Building Bridges NOT walls
Building Bridges NOT walls: Conversing through the Crossfire
by Mohammed Hasan
I’d love to live in a world where Democrats and Republicans, Israelis and Palestinians, North and South Koreans, Meat-eaters and Vegans could all sit in the same room - peacefully and respectfully - discussing their differences.
Showing empathy for people with “controversial” views isn’t a form of utopia; it is necessary for our survival. Tolerance alone is not enough: it merely requires silence and acknowledging another person’s presence while tightly holding onto our views. Understanding requires us to: listen, suspend judgment and ask questions.
The change I’d like to make to my country and the world is to contribute to facilitating a “shared dialogue” for people with different worldviews. I want to live in a world where people from all backgrounds can share their experiences, hopes and fears to resolve seemingly irreconcilable differences. I’d like to positively disrupt our ways of thinking and communicating in a world where everyone is talking, but nobody is listening.
The solution to global challenges such as climate change and local issues such as potholes in roads are both found in cooperation and peaceful discussion.
The reason many scientific breakthroughs happen during a war is that governments are forced to create environments that facilitate collaboration between people of all backgrounds. Alan Turing’s Enigma machine would never have been built without the contribution of women. Imagine how many more lives could've been saved if more women received access to good universities and Mr Turing wasn't ridiculed for his sexuality.
An inability to integrate opposing ideas has caused gridlock in national governments on critical issues such as deficit reduction and gun reform. We have lazily resorted to explaining disagreement by saying the other side is “ignorant, elitist, stupid or even in denial”.
The first step is to create opportunities for different communities to meet regularly; town halls, youth clubs, parks and local libraries are neutral forums to facilitate dialogue between divided communities. Xenophobia and racism are rooted in fear of the unknown and suspicion of people outside of our scope of familiarity; we must engage with and live alongside people we’ve never met. My life is richer for shopping at the Indian greengrocer on my high street; driving a German car; being blessed in a temple in Thailand; eating Sudanese food; wearing silk scarves made in Southern Vietnam.
Our greatest teachers in developing empathy and resolving conflict are children. Before children are taught to recognise differences; they effortlessly rally around a common goal; whether it’s finishing a jigsaw or building a Lego house – it’s only adults that are quick to point out the different ages, religions, genders and ethnicities of a group.
We must focus on designing and funding extracurricular activities that develop leadership and conflict resolution skills. If children are the future, then we must focus on encouraging them to participate in programmes such as Model United Nations, which facilitates debate between students representing different nations to resolve contentious issues with people with opposing views peacefully.
Young people are already embracing this concept. Boyan Slat, a 17-year-old Dutch engineering student, created the Ocean Clean Up project – a team of scientists dedicated to developing a conveyer belt system to clear plastic waste in the Atlantic Ocean. Students that survived the mass shooting at their school in Parkland, Florida organised countless protests and Ad-campaigns to create an informed debate on gun reform.
A joint coalition of Palestinian and Israeli scientists may find the cure for cancer; the collaboration of North and South Korea could result in the discovery of a new renewable source of energy; Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals could work together to find more efficient methods of building homes.
The possibilities are endless when we focus on what unites us.
