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On May 27, Fiona Li earned the second-place prize at the Map the System Canada competition in Calgary, Alberta. As the winner of the University of Waterloo’s Map the System campus finals, Fiona’s achievement on the national stage not only brought awareness to the over-representation of Indigenous women in Canadian prisons, but it also highlighted how programs like Peace and Conflict Studies are crucial in furthering education on how to research, understand, and present these critical issues. 

This Kitchener-Waterloo initiative, founded by Ayiko Solomon, focuses on healing communities and promoting peaceful coexistence through education, conflict transformation, and social entrepreneurship. In joining the Grebel Peace Incubator, they aim to grow their grassroots efforts and enhance their impact.

Fiona Li, a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies student at Conrad Grebel University College, and the winner of the University of Waterloo’s Map the System campus finals, earned the second-place prize at the Map the System Canada competition in Calgary on May 27.

As spring arrives, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement reflects on the past winter term which was filled with events, opportunities and new journeys. As we continue to the spring term, we would like to share some of the highlights of the Centre and its Participants this winter term.  

The new Restorative Justice (RJ) Specialization for Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) Major students and Diploma for all University of Waterloo students is now available! Throughout the years the Centre for Peace Advancement has hosted many participants with restorative justice expertise, including those working with Grebel Peace Incubator start-ups and Core Collaborators, researchers, and students.  

Providing the opportunity to celebrate several months of student research, the Grebel Peace Incubator facilitated the University of Waterloo campus finals of the Map the System research competition on Wednesday, April 10th. This year’s event was held at the GreenHouse space at United College. 

Without support from our community, none of the Centre’s initiatives would be possible. Donations are a key source of income for the Centre for programs like the Grebel Peace Incubator and the Grebel Gallery. These initiatives allow the Centre to foster peace-centered innovation and community change.  

Earlier this month the Waterloo AI Forum Debate was organized by a student-led initiative called Effective Policy. There were spots for 40 students to share their perspectives on AI with an opportunity to take home a cash prize. Debate motions included AI taxes against unemployment, which military uses of AI should be permitted, how to deal with electoral deepfakes, misinformation and more.  Branka Marijan, a Senior Researcher at Project Ploughshares and a participant of the Centre for Peace Advancement, was one of the judges at this debate.  

The Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement is gearing up to host the sixth annual Map the System Campus Finals. This event showcases undergraduate and graduate students from all faculties who’ve been exploring some of the world’s most pressing issues using systems-thinking.  

Every year thousands of people across the globe go missing due to due to war, natural disasters, and migration. This causes uncertainty, fear and stress for their families and communities. Dima Aldera, the founder of Findsuri, “understands the pain of wondering where a missing family member is and waiting to hear news of their wellbeing.”