News

The last four University of Waterloo Global Impact Reports have featured at least one story on a Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement participant. The journey of Cassie Myers, Founder and CEO of Grebel Peace Incubator participant Lunaria Solutions, was highlighted in 2022 issue for her team’s work on using data to advance diversity, equity and inclusion.

Between April and August 2022, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement welcomes Victoria Lumax to the team as Interim Coordinator. Less than one month into her new role, Lumax’s confidence and expertise have enabled her to hit the ground running as she supports the Centre’s many initiatives and stakeholders. Having previously worked as the Centre’s Communications Assistant, Lumax is a testament to the potential of the Centre’s network to advance careers in an impactful way.   

On Thursday, April 7th, 2022, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement hosted the University of Waterloo’s Map the System campus finals for the fourth time, welcoming undergraduate and graduate students from all faculties to explore some of the world’s most pressing issues using systems-thinking methodologies.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine commenced on February 24, 2022, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement community has watched the devastating conflict unfold with concern. In response, Centre community members have engaged in peacebuilding efforts through advocacy, relief efforts, scholarship and dialogue.  

On March 14, 2022 Voices Together: A Celebration of Art and Music officially opened at the Grebel Gallery. After travelling from Bethel College to Eastern Mennonite University, the original art found in the Voices Together Mennonite hymnal reached Conrad Grebel University College for its only Canadian stop along its tour of Mennonite colleges in North America.

Co-founded in 2015 by Jessica Reesor-Rempel and Chris Brnjas, Pastors in Exile (PiE) was one of the Grebel Peace Incubator’s first participants. Seven years later, PiE continues to bring young adults from across Waterloo Region together through candid conversations about peacebuilding and spirituality in modern contexts. What started as a safe space for young adults to explore their faith has presented Reesor-Rempel with a wealth of experiences that guide her approach to connecting with others as Grebel’s Interim Chaplain.

Since last Spring, the 2021-2022 cohort of Peace Innovators have been hard at work identifying challenges in their community, learning about the context surrounding these problems, and designing solutions to cultivate positive change. On a snowy Saturday in January, the high school students gathered virtually to participate in the first ever Peace Innovators Pitching Panel to request start-up funding for their projects.

For the fourth year in a row, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement is hosting the Map the System competition at the University of Waterloo. As students and faculty across campus begin their systems thinking journeys, buzz about this year’s competition is growing. Read on to learn more about how this interdisciplinary competition brings together student researchers from around the world.

In the Fall of 2019, artist Yasmeen Nematt Alla was finalizing preparations to install Not Traumatic Enough for a Shock Blanket onto the crisp white walls of the Grebel Gallery. The bright orange blankets with words stitched onto them would surely stand out in the thorough-fare space, a stark contrast from the drones and weapons of warfare exhibit that covered the walls for months prior.

Since 2014, The Grebel Peace Incubator has supported two dozen peace start-ups as they innovate solutions to address local and global community challenges. During the fall term, the Centre for Peace Advancement was overjoyed to welcome two new ventures: Green Care Farms Inc. and BeBlended.