What happens when young people are handed the tools to talk across difference? When they are taught not just to tolerate disagreement but to engage it with skill and intention? That question sits at the heart of a new partnership we are proud to announce.
This August, African Leadership Academy is partnering with Seeds of Peace to host the Global Dialogue Lab in Johannesburg, bringing together 65 educators from across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, the United States, and the United Kingdom for an eight-day immersive program unlike anything currently happening on the continent.
Why This Partnership, Why Now
ALA has always believed that transformative change begins with people, and that the adults who shape young minds matter as much as the young people themselves. Seeds of Peace shares that conviction. For decades, they have been building a global movement of leaders equipped to bridge divides and transform conflict through dialogue. Their network of nearly 9,000 alumni across 27 countries is proof that this work takes root.
Bringing the Global Dialogue Lab to South Africa is a natural extension of both organizations’ missions. It is also a recognition that African educators deserve access to world-class professional development, and that the perspectives they bring to a global cohort make everyone in the room better.
What Educators Will Experience
The Lab runs August 8–15, 2026, on the ALA campus in Johannesburg. Participants will build practical facilitation skills, design strategies tailored to their own school contexts, and learn to lead difficult conversations with clarity and confidence. The program does not end when participants fly home. Monthly virtual sessions on peer coaching, implementation challenges, and continued skill-building keep the community connected and the learning moving.
The program is designed for educators currently working with students ages 14–17, with at least two to three years of teaching or student leadership experience, who have direct access to students to apply what they learn.
If you are an educator ready to lead dialogue in your school and classroom, or if you know someone who is, we want to hear from you. Applications close April 20. Apply now at www.seedsofpeace.org/dialogue.
This is the kind of work that changes classrooms, and through classrooms, the world. We hope you’ll be part of it.
