones who often stimulate me to reflect, and, in this specific case, they are the ones who led me to explore the world of sounds and silences. Through their perceptions and reactions, these experiences became revealing, arousing my curiosity.

In this sense, I consider that the theme of this Bip was very interesting to think about and reflect on my object of investigation. Thus, the contributions explored in the various workshops made me ask: if dialogue, in its multiple configurations, is not reduced to what is said, in what ways can we notice all the other invisible aspects? What place does the implicit occupy in dialogue?

The different perspectives presented as promoters of dialogue highlighted its importance and the need to be open to welcoming dialogue as a world of possibilities. Dialogue challenges us to step out of our comfort zone and to value plurality and that can enrich our own worldviews while becoming, at the same time, more open and sensitive to the realities of others.

In my view, the dialogue may be like a play, it is not enough to pay attention only to the characters’ speeches, because the richness of meanings also comes from the movements, sounds, colors and lights, silences. This means that in order to enter into a dialogue it is necessary to go beyond the words spoken to consider the “between the lines” (a concept used metaphorically) – understood as a dynamic space that involves pauses filled with sounds and pauses not filled acoustically – the silences. In this sense, we can ask: what place do “between the lines” occupy in the voices that echo in the dialogue?

For this reason, it is also necessary to recover or find the space for listening in dialogue. Listening should be understood as something deeper than just a passive posture or attitude of listening. Listening implies being present, attentive and open to the other and to the context so that dialogue is a process of interaction and co-creation of meanings, a continuous flow where ideas and expressions, such as gestures, sounds, silences and movements are intertwined.

Pedretti Elisa

The central themes in this experience were dialogue and discussion, which I have always understood as a purely verbal conversation between two or more people. After taking part in the various teachers’ workshops and listening to the reflections of my fellow travellers, I realised that dialogue doesn’t necessarily take place through words, but also through looks, images, actions. In particular, I realised that children offer a lot of insights of reflection, so much that when I returned home and went to my pupils, I realised that what was said during those days was really true and that very often children, but not only adults, are sometimes afraid of other people’s thoughts, afraid to make their voices heard, so why not use something else? This is the main lesson I took home from this experience: try to give space to everyone, in their own time and in their own way, and above all without prejudice.

Furthermore, I believe that we mustn’t only dialogue, but that it is a real need: for Aristotle, we are social animals and therefore endowed with words. Words that we use to bring about some change in the world. Indeed, without dialogue and without confrontation we could not live peacefully and solve everyone’s needs.

Telò Chiara

Dialogue was not only the main theme of the BIP, but also the element that characterized all the workshops. Indeed, through the sharing of our reflections, we were able to understand and discover more deeply what dialogue really means and the different forms that a dialogue can take. One can dialogue with an image and through an image to express oneself; one can dialogue through music, with listening to the rhythm of others and contributing one’s own; one can dialogue with gestures, with the body, with drawing.

In particular, concerning to educational context, children live dialogue through all of these forms, both with others and with themselves. Even if they experience this more consciously through confrontation with others, actively participating in their community.

During my internships and short work experiences, it often emerged that children have difficulty in dealing with confrontation with others. One of the most important things of dialogue is the listening dimension; therefore, it is important to transmit the value of listening to each other and being open to the opinions of others. In this way we can recognizes and embrace all ideas instead of imposing a single winning idea. Indeed, dialogue is important also because it promotes a deeper understanding of reality and develops a wider framework of it, through the sharing of different points of view.

Another aspect concerns that even the dialogue that is established between child and teacher is not so simple. During the various workshops, many philosophical questions and important considerations emerged.

First of all, it is essential that we listen, in a true and attentive way, to the children with whom we interact and also to the group of children which is dialoguing or playing in the playground, for example.

It is necessary to pay real attention, to try to understand what they are saying not only through words but also through the voice, the body, and also through silence. In fact we consider silence as an integral part of dialogue, not the lack of it. It is important to try to understand that silence too, to grasp the unspoken, even if it is a more complex process.

I have referred to the school context, but these aspects are also important to consider outside school of course, in our personal life.