Columbia University was the epicenter of nationwide campus protests after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and during Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.

Now, as the deadly war hits its two-year anniversary, a professor is trying to heal the divided campus through a simple concept: inviting students and staff to come to the table and listen to one another.

But as Columbia faces intense scrutiny from the Trump administration, some participants are questioning whether honest dialogue is still possible.

”The objective is to create a space to have a meaningful conversation, to talk to people who are very different from you, may hold very different positions and opinions from you,  [and] perhaps put yourself in the other person's shoes,” said Gil Eyal, a sociologist who studies trust.

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