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World in Conversation

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Beyond echo chambers impasse binaries one side gridlock

We can solve problems with our opponents.

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Our Vision

There is so much work to be done to enable people who disagree fiercely to build the world together. That is why World in Conversation is training an “army” of conflict facilitators to use dialogue as a tool to enable citizens on opposite sides of any border to build solutions together.

“I got to interact with Americans and international people in different ways on a very deep level. It was life-changing and left a mark on my life.”
Rahaf Sindi
Rahaf SindiBS EE & PHY ‘22
“We need the opportunity for intercultural dialogue and discourse, and World in Conversation Program has made this possible.”
Rafi Nadiri
Rafi NadiriGlobal Site Manager, Afghanistan
“People tend to want to bring me to places of conflicts when there's contentious issues or when there's a hard project because of the specific skill set that I know.”
Anas Almathami
Anas AlmathamiB.S.M.E ‘13
“It’s like a magic trick because people don’t expect us to be able to…smoothly provide avenues for solutions.”
Takkeem Morgan
Takkeem MorganBA CAS ‘ 03, MBA ‘15

Our Methodology in Action

Playlist

4 Videos

30+

Countries

1,500+

Trained
Facilitators

57,000+

Dialogues

550,000+

Participants

1

Global
Community

Learn more about our outreach and initiatives

World in Conversation Headlines

Alumna Makes Impactful Gifts

With a total commitment of $34,000, Penn State College of the Liberal Arts alumna Cassandra Matos has supported a program that played a fundamental role in shaping her experience as a student and future professional. Her gift to World in Conversation (WinC) will help the program to engage the Penn State community in honest conversations on difficult topics through facilitated dialogues across the University and beyond.
Published October 9, 2024
Headshot of Momen Muhanned wearing a textured blazer

Facilitator Skills as “Citizen Diplomacy” in a War Zone

Momen Muhanned, a student at University of Mosul in Iraq, is a former World in Conversation (WinC) facilitator who participated in all of our classes voluntarily when COVID-19 sent all of our work online. This led him to playing a key role as a “citizen diplomat” in support of  Azmat Khan, a Pulitzer prize winning investigative journalist for the New York Times.

Published September 18, 2024

Looking back on our global conference, “Beyond Borders: An International Collaboration to Advance Public Diplomacy”

Some of our colleagues recently traveled to Penn State University from around the world to attend a conference hosted by World in Conversation. Learn how they make it possible for us to serve people and communities with needs, interests, and risk factors that may be vastly different from one another.

Published September 9, 2024

Laurie Mulvey speaks internationally at Democracy Summit DemocracyXChange

During Canada’s recent Democracy Summit DemocracyXChange, Laurie presented a case for how conflict facilitators are necessary for people to meaningfully collaborate across deep divides in order to build solutions for our most pressing social problems.

Published April 29, 2024

Maymester course gives students an immersive learning experience in South Korea

Titled “Sociology and Culture in Korea,” the program, led by Samuel Richards, teaching professor of sociology at University Park, Ben Park, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State Brandywine, and Laurie Mulvey, associate clinical professor of sociology and director of World in Conversation at Penn State, provided students with a cross-cultural immersion study experience that paired them with students from Seoul’s Konkuk University.
Published June 6, 2023

World in Conversation co-founders offer matching funds challenge

A $25,000 bequest from Mulvey and Richards will support the “Fund for a World in Conversation,” and they have promised additional support from their estate as an incentive for others to contribute in order to activate the endowment.
Published April 11, 2023
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