The Directorate: Social Dialogue and Human Rights in the Department of the Premier has since 2006 implemented a programme working with communities and refugees in the Province of the Western Cape as part of a sustained intervention to address the challenge. Based on the ground findings and lessons, the Department of the Premier, the Cape Town Refugee Centre, the Alliance for Refugees in South Africa and the City of Cape Town would like to invite interested parties to a two-day working session to deliberate on the challenge and to work on possible solutions.

The intended objectives of the working session are:

• Analyse the symptoms, causes and manifestations of these conflicts
• Design strategies and processes that will address the current conflict situations
• Share lessons and experiences aimed at sustaining relative calm
• Ensure confidence and trust amongst stakeholders for future conflict situations.

The expected outcomes of the working session are:

• Obtain all available information on the challenge through primary and secondary sources
• Assess the suitability and impact of current methods applied in addressing the challenge
• Offer a list of recommendations that will take into account inputs from participants with regard to intervention strategies.

Venue: Ritz Hotel, Sea Point, Cape Town
Date: 22 and 23 May 2008