In an era of rapid transformation, education continues to stand as one of the most vital spaces for cultivating critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and civic responsibility. Guided by this conviction, Attalaki, in partnership with the HL-Senteret, Norway and international collaborators, organized a series of three expert webinars between December 2024 and mid-2025.
Bringing together academics, educators, and practitioners from Tunisia, Norway and Indonesia, these sessions explored how education can serve as a bridge between cultures and as a laboratory for rethinking how we understand identity, dialogue, and citizenship in diverse societies.
✔️ Applying Narrative Approaches to Understanding Cultural Heritage in the Tunisian Context
Held on December 18, 2024
The first webinar examined the role of narrative approaches in strengthening the understanding and teaching of cultural heritage. Experts from Attalaki and HL-Senteret highlighted how storytelling, oral histories, and community-based narratives can uncover overlooked dimensions of identity.
Participants emphasized that pluralistic fabric, though deeply rooted in history, remains underrepresented in mainstream educational discourse. Narrative methods were presented as effective tools for unpacking hidden layers of collective memory, challenging stereotypes, and encouraging reflection on national identity.
Dr. Omar Fassatoui, United Nations Human Rights Officer, underlined the importance of constructing and deconstructing narratives as part of critical education. Identity, he argued, is never monolithic but shaped by multiple and sometimes overlapping affiliations — religious, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural.
Prof. Ines Mokdadi, Associate Professor of English, offered an academic lens on how proverbs and everyday language can reproduce exclusionary narratives. She shared findings showing that a large portion of proverbs marginalize certain communities, subtly influencing perceptions of belonging.
The discussion concluded with a reflection on how audiovisual storytelling — through short documentaries and digital courses — can bridge the gap between local narratives and global audiences. The session reinforced the potential of education as a means of cultural recognition and critical engagement rather than mere transmission of facts.
✔️Using Films in Education: Exploring Diversity through Visual Narratives
The second webinar, led by Roua Tlili, Assistant Program Coordinator and filmmaker at Attalaki, focused on the pedagogical role of film in education. The discussion explored how films, beyond their artistic value, can serve as powerful tools for learning, reflection, and intercultural dialogue.
Films, participants noted, possess a unique capacity to evoke emotion and stimulate analysis simultaneously. By combining visual storytelling with intellectual inquiry, educators can create dynamic learning spaces where students engage deeply with questions of diversity, ethics, and representation.
The webinar also addressed ethical considerations in using films within education. While audiovisual media can humanize and broaden perspectives, they may also perpetuate biases or stereotypes. For this reason, critical viewing — rather than passive consumption — was emphasized as essential.
Participants proposed several best practices: contextualizing films through discussion, encouraging analytical questioning, and fostering awareness of how narratives are constructed. Through these methods, films can become catalysts for critical thinking and intercultural awareness, helping learners to interpret social realities more responsibly.
✔️ Exchange of Experiences and Challenges to Interfaith Dialogue
The third webinar extended the discussion to the global level, addressing interfaith dialogue and religious diversity. Experts and practitioners from Tunisia, Indonesia, and international institutions shared their experiences, reflecting on both opportunities and persistent challenges in promoting coexistence.
In Tunisia, participants acknowledged that religion remains a sensitive domain, particularly for minority communities. Since 2011, awareness of religious diversity has grown, but fears and misconceptions persist. Attalaki’s initiatives — including its online learning platforms, documentary films, and focus groups — were presented as examples of how trust-building and education can foster understanding while navigating complex social realities.
From Indonesia, KNLWF representatives discussed their strategies for integrating interfaith dialogue into educational systems, including collaborations with religiously affiliated universities and schools. Their “three competencies” framework — personal, comparative, and collaborative — was introduced as a model for developing deeper interreligious literacy among students and educators.
Globally, Professor Fernand de Varennes, former UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, emphasized that education must remain a central response to the rise of intolerance and misinformation. He recalled key United Nations frameworks such as the Rabat Plan of Action and the Faith for Rights toolkit, highlighting how these instruments can support educators and civil society actors in promoting mutual respect and preventing incitement.
The discussion also featured reflections by Rev. Sivin Kit, Director for Theology, Mission and Justice at the Lutheran World Federation, who stressed the importance of youth engagement and intra-religious dialogue — recognizing diversity within the same faith traditions as equally essential to coexistence.
✔️ Shared Reflections
Across the three webinars, a coherent vision emerged: education is not only about transmitting knowledge but about shaping understanding, empathy, and civic consciousness. Whether through narrative methods, visual pedagogy, or interfaith dialogue, learning becomes a process of connecting experiences and rethinking identities in a changing world.
For Attalaki and its partners, these exchanges reaffirmed that international cooperation and exchange of experiences are vital to renewing educational practices in Tunisia and beyond. By integrating narrative and audiovisual approaches into both formal and informal education, it becomes possible to foster critical reflection, cultural appreciation, and civic awareness — all essential elements for strengthening coexistence in diverse societies.
As Attalaki continues to develop its digital and pedagogical initiatives, these dialogues serve as a reminder that education’s most transformative power lies in its capacity to connect people — across disciplines, cultures, and generations — through shared inquiry and mutual respect.