14.01.2026
for society
More information
Pildil on naine seismas treppide taustal
Mari-Liisa Parder
PhD (Media and Communication)
Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics
Centre for Ethics
Research Fellow in Ethics 0.6 p, Research Projects Coordinator 0.2 p
+372 5903 6319
Jakobi 2–330
Tartu Ülikooli ühiskonnateaduste instituut
Halliki Harro-Loit
Dr. rer. pol. (Political Sciences)
Faculty of Social Sciences
Institute of Social Studies
Professor of Journalism
+372 737 5189
+372 506 6826 (5189)
Lossi 36-222

Conference "Less Noise, More Dialogue! Agreements for Good Communication"

Illustratiivne visuaal
Author: Kertu Rajando

Communication seems simple… until you realise you’re talking to a wall. We invite you to a conference where we ask when dialogue is actually needed in society and which shared agreements form the basis of good dialogue. The conference will take place on 20 February, 10:00–17:00, at PROTO Invention Factory in Tallinn. The working language of the conference is Estonian, with one presentation delivered in English.

The conference "Less Noise, More Dialogue! Agreements for Good Communication" brings together diverse expert communities and representatives of the wider public.

Registration is open!

What to expect?

  • The conference speakers will explore how dialogue shapes our everyday lives. When we learn to recognise it more consciously, our public debate becomes stronger. This, in turn, helps to counter polarisation and reduce information overload.
  • Together, we will examine a toolkit that makes the ethical dimensions of dialogue visible. To do so, we will use a discussion-based game that creates a playful, safe space for testing ideas, listening to one another, and discovering new perspectives.
  • We will also consider how much existing principles actually support us. We will share empirical findings from the DIACOMET project, which focuses on good and ethical dialogue. The day will conclude with an open conversation that brings together the key lessons, discusses how they can be applied in the Estonian cultural context, and defines the next steps. Conference participants will leave with a set of tools to support good dialogue.

10:00–10:30 Registration and morning coffee

10:30–10:45 Opening remarks
The day will be chaired by Urmo Kübar (Praxis)

10:45–11:15 Why do we need dialogue, and how does communication ethics influence it?
Professor Halliki Harro-Loit (University of Tartu), Professor Epp Lauk (University of Tartu)

11:15–12:30 How not to talk to a wall? A simulation of the Communication Ethics and Dialogue Lab
Simulation facilitated by the team of the University of Tartu Centre for Ethics

12:30–13:15 Lunch break

13:15–13:30 Practical tools of communication ethics to support dialogue
Mari-Liisa Parder (University of Tartu Centre for Ethics)

13:30–14:15 Does communication ethics apply differently elsewhere? A European comparison of principles for good communication practice (in English)
Professor Tobias Eberwein (Deputy Director, Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

14:15–14:45 Who are we really talking to? Reflections from focus groups on public communication
Mari-Liisa Parder (University of Tartu Centre for Ethics), Moonika Raja (Praxis)

14:45–15:15 Coffee and discussion break

15:15–15:45 How roles shape dialogue: principles of communication ethics in professional life

15:45–16:45 Panel discussion: “Who is responsible? The boundaries of responsibility for noise and dialogue in Estonian society”

16:45–17:00 Closing remarks: what does dialogue need and what does it give?
Professor Halliki Harro-Loit (University of Tartu)

The programme is subject to change.

Illustratiivne visuaal
Author: Kertu Rajando

The conference is organised by the University of Tartu Centre for Ethics, the Institute of Social Studies at the University of Tartu, and Praxis. The conference is held within the framework of the DIACOMET project, which has received funding from the European Union’s research and innovation programme Horizon Europe under grant agreement No. 101094816. The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the funding body can be held responsible for them.

Conference "Less Noise, More Dialogue! Agreements for Good Communication"
20 Feb

Conference "Less Noise, More Dialogue! Agreements for Good Communication"

PROTO Invention Factory (Peetri tn 10, 10415 Tallinn)
20 Feb 2026 10:00
Press contact
Kaisa-Maris Hagel
Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics
Centre for Ethics
Communication Specialist 0.8 p
+372 737 5426
Jakobi 2–329