Emerging Themes & Questions​

​

Below are some insights, reflections, questions, and pathways suggested by participants in the roundtables to date:  

• Recognition of our common humanity is a stable, unifying framework through which our efforts towards social cohesion and inclusion can be guided. 

• Consensus-building dialogue is a pillar of social cohesion and it is most effective when engaged in on a continuous basis and at every level.  

• Education, including digital literacy and critical thinking skills, needs to evolve to meet the needs of young people and equip them against mis- and dis-information, and it should be a collaborative endeavor between the home, school, and wider community.  

• The insights and contributions of First Nations peoples should be considered in all matters concerning wider society, not only on issues facing First Nations peoples directly, but also a broader range of macro and micro issues relating to the progress of the country.  

• Neighborhoods—whether a street, apartment complex, or part of a suburb—are where people connect, share diverse perspectives, and work together to strengthen their community. 

• The media should seek truth, tell stories that foster understanding, and instill a sense of hope that stems from many diverse stories of success and progress.  

• Addressing issues directly can be challenging sometimes, instead it can be helpful to find a common aspiration we can collaboratively work towards that enables meaningful interactions which can help us overcome prejudice and build trust (“if at times we are struggling to connect face-to-face, we should try to walk together shoulder to shoulder") 

• Our understanding of our interconnectedness as people who live on this land is incomplete until we consciously consider our harmony with the natural world.  

• How do we “reframe diversity as a problem-solving power, not a problem to be solved?” 

• What does it look like to have a society that draws on everyone's cultural backgrounds and creates a shared identity—and what does that shared identity look like? How much have we achieved so far and what could it look like in the future? 

• As well as learning how be resilient, we also need to learn the virtue of forbearance