Dialogue can be carried out in formally and informally. In a more formal setting, groups of different community members are brought together to discuss certain topics. The idea is that, through actively exchanging ideas in a forum where judgements are suspended, the group can bring attention to certain issues and discuss how they should be handled. It is essentially a consensus-building process where community representatives try to reach some common ground on issues they are facing. Good examples of this are several cases in Angola where dialogue sessions were used to help communities deal with frustration over food distribution.
Food is an important and sensitive resource.
As different communities were targeted, perceptions of imbalances between communities were created that, in some cases, led to increased hostilities. Community dialogue sessions presented an opportunity for community members to vent their frustrations and work through the problem. The problem was not completely resolved in that the need is greater than the supply, but it did remove the hostility around the problem and often allowed the communities to work together as opposed to against each other. The media serves as a sounding board for issues and sparks dialogue within the communities. An example of this in Angola is the increased media coverage, particularly newspapers and radio stations, of prostitution and sexual abuse.