The war in Ukraine has forced many Ukrainians to find temporary homes in the Nordic regions. Whether they plan to return home eventually or find a permanent home in these countries, Ukrainian voices need to be heard in our public discussion.
Timeout dialogue is an effective method for facilitating equal and insightful discussions, giving voice to those who have not been heard, and creating better understanding between groups of people.
Based on interviews with Ukrainians residing in different Nordic countries, here are seven tips on how to use Timeout dialogues to engage Ukrainians in dialogues and foster better connections and understanding:
1. CREATE A DISCUSSION SPACE WHERE EVERYONE IS TREATED EQUALLY
It is natural to be interested in the experiences and thoughts that go through people whose country is at active war. However, in some discussions Ukrainians are invited only to share their traumatic experiences, not their expertise, which can make them feel objectified. Timeout dialogue helps create an equal space through ground rules, facilitation, and diverse participation:
- Ground rules for a constructive discussion – Timeout
- Introduction: tuning into the topic and the roles – Timeout
- The facilitators’s best guiding measures – Timeout
- Defining the participants – Timeout
2. DISCUSS THE WAR AND EXPERIENCES WITH CAREFULNESS AND PREPARE PARTICIPANTS
Discussing war in Ukraine can evoke strong emotions that participants might not be ready to discuss or experience. When choosing a topic, keep that in mind and if possible, opt for a more neutral focus. It is also important that all dialogue participants are prepared and know what will be discussed and have a safe space where they do not feel pressured to share what they do not wish.
- Preparing for a dialogue and compiling your own toolbox – Timeout
- Emotional outbreaks in the discussion – Timeout
- Activating the quiet participants in the discussion – Timeout
3. FIND THE LOCAL CONTACT TO INVITE
Inviting people who don’t share your native language can be tricky. Find out communities and local organisations that have created trust and contact with local Ukrainian communities.
Timeout toolkit has several good tips on how to invite participants:
4. START FROM MORE PRACTICAL TOPICS
Like any other person, if you had no prior experience in participating in discussions, you would not be interested to put your time and energy into a topic that is not close to your everyday life. Once you have positive experiences, you start to open up about different participation opportunities. If you wish to make Ukrainian communities feel welcome and comfortable with participating in the discussions in your community, start engaging with topics that touch upon the life of Ukrainians the most – education, job opportunities, integrating with the community, language learning, etc.
Timeout dialogues as experience talks are a good way to create a first positive experience:
- Stages and objectives of the discussion – Start here – Timeout
- Encouraging the participants to tell about their own experiences – Timeout
5. GOING BACK OR STAYING – THE DECISION THAT CREATES DIFFERENT NEEDS AND INTERESTS
When choosing topics and participants, it should be kept in mind that different Ukrainians have different plans and emotions on the question whether they wish to return home to Ukraine as soon as possible or they are working to build a new life in the country they are staying in due to the war. It can be a very personal and emotional dilemma, which affects a lot of what your participants focus on.
6. FINDING A SHARED LANGUAGE: USE ENGLISH OR TRANSLATIONS
The matter of language comes into play when bringing locals and Ukrainians together into a joint dialogue. Young Ukrainians tend to be fluent in English and are ready to converse in English. Older generations usually are not proficient in English and it should be clarified before inviting them, what solutions to use for them to be equal participants in the discussion.
The Timeout toolkit has good tips how to ensure a good discussion:
7. ENGAGEMENT IS A PROCESS, NOT A ONE TIME ACTION
The feeling of being engaged is not achieved with one discussion, but through longer positive experiences. This is why we suggest planning several dialogues that build on each other. A dialogue conclusion serves as a pathway to allowing the discussion to continue. This is why you should conclude the dialogue with participants so that they can revise what was brought up during the discussion and reflect on the participants’ perceptions of the dialogue. When successful, a dialogue is a unique experience of inclusion and meaningfulness.
Read more how and why to conclude:
Background
These insights and tips were developed as part of the “Empowering Pan-Nordic Public Discussion” project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The project’s goal is to help Nordic organizations foster meaningful dialogues across different nationalities, promoting intercultural understanding and cooperation.
With many Ukrainians finding temporary homes in the Nordic countries due to the war, there has been a growing need to hear and understand their perspectives. To support this, we conducted interviews with Ukrainians living in the Nordic region and gathered their insights into these seven practical suggestions.
