LEARNING IN DIALOGUE

IRANIAN AND GERMAN TEACHERS TEACHING AND LEARNING TOGETHER

The idea for the German-Iranian cooperation in teaching development and dialogical learning arose from long-standing contacts in the context of interreligious and intercultural dialogue based on the dialogue process. This is essentially due to David Bohm and Martin Buber. Following a dialogue training course completed in Germany, an Iranian educational scientist and an Iranian engineer, together with others, founded the Dialogue Center Tehran more than 10 years ago. The aim of the center is to promote dialogue culture in Iran. In the past, the focus of the work of the Center was primarily the training of dialogue process facilitators. Since then, it has been active in parental dialogue and parental work. With Dialogue Learning Workshops, the Dialogue Center is now expanding its activities to include school learning and teaching.

The project is funded by Dr. Ing. Buhmann Foundation, Hannover (https://www.buhmann-stiftung.de/) and the Barbara Schadeberg Foundation, Siegen (http://www.barbara-schadeberg-stiftung.de/).

At a time when talking and being in dialogue, especially between people with different religious and cultural roots, is more important than ever, the initiators in Germany and Iran want to take concrete steps to get to know each other. The starting point should be the educational mission that teachers at our Protestant schools and teachers at the participating schools in Iran have. At the same time, the principles of dialogue in the tradition of David Bohm and Martin Buber should guide the exchange of ideas. Finally, the focus on "Dialogical Learning" marks both a professional focus and the aspiration to quality learning with each other as part of the project, which is planned for March 2020.