Conrad Grebel University College and Wilfrid Laurier University’s Department of Global Studies will welcome hundreds of visitors from North America and as far away as Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and Japan, as co-hosts of the 2013 Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA) Conference, October 17-19. The theme of this year’s conference is “Peace Studies between Tradition and Innovation.”
With over 300 papers submitted, the conference will feature prominent keynote speakers including Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-landmine activist; James Orbinski, Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) chair in Global Health; George Roter, co-founder and CEO of Engineers Without Borders; and Deborah Ellis, children’s rights advocate, author and philanthropist.
The two pre-conference events include a workshop on the theme of Post Conflict Peace Building co-led by PACS professor Reina Neufeld, and a forum for practitioners on Mediation and Restorative Justice, coordinated by Susan Baker, Conflict Management Certificate Program Manager with confirmed presenters Howard Zehr and Judah Oudshoorn.
In recognition of the role played by arts in peace building, the conference will not only feature musical performances prior to keynote speakers, but the Grand Finale is a public performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem on October 19th at the Centre in the Square in Kitchener. This celebration of the 100th year since Britten’s birth, showcases 250 singers as the Grand Philharmonic Choir, the Grand Philharmonic Children’s Choir, Grand Philharmonic Youth Choir, University of Waterloo Chamber Choir, Laurier Singers and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony under the direction of Mark Vuorinen, conductor and recently appointed faculty member in Choral Music at Grebel.
For more details on the conference: www.peacejusticestudies.org/conference
For tickets to the War Requiem: www.grandphilchoir.com/event/war-requiem