Tagpuan: Center for Dialogue, Research, and Collaboration (Memo U2324-023)

I am pleased to announce the creation of Tagpuan: Center for Dialogue, Research, and Collaboration. This Center hopes to work toward the University’s Magis Aspiration: Bridging Cultural Divides, with its objective: “Committed collective action to solve ‘wicked problems’ by transcending cultural differences across social, economic, political, and other divides.”

Tagpuan is an initiative towards the “Effective intervention and thought leadership in public discourse and social media to minimize misinformation and polarization” and “Recognition of Ateneo de Manila students, faculty and alumni as effective advocates of dialogue and reconciliation.” These are goals stipulated in the Lux-in-Domino Strategic Plan 2030.

The Center aims to produce knowledge in understanding, taking action, and designing solutions to societal divisions; and to raise the capacities of the Ateneo de Manila and its stakeholders to conceptualize, lead, and facilitate dialogue designed to:

• Convene high-level/critically important conversations to find common ground and pursue shared solutions and common actions; and
• Influence internal and external stakeholders and communities.

Tagpuan is envisioned to help advance Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti/Culture of Encounter within and outside of university spaces through the creation of dialogue tools, knowledge, and networks. It shall be housed under the Office of the Dean of the School of Social Sciences.

I am designating Dr Jose Jowel P Canuday as the Interim Director of Tagpuan, from 1 August 2023 to 31 May 2024. As Interim Director, he will facilitate the naming of the Director of Tagpuan as well as its Advisory Board. He shall also oversee the following initial activities of the Center:

1. Development of Dialogue Tools from research, fellowships, and stakeholders roundtable discussions;
2. Research on Divides, Finding Common Ground, and Building Common Good with Scopus-publication outputs in addition to working papers and tools;
3. Fellowships; and
4. Funding proposal writing and networking. 

This Magis Aspiration: Bridging Cultural Divides was developed by two groups:

We thank them for their dedication and generosity in preparing a thorough and comprehensive work.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam.