The USC Center for the Political Future (CPF) is partnering with The Village Square and Florida Humanities for their "Unum: Democracy Reignited" series to host a discussion about transforming toxic polarization in the United States using lessons from international peacebuilding efforts.
 

Thursday, May 2 at 4:00 p.m. PST via Zoom and Facebook Live

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resetting-the-american-table-tickets-785943828147?aff=oddtdtcreator

As part of The Village Square's Fall 2023-spring 2024 virtual lecture series, “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” we’ll engage international expertise in service of quelling increasingly dangerous divisions here at home. Drawing on decades of experience addressing volatile disagreements surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Resetting the Table works to transform toxic polarization and destructive political conflict in the U.S.. We’ll check in with the Resetting the Table team around the escalating tragedy in in the Middle East to learn what lessons we can.

We’ll be joined by Resetting the Table’s Co-Founding CEO, Rabbi Melissa Weintraub, a veteran peacebuilder and social entrepreneur who has spent her career building transformative communication across divides, overcoming dehumanization and distrust, and working toward a shared society in both the U.S. and Israel-Palestine. Resetting the Table brings wisdom and expertise gained in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to healing America’s deepening divides.

This program, "The Humanity Beneath Our Conflict," is presented live via Zoom and Facebook Live and made possible by Florida Humanities and National Endowment for the Humanities. We’re delighted to welcome streaming partners Braver Angels, McCourtney Institute for Democracy, National Institute for Civil Discourse, BridgeUSA, Listen First Project, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future,  Common Ground Committee, Civic Health Project, TP&R podcast, YOUnify, Citizen Connect, Center for the Humanities at University of Miami, Tallahassee Democrat, WFSU Public Media, and Network for Responsible Public Policy.

In the aftermath of the 2016 election — after years of focus on volatile disagreements surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — Resetting the Table launched an ambitious initiative forging communication and understanding across red/blue/purple divides in the U.S. They began with a Listening Campaign and series of dialogue forums in the heart of the Wisconsin and Iowa Rust Belt counties that swung Obama-to-Trump in the 2016 election, engaging and partnering with many “unusual suspects” for bridge-building work: from conventional dairy farmers to blue-collar workers to Evangelical pastors. Today, they offer training and forums targeting clergy, journalists, bridge-building practitioners, conservative and progressive activists, and more.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resetting-the-american-table-tickets-785943828147?aff=oddtdtcreator