Ep. 44: Challenges for Education: Creating Safer and Braver Spaces in Schools to Talk About the Conflict I (Jouanna Hassoun / Shai Hoffmann – Trialog)

Guests: Jouanna Hassoun / Shai Hoffmann – Trialog / Gesellschaft im Wandel gGmbH Hosts: Philip, Bünyamin Bio: Jouanna Hassoun is the founder of Transaidency, a German-Palestinian organization promoting intercultural dialogue, empowerment, and human rights education. She regularly facilitates dialogue formats in schools. Shai Hoffmann is a Social entrepreneur, educational activist, and podcast host (Über Israel und Palästina sprechen). Known for innovative political dialogue initiatives such as the Bus der Begegnungen and Tiny Space Über Israel und Palästina sprechen, he brings together people who rarely engage with one another. Together, Jouanna and Shai run the project Trialog, visiting schools since October 7 to discuss the massacre, the ongoing devastation of Gaza, and its impact on Muslim and Jewish life in Germany. Their aim is to create spaces where students can ask difficult questions, explore multiple perspectives, and see that both Jewish and Palestinian experiences matter. Their work and experiences are documented in a common book. They have both received numerous awards for the commitment for human rights and peace education. In this episode: We speak with Jouanna Hassoun and Shai Hoffmann about their personal and family connections to Israel and Palestine, how these shaped their identities in Germany, and their first encounters with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They share their experiences conducting dialogue and human rights education in schools: what works, typical challenges, and surprising student reactions. They discuss how the current attacks on international law affect democracy education and the challenges teachers face when engaging with controversial issues in classrooms and why they should not avoid speaking about the Middle East conflict. Finally, Jouanna and Shai share their short- and long-term visions for Israel and Palestine, highlighting the importance of dialogue, humanity, and principled engagement in times of crisis. This episode was recorded April 14, 2025. Links: Shai Hoffmann: https://shaihoffmann.de/ Jouanna Hassoun: https://www.instagram.com/jouannahassoun/?hl=de Trialog: https://israelpalaestinavideos.org/trialog-buch Transaidency e.V.: https://transaidency.org/trialoge-israel-palaestina/ Gesellschaft im Wandel gGmbH: https://www.gesellschaftimwandel.org/ Disclaimer: Guest opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast team. Technical legal terms are explained in Episode 36 with Prof. Claus Kreß; contested histories are addressed by Prof. Gudrun Krämer in Episode 21.