Topic: “Gift and Recognition: An Anthropological Dimension”
What is society built upon? Economic ties, ideology, and even values are not the foundation of society—they are its result. What precedes them and binds people together into communities? In other words, simply put—what connects one human being to others? A rather unexpected answer to this question can be found in cultural anthropology, where the concept of the gift as the foundation and condition of any human community emerged in the 20th century. And these are not gifts given out of kindness or charity—they are something far more fundamental. The concept of ritual or sacred gifts, as explored by anthropologists (B. Malinowski, M. Moss, M. Enaff), raises questions about the structure of our modern societies and offers a glimpse into the underlying reasons for their formation and functioning. And the main question is: where in modern society, in a situation of war, are those gifts that are the prerequisite for human interaction and openness, and how can we recognize them? This discussion will focus specifically on the criteria and characteristics of sacred gifts, as well as an analysis of how they function.
Dialogue Participants:
- Daria ZiborovaDarya Ziborova, culturologist, philosopher, Egyptologist. Candidate of Philosophy, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University.
- Olga KadyshevaOlga Kadysheva, psychologist, crisis psychologist, Gestalt therapist, leading trainer of NAGTU “Ukrainian Gestalt Institute”. Ukraine – France
- Mikhail Slutskin, psychologist, accredited Gestalt therapist, and supervisor at the Ukrainian Gestalt Institute (NAGTU). Ukraine – Germany
- Mikhail Baitalsky, philosopher, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, EAGT-accredited Gestalt therapist. Ukraine – France
When: October 12, 2026
Meeting duration: 3.5 hours, from 18:00 to 21:30 (Kyiv time).
Plan of the event:
Introduction: 5 minutes.
Speakers’ dialog: 1 hour.
Question on the topic: 15 minutes.
Break: 15 minutes.
Discussion in working groups: 55 minutes.
Questions and exchange of opinions in a common group: 1 hour.
Что такое Диалоги Онлайн?
Dialogues Online is a space for collaborative reflection on what is most important in the ongoing crisis. Dialogues Online is a continuation of the “Dialogues in Toulouse” held in May 2023 in the framework of the school for Gestalt therapists for intercultural exchanges.
For whom:
▪️ For practicing psychologists with a Gestalt approach and other areas of psychology and psychotherapy.
▪️ For students in relevant programs.
▪️ For anyone interested in psychology and philosophy.
▪️ For those seeking themselves and their place in a changing world, for those who are curious, sensitive, changing themselves, open to new experiences and resources.
For: Education in psychology, philosophy and anthropology; developing a culture of dialog.
How: by creating a collegial interdisciplinary field for reflection in dialog and polylogue.