Name of the organization/initiative and year of foundation

The organization was established in 2014. The main office is located in Kharkiv.

Mission

Conflict analysis and diagnosis, conflict resolution, and conducting of dialogues and peacebuilding activities.

Actions and projects in the context of armed conflict

The Laboratory’s activities include conflict analysis and diagnosis – various types of mapping, development of a strategy for a dialogue process (preliminary meetings with participants, dialogue design, etc.); facilitation of group dialogues, and post-dialogue support. The Laboratory convened and facilitated dialogues on the conflicts of values, public safety issues, and peacebuilding; organized educational events – lectures, training for mediators, psychologists, sociologists, civil society activists, and other experts.

The interregional project “Conflict Resolution and Reduction of Polarization in Ukraine” in Kharkiv was focused on facilitated dialogues and included context analysis (content analysis, focus groups, expert interviews), organizing and facilitating dialogues between the ideological opponents. The project was implemented in partnership with the Institute for Peace and Common Ground (Kyiv) with the support of the international organization “Humanitarian Dialogue” (Switzerland). In 2015, the Laboratory carried out an international project “Culture of Dialogue. Conflict Resolution. Reconciliation”, aimed at the organization of educational events (lectures, seminars, dialogues, conferences, and round tables) for the development of a culture of dialogue as a method of peaceful conflict resolution.

In 2018, the Laboratory implemented two projects – “Facilitation of dialogues on demining” in Mariupol with the support of the OSCE Project Coordinator Office in Ukraine and “Dialogue as a tool for conflict resolution and decision-making at the community level” in Donetsk and Luhansk regions with the support of the Institute for Peace and Common Ground. The Laboratory took part in the development of the policy recommendations for local governments “Dialogue in local communities” with the support of the Institute for Peace and Common Ground (Kyiv) and the Peaceful Change Initiative, UK. In 2019, the Laboratory implemented a pilot project “Community Score Card (CSC) in Rubizhne Municipality” under the DG EAST program, USAID.

In 2019-2020 the Laboratory has been taking part in the project to test Methodological Recommendations for Assessing the Risks of the Emergence, and Resolution of Conflicts in several communities of Donetsk, Lugansk, and Kherson regions. The Recommendations were developed by the Ministry of Reintegration and Temporarily Occupied Territories and included tools for qualitative sociological research, expert surveys, focus groups, organization, and facilitation of dialogues.