Knowledge, Trust and Resilience: BRIDGES Concludes March Global Consultation Series

Throughout March 2026, the BRIDGES Coalition and its international partners conducted a series of pivotal public consultations and engagements across Azerbaijan, France, Iceland, Morocco, and Portugal. These dialogues sought to bridge the persistent gaps between high-level policy formulation and the diverse knowledge systems that remain outside the scientific mainstream.

For many knowledge holders, the established science-policy interface can feel like a closed system. Dominant methodologies and metrics are often at odds with deep reservoirs of human understanding rooted in the humanities, the arts, and qualitative, contextual experience.

The BRIDGES Coalition remains committed to the belief that dialogues of trust among diverse communities are essential for effective policy responses to the major challenges of our age. By avoiding rigid lines between epistemic communities and prioritising lived experience, the Coalition aims to foster an international community capable of flourishing within the Earth's natural boundaries.

A Global Collaboration for Change

The recent public dialogues were co-facilitated by the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition alongside an extensive network of partners, including:

UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations (MOST) programme, ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, The Club of Rome, World Academy of Art and Science, University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands), APHELEIA Humanities International Association, The International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH), UNESCO, PHGD Group, Learning Planet Institute, and The Tamkeen for Our Humanity Foundation.

By engaging with a plurality of voices, including youth, elders, first responders, and regional authorities, BRIDGES continues to advocate for more inclusive management of social and ecological systems.

Resilience in Focus: The Morocco Consultations

In March the consultation series came to Morocco, offering a profound example of the agency and diversity of local knowledge holders.

In February 2026, northern and central Morocco were hit by catastrophic flooding, a direct consequence of human-caused climate change.

Facilitated by the Tamkeen for our Humanity Foundation – Mirror Of A Humanising Society, a series of valuable consultations in late March enabled BRIDGES to engage with many inhabitants of the most affected villages and towns in these regions. The discussions revealed a powerful narrative of resilience and collective action.

Immersive community consultation, story sharing & exploration with Tamkeen Foundation, BRIDGES and partners from Imal Initiative for Climate & Development, Bouachta Village (Village of Humanity), Larache — Ksar El Kbir Province. Breakfast warmly prepared for all by the members of Bouachta Village.

The consultations highlighted the decisive role played by civil society and self-organised youth, who acted as first responders. Educational institutions provided stability and local leadership. Local authorities worked in tandem with communities to safeguard lifeways. All of these actors worked together in a collective effort to protect lives and heritage, while restoring hope following a challenging era for the people of Morocco.

These co-reflections served as a humbling reminder that in times of great crisis, the building of trust is critical to recovery.

A consultation at Dar Benjelloun, in the city of Ksar El Kbir: story & process sharing of the Tamkeen facilitation in the midst of environmental disasters.

Stories of members of the Tamkeen community, who in many cases were also members of the communities affected by the environmental disasters.

As BRIDGES moves forward with its 2026–2028 Strategy, the lessons learned from these Moroccan communities, along with the vital discussions that have taken place throughout March, will be central to the effort of bridging the gap between global policy and the human experience.

Filming of the Tamkeen-BRIDGES community consultations podcast, with recognition & appreciation reflections, resonance sharing, Casa Azul, Tangier, 29 March 2026.