On September 23, 2025, a blog cafe “Practices of mediation and facilitation of dialogue in communities” was held at the Chernihiv Polytechnic National University, organized by the public organization “Center for Gender Education” in partnership with the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences. The event was aimed at testing modern approaches to mediation and facilitation as key mechanisms for the development of local communities.

Students, teachers, representatives of public organizations and active residents of the city took part in the event. The program included both a theoretical introduction to the principles and advantages of mediation and facilitation, and a practical component – interactive exercises (“Resource exchange”; discussion in pairs on ways to improve the quality of life of the community; group development of strategies for overcoming local problems).

During the work, the participants noted the importance of facilitation as a tool of democratic engagement, which ensures that every voice is heard and positions are equal. The emotional atmosphere of the event testified to the effectiveness of dialogue practices in building trust, partnership, and the ability to collectively make decisions.

The moderator of the event was Oksana Shuba, a third-year student of the educational program “Analysis of Socio-Political Processes” and an ambassador of the project “Together We Can” in the Chernihiv region.

The event confirmed the feasibility of using mediation and facilitation practices as effective tools for developing social unity and improving the quality of life of communities.

The project “Enhancing Opportunities for Public Leaders in Ukraine “Together We Can” is implemented by the NGO “Center for Gender Education” together with the Chernihiv Polytechnic National University and the NGO “Human Rights Foundation” with the support of the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (IFA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany.