Since 2015, Connecting Actions has convened a number of organisations working for Interfaith, Interconvictional and Intercultural Dialogue to launch a Coalition meant to reinforce this field in Europe and increase our impact. This Coalition was created in Paris in June 2018 under the name European Institute For Dialogue.
Steering committee
Organisations directing Connecting Actions Paris 2016
Coexister is a non partisan, and non denominational group of young French activists that advocates coexistence through a method of peer education aimed at 15-35 year-olds.
Supports Jewish student unions and interfaith actions throughout Europe.
ABOUT CONNECTING ACTIONS
Connecting Actions is an international initiative to convene citizen, intercultural, interfaith and intercommunal dialogue organisations and experts
Connecting Actions is an international initiative to convene citizen, intercultural, interfaith and intercommunal dialogue organisations and experts to share best practices and reinforce this essential field for a better coexistence.
The initiative received its name based on a global network that its initiator, the Muslim Jewish Conference, created in response to the refugee crisis in 2015. The group mobilized a few hundred young Muslims and Jews around Europe to help assist the refugees by providing food and clothing for them upon their arrival in Germany, Austria, and Hungary. From this initiative, the scope of Connecting Actions expanded to help build bridges between the bridge builders.
The first symposiums, hosted by The Muslim Jewish Conference (MJC) in collaboration with Coexister, Three Faith Forum, Faith Matters, and the European Union of Jewish Students, served to bring citizen, intercultural, and interreligious dialogue groups from around Europe to share their experience. They also paved the way for building the Coalition that was created in June 2018.
Connecting Actions, now an independant non profit organisation registered in France, in the backdrop of mounting religious, ethnic and political tensions in Europe, will address pressing questions around the concept of active coexistence, methods and objectives of dialogue, challenges, combating radicalism, resources, social messages and media coverage through intense rounds of discussions.
Since June 2018, Connecting Actions is leading the newly formed European Institute For Dialogue, gathering a dozen European NGOs working in this field, to reinforce our action and multiply our impact.
Who we are
This is the team behind organizing Connection Actions
Rafael Tyszblat
Director of Programming Muslim Jewish Conference
Emmanuel Michel
General Delegate
Coexister
Ilja Sichrovsky
Director
Muslim Jewish Conference
Jane Braden-Golay
Outreach and Partnerships
Muslim Jewish Conference
Meytal Rosenthal
Logistics
Muslim Jewish Conference
Alexander Hohenecker
Head of IT & Development
Muslim Jewish Conference
Sound bites
Connecting Actions is an effort to finally gather organizations implementing citizen, intercultural and interreligious dialogue programs to strengthen this field and give it more visibility and impact. Dialogue is a serious business and if society was paying more attention to those initiatives, the whole issue of radicalism and violence would be tackled very differently and much more effectively.
The coalitions that this movement will allow are the best prevention tools for the multiple clashes that riddle our social fabric. It’s time to show what we can do, collectively.
Accepting each others differences, whilst finding common ground for dialogue is a mission that we perceive as more relevant than ever. The polarisation of our societies and the role that hate has taken within public discourse, underline that the activists we are trying to reach deserve more support and attention. Overcoming superficiality is the aim; not putting pressure or claiming precise outcomes a rule.
This is a gathering of the most pro-active leading young minds in Europe who are meeting and it is an honour to be with and engaging with new and fresh ideas. The work that Ilja and his team do set the bar high and they are leaders who deserve all the support that organisations like Faith Matters can provide. We are here to support this great, timely and energetic conference.
This initiative is important because it proposes to take active steps towards living together
in a diverse world which I think is the only viable future for the world. Recent events make
it obvious that not everyone agrees with this concept. So I’m very honored to participate
in this initiative.
For decades now, forces who divide us along the lines of nationality, religious belief and cultural identity have organized and exchanged knowledge and experience. It is time to do the same. Connecting Actions is a vital step in building innovative networks of cooperation among useful and much needed national and international initiatives. After 7 years of activity within and among grassroots activists, the MJC has taken the lead in convening more than 30 experts, practitioners and entrepreneurs to the first ever Connecting Actions symposium. We are finally cultivating and creating the space to exchange vital experiences and best practice among those who try to make a difference.
Connecting Actions is grateful for the support received by:
ODIHR
The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is a fervent advocate of coalition building among Civil Society Organisations working for tolerance and coexistence through dialogue. Since 2016, ODHIR has enabled Connecting Actions to take off.
NATAN FUND
Natan Fund has selected Connecting Actions as a grantee for the 2017-2018 in order to carry out its mission to build a living coalition of European organisations fostering intercultural, interreligious and citizen dialogue
The official report for the 2018 Connecting Actions event as well as the launch and action plan for the coalition can be found below. Download as PDF [EN]
Find attached below the post-conference press release for the Connecting Actions event that was held in December 6th to 8th 2017 in Paris, France. Download as PDF
Connecting Muslim Jewish Actions – A Tool Kit on the Specificities of Muslim-Jewish Dialogue in Youth Work. On January 2017 Members of the Connecting Actions Network gathered with the support of the European Youth Foundation and the Council of Europe to design this toolkit, specifically adapted to Muslim Jewish Dialogue activities. Download as ZIP Read more about Connecting Muslim Jewish Actions Toolkit[…]
For Immediate Release Press contact: Rafael Tyszblat +33 6 17 03 76 56 rafael.tyszblat@mjconference.org Rachel Delia Benaim +1 561 699 6121 rachel@mjconference.org Download as PDF Connecting Actions: 20 dialogue organisations met in Paris to share dialogue solutions to violent and uncertain times From November 23rd to 25th, 20 citizen, interfaith and intercultural dialogue Read more about Post-Conference Press Release[…]
For Immediate Release Press contact: Rafael Tyszblat +33 6 17 03 76 56 rafael.tyszblat@mjconference.org Download as PDF Connecting Actions: First ever international symposium for citizen, intercultural, and interfaith dialogue groups to share best practices which will take place in Paris, France this month Paris, France ~ November 23-25, 2016 From November 23-25, just Read more about Pre-Conference Press Release[…]