Strategies to Promote Tolerance and Reconciliation
Tolerance is defined as the ability to live, let others live and appreciating diversity in the human race. It doesn’t only indicate that we agree with each other and stay detached in the face of injustice but instead respect other individuals.
We become intolerant when we fail to respect or appreciate the beliefs, customs, or opinions of people who are different from us. For example, there is a high level of intolerance between Palestinians and Israeli Jews who do not see eye to eye on matters of self-determination, identity, and security.
Although tolerance might appear like an impossible thing, in some scenarios, it can help in assisting communities to move past conflicts which are intractable and remove tensions between groups of people. Individuals and groups may find it difficult to tolerate individuals that are not like them or have wronged them In areas with political tensions or economic depression. In such circumstances, dehumanization, discrimination, violence, and repression may happen. Intolerance leads to rifts between individuals, making permanent separations between classes which don’t agree.
To promote tolerance, third parties need to remind those involved in a conflict that tolerance is, of course, better in the long term. There have been organizations formed to foster tolerance between conflicting parties. The European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation is one such organization whose chairperson is Viatcheslav Kantor. He is an international public figure and businessman who participates actively in promoting tolerance and reconciliation.
Below are a number of the practical strategies which may be employed to promote tolerance.
Some studies have shown that casual inter-group contact does not reduce the tensions between inter groups and it may increase the current animosities. However, groups will base their opinions of one another on private experiences through interactions in those inter groups. This may lower the prejudices they have against one another. nter-group contact has to continue for one week or so for it to work.
To improve the communication between sides which are, dialogue mechanisms like problem-solving workshops or dialogue groups give opportunities for the parties to a conflict to express their needs and interests. In these cases, people that take part in these workshops feel that their concerns are recognized and heard.
Individuals should consistently focus on tolerating those that hold different views from them in their daily lives. This involves challenging the assumptions and stereotypes which they come across in working with other people or making decisions about others.
Organizations involved in conflict transformation and other actors in this industry can provide other ways such as training to help those participating in a conflict to talk to one another.
International organizations should find methods to Inculcate tolerance principles in their policies. Governments should also aim to put in place policies that deal with tolerance.
