Developing regional mediational leadership as a means for cultivating dialogue

This chapter presents an extended training for Jewish and Arab change-agents in the Wadi A'ra district in Israel. The training and chapter advocates for leadership training while building capacity for dialogue and constructive conflict engagement, thus aiming to make an increased impact and empowering participants, agents of change from among officials and residents, effect social change, in particular in the context of Jewish-Arab relations and the development of a shared society. The first section provides a framework for analysis of leadership as a conflict engagement practice. The second section provides background on the program. The third section presents the training's curriculum, the fourth section analyses distinctions and parallels between Western mediation approaches with Eastern conflict resolution approaches (Sulcha), and the fifth section elaborates on the practicum and projects participants engaged in as part of their training. The sixth section discusses the challenge of making the usage of the skills acquired in the course sustainable and the seventh and last section raises challenges and dilemmas for further research.