About the Centre
Centre for Dialogue 2008 Annual General Meeting. Left to Right: Tim Brown, Depty Vice Chancellor (Research), LTU; The Hon Steve Bracks, Chair; Elizabeth Proust, former Chair; Prof Joseph A. Camilleri, Director.
Left to Right: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, The Hon Marilyn Warren; Sylvia Walton, Chancellor, LTU; Phillip Adams, ABC Radio National; Judge Christopher Weeramantry; Elizabeth Proust, former Chair; Barry Jones; Professor Brian Stoddard, Vice Chancellor, LTU (2006-2007); Prof Joseph A. Camilleri; John Pandazopoulos, former Minister assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs.
The Centre for Dialogue is a major initiative of La Trobe University.
The Centre was inaugurated on 15 August 2006, at the National Gallery of Victoria, with the strong support of the Victorian Government. At the opening, attended by more than 700 people, Judge Christopher Weeramantry, former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, delivered the inaugural Annual Lecture. Messages of support were received from the Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, distinguished scholars, international research centres, religious leaders and twenty five governments.
Several promising research and educational projects have emerged since the Centre's opening, and a number of important partnerships and networks are being developed nationally and internationally.
The Board, which is chaired by The Hon Steve Bracks, former Premier of Victoria, has played an invaluable role in the Centre's activities. It has helped to bring together highly placed and well connected people in business, media, religious and community organisations, universities and other sections of society.
Mission Statement
The Centre for Dialogue is primarily committed to research but also education and training, policy development and community engagement focusing on the philosophy, method and practice of dialogue.
Formally established by Academic Board in 2005, the Centre’s research focuses primarily on:
- dialogue between cultures, religions and civilisations – relevant to many contemporary local, national and international conflicts; and
- dialogue between competing globalisation discourses and perspectives.
The Centre will develop a programme of on-going and intensive interaction in Australia and internationally, involving scholars and experts as well as practitioners in government, industry, labour, international organisations, professional associations and the community sector more generally.
The mission of the Centre has five key elements:
- to engage in pure and applied research of international standing that addresses the challenges of and opportunities for dialogue presented by cultural, religious and political diversity – locally, nationally and internationally;
- to conduct educational and training courses and projects designed to promote cultural literacy and the philosophy, practice and method of dialogue in schools and institutions of higher and continuing education;
- to be involved in community engagement aimed at nurturing inter-ethnic, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and co-operation;
- to forge international partnerships, exchanges and collaborative projects, with a focus on Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America; and
- to collaborate with and offer policy advice to, governmental bodies, international agencies and community organisations.
Over the next five years, the Centre for Dialogue will, as a University Centre:
- develop cutting edge research projects that build upon La Trobe University’s strengths in International Relations, International Law, Australian Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, Cultural and Religious Studies, Media Studies, Public Health and Education;
- contribute to the work of the Institute of Human Security, and maintain a close relationship with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and in particular the School of Social Sciences, as well as with the School of Law, the School of Public Health and other relevant parts of La Trobe University;
- build strong research partnerships with leading international research and educational institutions;
- develop a supportive environment for postgraduate research, including more extensive use of scholarship opportunities;
- develop a national and international collaborative programme involving; a) visiting fellowships; b) joint sponsorship of workshops, symposia and conferences; c) joint publications;
- maintain a solid range of publications, including the scholarly journal Global Change, Peace and Security (published by Routledge), the Working Papers series, occasional papers, and a number of single authored, jointly authored and edited books;
- play a leadership role in the establishment of a multi-nodal Global Network for Dialogue;
- maintain a close working relationship with the State Government of Victoria, the Federal Government, local councils and related agencies, as well as a wide range of other Australian universities and community organisations;
- maintain a register of Australian dialogue-centred organisations, projects and initiatives;
- develop collaborative projects with the UN, UNESCO, the EU, ASEM, other international agencies and governments that have a strong commitment to the dialogue of cultures, faiths and civilisations;
- mount a wide range of consultations, briefings, educational courses and other services responding to the needs of educational institutions, religious and other community organisations, media, the professions, industry, philanthropy and government (local, state and national) organisations; and
- develop a Resource Centre, which can service academic research, community-based projects, and interested members of the public.
Research Priorities
The Current 5-year strategic plan focuses on the following themes:
- the philosophy and method of dialogue;
- role of religion and culture in Australia and internationally, with particular reference to relations between Islam and the West, and the practical application of interfaith and intercultural dialogue within Australia, and in Australia’s relations with Asia;
- impact of population movements (in particular the role of diaspora) in Australia and internationally, and the potential for dialogue to facilitate the resolution of inter-ethnic or inter-religious tensions;
- relations between the three major centres of power and influence in the world (Europe, Asia and the United States), with particular reference to the role of religion, culture and civilisation;
- application of the philosophy and method of dialogue to education, with particular reference to curriculum innovation and professional development for teachers and other educators;
- the role of race and culture in Australia, with particular reference to the future of ‘multiculturalism’;
- the challenges posed by globalisation, and the scope of the ‘dialogue of cultures and civilisations’ in responding to these challenges (with particular reference to energy policy and climate change, nuclear proliferation, economic governance; and
- the emerging relationship between Europe and Asia and its implications for regional and global governance on the one hand, and resolution of conflicts in the Middle East on the other.
Projects
- Leadership Training Program for Young Muslims
- Dialogue in Education
- Conflict and the Prospects for Peace in the Middle East
- Conflict, Religion and Culture: Implications for Australia and Southeast Asia
- Europe and Asia: Between Islam and the United States
- Developing an Inter-faith/Inter-cultural Dialogue in Melbourne’s Northern Region
- Dialogue Diaspora
- Dialogues between Australia and regional neighbours (in particular, Malaysia, Indonesia and China)
- Climate Change and the Dialogue of Cultures
- Community Capacity Building through Dialogue, Leadership and Media
- Cultural Diversity in the Workplace