Bridge Builders
Social Cohesion Program
Contents
What is Bridge Builders Social Cohesion Program?
The Bridge Builders Social Cohesion Program helps young Australians explore respectful dialogue across religious, cultural and political divides. Built around the award-winning documentary The Narrow Bridge, it reduces stereotyping, nurtures empathy and promotes social cohesion and understanding of the ‘other’ – providing a hopeful, values-based model of reconciliation and intercultural respect.
Why is the program needed?
Since October 7, 2023, the Israel-Hamas war has triggered deep division and a surge in anti- Semitism and Islamophobia in Australia. There is an urgent need to rebuild social cohesion, particularly among young people. The Bridge Builders Social Cohesion Program addresses this need using evidence-based principles. Elements of the program have already been delivered successfully in university and community settings in Australia and internationally.
The program is centred on The Narrow Bridge – an award-winning documentary that follows bereaved Palestinians and Israelis who transform their grief into activism for peace. The program offers school and university students a model for respectful conversations, understanding, reconciliation and hope. Its comprehensive study guide and educational modules help students challenge stereotypes and develop their empathy and ability to have constructive conversations across difference.
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scene from The Narrow Bridge feature film
'This is how to use your pain to build a bridge between people.'
Bassam Aramin in The Narrow Bridge
Program aims
The program aims to reduce negative stereotyping, increase intercultural understanding and build respectful communication skills among students. It equips young people to listen actively and engage in constructive discussions around identity, conflict and difference. It also supports feelings of belonging and safety, particularly for Jewish and Muslim communities.
The education sector is the key target area because breaking down stereotypes and building social cohesion starts with young people. The program will support educators to facilitate challenging conversations that align with Victorian school and university curricula.
scene from The Narrow Bridge feature film
Elements of the program
The Bridge Builders Social Cohesion Program comprises:
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Educational modules (Practising Respectful Relationships, Understanding the Pain of the Other)aligned with the Victorian curriculum;
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A screening of The Narrow Bridge documentary;
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A structured study guide;
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Facilitated workshops and class discussions.
Educational modules will incorporate the four Cs – courage, compassion, curiosity and creativity – embodied by the Builders Movement and evidence-based principles from For the Sake of Argument.
Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own assumptions and stereotypes, and explore how personal and social change is possible.
Materials will be designed to be accessible, inclusive and adaptable for diverse student groups. The program aligns with government and community efforts to restore social cohesion in an increasingly polarised climate.
The Narrow Bridge documentary
"Profoundly moving and urgently important"
The Bridge Builders Social Cohesion Program will allow The Narrow Bridge documentary to be used on a wide scale and in an effective manner to achieve the range of goals above. For an overview of the themes and personal journeys from trauma to peace activism of the four Israelis and Palestinians in the film, please see the film’s website here.
The trailer for the film can be viewed here.
scenes from The Narrow Bridge feature film
Shaping generational change
The BRIDGE BUILDERS Social Cohesion Program is already being utilised by a range of universities, NGOs and community groups around the world.
‘We were extremely fortunate at Denison University to be able to screen Esther Takac's deeply thought-provoking film, The Narrow Bridge, followed by a discussion with the director. In contrast to one-sided, purely political narratives about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this film humanizes the conflict, illustrating in a hopeful way the power of grassroots movements to bridge divides and bring people together. Our students found the film riveting, and it aligned perfectly with Denison's desire to help students think in new ways about dialogue across difference and conflict resolution.’
Dr Adam Davis
Director of the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement
Denison University, Granville, Ohio
‘It was a pleasure to screen The Narrow Bridge documentary at King's. Its profound message resonated deeply at a time when our student body is grappling with growing divisions. The event succeeded in uniting Arab and Jewish students. It was a night filled with emotion and introspection for many of our attendees, and a pivotal learning experience for those, like myself, interested in grassroots peacebuilding efforts.’
Dr Carmen Fulco
Lecturer in Middle East Studies Education
King's College London
‘Esther Takac is a gifted filmmaker and trauma psychologist whose recent work, The Very Narrow Bridge, stands as a remarkable contribution to conflict resolution, empathy, and cross-cultural understanding. Her ability to weave together the deeply personal and highly political in a way that resonates globally is precisely what our world needs in these turbulent times.
In 2024, I invited Esther Takac to screen her film The Very Narrow Bridge to 150 students enrolled in my undergraduate unit on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film was followed by a ‘talkback’ session between Esther and the students.
The film resonated deeply with them, opening their eyes to the human stories behind the headlines and fostering a profound sense of empathy and reflection. In the discussion that followed, Esther engaged with their questions thoughtfully and insightfully, providing both context and compassion as she unpacked the complexities of trauma and reconciliation. Her ability to connect with students on both an intellectual and emotional level left a lasting impact, inspiring them to think critically about their own roles in promoting understanding and peace.’
Dr. Daniel Kupfert Heller
Kronhill Senior Lecturer in East European Jewish History
Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation
School of Philosophical, Historical, and Indigenous Studies
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
‘Everyone must watch The Narrow Bridge. It is simply essential viewing. Really for anyone, but especially for people who care about the future of the people who live in the region between the River and the Sea. Our students were deeply moved by the film’s content and Esther’s insights and ability to take us behind the scenes made the experience even more impactful. If you have the opportunity to bring The Narrow Bridge to your campus, do it.’
Yos Tarshish
Campus Director
Hillel Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada
‘At Nazareth University, we are deeply committed to interfaith dialogue and responding to the needs of the moment. Like many campuses, we have been challenged to live out these values in response to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Our screening and discussion of The Narrow Bridge helped us lean into these commitments in a new way that emphasized deep listening and understanding, seeing the humanity in the other, and dialogue across what feel like intractable differences.
Students, faculty, and staff who attended the screening and participated in a Q and A with director Esther Takac were deeply moved by the powerful human stories of the individuals depicted in the film and by their commitment to dialogue in the most challenging of settings. The film touched and challenged us, leaving us even more committed to painful but absolutely necessary conversations required in this moment and leaving us hopeful that, as challenging as it is, there is a path forward.’
Julianne H. Miller
Interfaith Program Specialist
Nazareth University, Rochester, New York
‘We were fortunate to screen The Narrow Bridge which deeply touched all those watching and gave them hope knowing people are working together for a better future. The Narrow Bridge shows what is possible for us when it comes to reconciliation by breaking the walls that separate us. Funds raised from the screening were donated to Israeli-Palestinian Peace activist organisations Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun’.
Itai Katz
Whitehorse Interfaith Group, Yukon, Canada
‘The Forgiveness Project collaborated with the Lexi Cinema in north London and Esther Takac for a sold-out screening of The Narrow Bridge. The screening was followed by a Q&A with Muslim interfaith leader and peace activist, Julie Siddiqi, and Magen Inon whose parents were murdered by Hamas on October 7.
There was an urgent call from the audience for the film to be shown widely to diverse audiences due to a growing polarization of opinion and demonization of others. People said this is so badly needed in our schools and universities to start a discussion around "othering and why these strong positions have become intractable’.
Comments on social media afterwards included:
‘Definitely one of the most moving and effective evenings I have ever been to.’
‘Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotion the film takes us on. We need to make a commitment to get it seen by as many people as possible.’
‘It was the most powerful and moving evening. I hope more people get to see this extraordinary film.’
‘How do the general public get to see this film? Can't think of a more powerful way to get the message across – that hate in the face of unbearable grief can be overcome.’
Marina Cantacuzino
Founder and Co-lead
The Forgiveness Project
