Rural Europe on the move English_chapt1_6 | Page 49

OPPOSITE
1. Mountain forest forums in Bavaria, Germany, an inspiring
experience of ‘Civic dialogue’ shared on FS website
THIS PAGE
2. 3. Workshop venue in Podlaskie region
Mediation and
non-violent
communication
The first thing you learn
be the wolf in someone else’s story,
not just sweet little red riding hood.
One way of confronting this is daring
to engage the wolf in a conversation,
embracing its views and then
“To practice nonviolent
communication means
stepping out of our
‘comfort zone’.”
in mediation and nonviolent welcoming fears, anger and conflict communication is to listen before as a source for change that might be you talk. This is to try to put yourself needed to improve our relationships, space where people are enabled
in the shoes of the other, to grasp our understanding or even future to exchange views in person and
his or her point of view. When you cooperation. To practice nonviolent in protected space. This is about
learn to wholeheartedly listen, you communication means stepping out building bridges between rural
talk with a different understanding, of our ‘comfort zone’ and being able people, between wolves and
with more compassion. This is often a to see ourselves as someone else’s shepherds, farmers and nature
more productive way to face a shared wolf too. conservationists. We have trained
problem together.
From the very beginning, Forum
ourselves and others to change
Synergies has foregrounded perspectives and look at sustainable
misunderstandings, it is useful to the importance of constructive rural development as gathering by the
consider in what ways we may also dialogue, facilitating gatherings and fire in a forest clearing.
In situations of conflicts or
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