zSomali Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy
(SIDD)

SIDD was registered as a UK charity on 12th October 2006 (no. 1116372) and the Trustees agreed two principle objectives: 'the reconciliation and integration of Somali refugees' and the longer term aim of 'enabling skilled Somalis in the diaspora to return to Somalia and contribute to national reconstruction'.

Those in the Somali Diaspora have something to contribute. There are conversations and new relationships that can develop more easily away from the intensity of conflict. The perspectives and skills that we gain in our adopted countries can be of benefit to our homeland.

We invite all Somalis who sincerely believe in SIDD's objectives and who wish to help bring about a change in our people's condition, to join with us.

Change must start with ourselves. As it says in the holy Quran, 'God only changes the condition of a people when they change what is in their hearts'. May God transform and save Somalia and the whole region of the Horn of Africa.

Workshops in London on 'The future of Somalia - Building trust and confidence' (February-March 2005)

Our mission:

Promoting national and international conflict resolution and reconciliation with a view to relieving suffering, poverty and distress, and building and maintaining social cohesion and trust among Somalis and between Somalis and neighbouring communities, in the UK, in other countries hosting Somali refugees, and in Somalia, observing strict neutrality, without regard for clan or political allegiance by means of the following activities:

• investigating and identifying probable causes of the conflict
• examining possible solutions to the conflict through participatory research into relevant economic and social issues
• publishing reports for the public benefit on the causes of the conflict and recommended solutions
• mediating with parties to the conflict through facilitated dialogues and larger reconciliation meetings to increase mutual understanding and awareness and build trust
• providing courses to train Somali-language facilitators to organise dialogues in the UK and in Somalia
• providing courses and using other means to increase understanding of the importance of moral and spiritual values in private and public life as a basis for the development of democracy
• producing and distributing resource materials, including printed (books, pamphlets, reports of activities etc), visual (film) to create an environment favourable to reconciliation
• working in partnership with other agencies with similar objectives
• fundraising to enable these activities to be achieved.