Significance:

Today, families face many problems due to the lack of dialogue between parents and their children. In a time when mass communication is at its strength and satellite channels invaded homes, effective communication between family members has become a necessity and the secret key in dealing with behavioral deviations.

Objectives:

1. Highlighting the reality of Saudi families concerning dialogue and its obstacles.
2. Accentuating the importance of dialogue among families as a means of communication and its role in facing intellective and behavioral deviations.
3. Promoting a culture of dialogue among families in the society.
4. Discussing effective solutions and methods concerning dialogue among the family.

Topics:

1. Family Dialogue: Reality and Obstacles.
2. Effects of Family Dialogue.
3. Activating and Developing Family Dialogue by Society Institutions.

Proposed Segments:
1. Judges of matrimonial and divorce courts.
2. Preachers.
3. Officials from the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices.
4. Consultants from public and private family consultation offices.
5. Officials from the Ministry of Education, student counseling administrations.
6. Officials from the Ministry of Interior, specifically from the public relations and media department, and intellectual security department.
7. Officials from the Ministry of Media.
8. Officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs.
9. ( 24 ) male participants, and ( 24 ) female participants.
 

Family Dialogue
Reality.. Obstacles.. Means of Development
Sunday 18th May 2008

Final Report

King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue held a family dialogue meeting under the theme 'Family Dialogue: Reality.. Obstacles and Means of Development', on Sunday the 18th of May 2008. the meeting involved ( 78 ) participants of both sexes. Moreover, the meeting was preceded by visits to local girls and boys schools in order to come to know their opinions and suggestions in relation to family dialogue.

Meeting topics were discussed throughout three sessions. First, Family Dialogue: Reality and Obstacles. Second, Effects of Family Dialogue. Finally, Activating and Developing Family Dialogue by Society Institutions.

Meeting Recommendations:

1. Lack of family dialogue is due to lack of family dialogue education.
2. Schools have an important role in inculcating the values of family dialogue.
3. Lack of family dialogue has negative social and behavioral effects on family structures and functions.
4. Establishing the supreme committee for family affairs is considered a breakthrough in developing Saudi family issues.
5. Conducting training programs to promote family dialogue.
6. Activating the role of social institutions especially the role played by mosques in introducing the concept of family dialogue to the society.
7. Inducing the media to widely discuss family matters.

King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue pays special thanks to the governor of Riyadh city HRH Prince Salman Al-Saud and his deputy HRH Prince Sattam Al Saud for facilitating and supporting convening such a meeting. The Center also thanks participants for interacting with these important issues, and the Ministry of Culture and Media for covering and broadcasting this meeting.