ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the power of Intergenerational Dialogue and Inquiry (IDI) in helping communities heal from past atrocities. It begins by describing the processes and practices of a pilot IDI programme conducted by UNESCO's Routes of Enslaved Peoples between 2022 and 2024. This programme aimed to co-create spaces for intergenerational dialogue, cultural continuation, and collective healing. Within a common conceptual framework for IDI, communities were encouraged to draw on their own cultural traditions and practices of intergenerational dialogue, rather than taking a uniform approach. The IDI pilot was carried out by grassroots organizations and their professional facilitators in nine communities on four continents. The results showed that IDI participants of all ages experienced mutual affection, affirmation of cultural identity and dignity, and, above all, healing and well-being. The chapter closes with four case studies from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Colombia, and the United States where IDI has been used successfully. These case studies show that in diverse contexts, bringing old and young together to heal from the wounds of the past can have a great impact for all involved.
