Building Bridges Through Dialogue

Building Bridges Through Dialogue

27 September 2025

Bridges are built, and connections are made, by talking with each other—not by ignoring one another, not by speaking about someone instead of to them, and not by tearing others down.

On Curaçao, and perhaps in small communities in general, conversation is not our strongest skill. Maybe it’s because our world is so small. Nevertheless, the government has recognized that dialogue is necessary. On September 23rd, a national dialogue on the AOV took place. The intention was good, but the execution fell short. It felt more like a media production aimed at viewers than a genuine dialogue with the media present.

Put simply, we do not yet understand what dialogue really means. I have said it before—although our language, Papiamentu, literally means “speaking,” conversation is not our strongest suit. And dialogue, even less so.

Over the years, we have refined the panel model and developed a fondness for debates. But dialogue is different. Dialogue is about equality, listening to one another, and searching for consensus. Again and again, we slip back into panels and debates.

So, what went wrong this time? The national dialogue was staged as a media event. In fact, a national dialogue should be the last phase of a longer process: first, the government should engage in dialogue with advisors. Then, with stakeholders and social partners. Only after that comes the broader public.

What now? It’s a matter of learning from lessons, adjusting, and moving forward. But this requires leadership. The government must take concrete action to create real spaces for dialogue—first with advisors, then with stakeholders, and only then with the broader public. Only by doing so can we move beyond media spectacles and truly build bridges.

Miguel Goede