INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AS A TOOL FOR POST-CONFLICT PEACEBUILDING: THE EXPERIENCE OF LEBANON, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, AND SUDAN

Abstract

The article reveals the potential of interfaith dialogue as a key tool for overcoming the consequences of armed conflicts and building sustainable peace in multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies. Using the examples of Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Sudan, it analyses the mechanisms of interaction between religious communities and the role of non-governmental organisations, international structures, and individual leaders in strengthening social cohesion, developing intercultural understanding, and preventing renewed outbreaks of violence. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach that combines historical, political and sociological analysis, as well as the use of comparative methods and the study of empirical cases. This approach makes it possible to identify universal and specific factors that determine the success of interreligious interaction in the post-conflict period, including institutional support, youth involvement, and the implementation of joint humanitarian projects. The author contributes to the development of the theoretical and practical basis for peacebuilding, formulates the conditions for effective dialogue, and emphasises the importance of its practice-oriented nature for reducing social tensions, restoring trust, and forming sustainable models of coexistence. The conclusions demonstrate that sustainable peace in post-conflict countries is impossible without constant institutional support for interreligious communication, systematic monitoring of the results achieved, adaptation of strategies to local cultural characteristics, and the involvement of broad segments of the population in joint social initiatives.