About Us

1. I commend your events which allow for open, frank and critical dialogue where issues are not dodged but tackled with civility and honesty. It’s this kind of dialogue that works and helps. I feel encouraged to engage in the process.

   ~ Journalist

   What strikes me most is the effort that goes into your events to allow for real discussion. Meticulously prepared, your events are always a pleasure to attend.

   ~ Writer

   The care that we received during the trip was so overwhelming. Careful consideration was given to the smallest detail. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

   ~ Dr Jenny Hamilton

   Founded in 1999 as a registered charity, the Dialogue Society is an organisation of research and civic engagement working to develop and deliver new ideas for dynamic, effective and meaningful dialogue to advance intercultural dialogue, community cohesion and proactive citizenship.

   The Dialogue Society is interested in ‘developing & delivering’ ideas and projects, respectively, in the following areas:

   * Community cohesion and multiculturalism
   * Identity and integration
   * Family, education and youth
   * Media, culture and communication
   * Human rights and civil liberties
   * Theology and religious studies
   * World cultures and societies
   * Peace-building and conflict resolution
   * International relations and diplomacy
   

   The Dialogue Society is both a registered Charity with the Charities Commission (Charity registration: 1117039) and a limited by guarantee charitable company registered with the Companies House (Company registration: 05385343). Therefore, the Dialogue Society is regulated by both the Charities Commission and the Companies House.

   The current work of the Dialogue Society includes weekly seminars, panel discussions and roundtables; policy recommendations and publications; policy-maker outreach and briefings; annual conferences and colloquiums; academic scholarships and bursary awards; consultancy, training and support; intercultural community events; cultural exchange trips and developing partnership with and among other organisations. For further information please visit the ‘Our Work’ page of this website.

   

   Dialogue Society advisors, friends and volunteers.

   The Dialogue Society is directed by a team of committed staff and volunteers who have a proven track record of working within the community. This work is complemented through the input of the Dialogue Society Board of Advisors; a distinguished group of scholars, academics, politicians and civil servants who among them have a wide range of expertise including national and international law; politics and international relations; ethics and theology; multiculturalism, postmodernity and society; security and defence policy and local to global governance.

   The Dialogue Society was founded by second generation British Muslims of Turkish background. The original and continuing motivation for the Dialogue Society comes from Islam which the founding and existing directors of the Society maintain as necessitating dialogue, diversity, community cohesion, equal access to human rights and freedom of belief for all, proactive citizenship, loyalty to the law of the land and democratic engagement.

   As an independent charity, the Dialogue Society is a self-funding organisation which receives no form of corporate backing. It derives its funding from private donations and local businesspeople. It achieves the remarkably high level of output in relation to its relatively small budget due to the support of its wide ranging, committed and consistent volunteers. In addition and until May 2009, the Dialogue Society is proud to have continued its work for over ten years without receiving any form of local or national government funding either. Only recently and in an effort to extend its work further, the Dialogue Society has been awarded a small grant by the Department for Communities and Local Government for 2009/2010 for two projects. The fact that the Dialogue Society has thrived for over ten years without any form of corporate or government funding whatsoever is testament to its community grass root support which values its work.