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Peacemakers will discuss their vocation
January 05, 2007
Through two days of lectures, workshop sessions and panel discussions, the vocation of peacemaking will be unveiled Jan. 12 and 13 in the University Center.
The first-time peace conference, “Local Strategies for Achieving Peace: Concepts and Cases,” will feature peace practitioners from several countries explaining their commitment to a life of peacemaking. The discussions will focus on the personal experiences of those working in the field.
In addition, sessions will cover practical peacemaking strategies such as dialoguing, collaborative problem solving, reconciliation conversations and youth activism. The sessions will include examples from Bosnia, the United States, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Namibia and Northern Ireland.
“Students can find out about where the possibilities are,” said political science professor Ann Kelleher, one of the driving forces behind the event.
It’s been two years since the Wang Center hosted Pathways to Peace, a symposium that focused on the Norwegian approach to world peace, democracy and development. The time was ripe for another event focused on peace issues, and a number of factors came together that made this January the perfect time, Kelleher said.
First, interest among students about peace issues and the peace process has been steadily growing for several years. PLU offers a concentration in conflict management in the communications major and has supported the Peace Studies Working Group, a collection of faculty, for many years.
This J-term features three courses focused on peace and social justice, Kelleher added. Peace practitioners Steiner Bryn of Nansen Dialogue Network, Inger Haug from Norway and Phanuel Kapaama from the University of Nambia will be on campus to teach or team-teach two of those courses.
That meant only one speaker, Maureen Hetherington of The Junction in Northern Ireland, had to be flown in for the conference. Kelleher also invited local peace practitioners to speak, including Bill Lincoln, the executive director of the Conflict Resources, Research and Resolution Institute; Julio Quan, the executive director of Centro Latino; and Dustin Washington of America Friends Service Committee.
“These are experienced people,” Kelleher said. “It will be a real in-depth day and a half of how it is done.”
The speakers all have their own approach and process to achieving peace, Kelleher explained. For example, Hetherington employs what she’s dubbed “reconciliation talks,” while Washington uses activism to reach out to high school students.
In addition to lectures, workshops and panel discussions, the peace practitioners have all agreed to attend a dinner on Friday, Jan. 12 in the CK. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and get to know the speakers better, Kelleher said.
For a complete schedule of events, visit news.plu.edu/peaceconference.
The conference is sponsored by the Wild Hope Project, the political science and communications departments, and Student Involvement and Leadership.
For more information, contact Andrea Shea at ext. 8294 or sheaaj@plu.edu.
In addition, sessions will cover practical peacemaking strategies such as dialoguing, collaborative problem solving, reconciliation conversations and youth activism. The sessions will include examples from Bosnia, the United States, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Namibia and Northern Ireland.
“Students can find out about where the possibilities are,” said political science professor Ann Kelleher, one of the driving forces behind the event.
It’s been two years since the Wang Center hosted Pathways to Peace, a symposium that focused on the Norwegian approach to world peace, democracy and development. The time was ripe for another event focused on peace issues, and a number of factors came together that made this January the perfect time, Kelleher said.
First, interest among students about peace issues and the peace process has been steadily growing for several years. PLU offers a concentration in conflict management in the communications major and has supported the Peace Studies Working Group, a collection of faculty, for many years.
This J-term features three courses focused on peace and social justice, Kelleher added. Peace practitioners Steiner Bryn of Nansen Dialogue Network, Inger Haug from Norway and Phanuel Kapaama from the University of Nambia will be on campus to teach or team-teach two of those courses.
That meant only one speaker, Maureen Hetherington of The Junction in Northern Ireland, had to be flown in for the conference. Kelleher also invited local peace practitioners to speak, including Bill Lincoln, the executive director of the Conflict Resources, Research and Resolution Institute; Julio Quan, the executive director of Centro Latino; and Dustin Washington of America Friends Service Committee.
“These are experienced people,” Kelleher said. “It will be a real in-depth day and a half of how it is done.”
The speakers all have their own approach and process to achieving peace, Kelleher explained. For example, Hetherington employs what she’s dubbed “reconciliation talks,” while Washington uses activism to reach out to high school students.
In addition to lectures, workshops and panel discussions, the peace practitioners have all agreed to attend a dinner on Friday, Jan. 12 in the CK. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and get to know the speakers better, Kelleher said.
For a complete schedule of events, visit news.plu.edu/peaceconference.
The conference is sponsored by the Wild Hope Project, the political science and communications departments, and Student Involvement and Leadership.
For more information, contact Andrea Shea at ext. 8294 or sheaaj@plu.edu.