Staff

Image of Cesar Jaramillo, Executive Director at Project Ploghshares, with accompanying event details.

To mark the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2023, Cesar Jaramillo, Executive Director at Project Ploughshares, will give a talk entitled From the Cuban Missile Crisis to Today: Nuclear Weapons 60 Years On. Hosted as part of the MPACS Thursday Talk: Research Series and in celebration of Grebel's 60^th Anniversary, this talk will engage important questions related to nuclear weapons and non-proliferation.

The event is at the Balsillie School of International Affairs called Skanikòn:ra: Indigenous Governance and the Future of Leadership. This event is free to attend and will be a full day of learning and connection for both Indigenous and settler attendees. It will be bringing together Indigenous leaders, scholars, and knowledge keepers to present on topics related to Indigenous governance.

In celebration of Peace Week 2023, the PACS Department invites you to share your thoughts in response to a set of questions displayed in Grebel’s Upper Atrium. Questions will be displayed from September 21st to September 28th, 2023, inviting participants to visually and creatively represent their responses. Be part of our shared exploration of justice and peace by adding your voice.

Are you invested in supporting the social justice activities, programs, services, and advocacy groups here at the University of Waterloo? Would you like to see these initiatives and advocacies come to life through art, music, poetry, and other expressions? Come out to the Urgency of Social Justice event to support and experience the struggles and victories of social justice and advocacy groups at the University of Waterloo, and to have fun witnessing the various short speeches and performances by students, faculty, staff, and advocates. There will also be displays, information stations, research presentations, choir, and much more! This event is being hosted with the goal of sparking conversations about social issues including, but are not limited to; anti-racism, decolonization, gender and sexuality, class and economic inequality, truth and reconciliations, and human rights.

MPACS alumni sitting at a table together.

Article detailing the tenth anniversary of the MPACS program at Grebel and the University of Waterloo, which was celebrated on March 4, 2023. The celebration brought together upwards of 80 guests, including 42 alumni and most of the faculty and staff involved in the program’s establishment, growth, and mission during the last decade.

Issa Ebombolo, Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) alumni, stands alongside Professor Reina Neufeldt, Chair and Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies.

The third Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival (GMP) took place on June 15-18, at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, VA. A diverse range of scholars, Mennonite practitioners, artists, and theologians from around the world were invited to share about their work for peace and listen to each other’s stories.

You have most likely received emails from, or attended events hosted by, the Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) Student Society. This is a student-led group that focuses on building community, running events, establishing connections with related organizations in the field, and advocating for MAPCS students.

Before studying at the University of Waterloo, Rebaz worked in development and human rights law, gained his Ph.D. in Law, and worked with various non-profits in the Middle East. He decided to join the Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies program as a way to re-learn many of the systems he took for granted and to connect past lessons in new ways. In addition to development and human rights law, he also worked campaign design, humanitarian work, and program development. However, when working in these areas, he noticed that something was missing about whose responsible to change the system, and realized that “the somebody to do anything about [these issues around us], is everyone”.

Zerihun Kinate, an outgoing student in the Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program, has a rich background of knowledge in law, political science and international relations, combined with experience as an economic diplomat and expert in foreign trade relations and negotiations. Before joining the MPACS program, Zerihun described himself as a change-maker determined to disrupt systems and practices for the greater good. As he nears the end of his studies, he recognizes increased nuance and sensitivity in the issues he is passionate about, along with a critical understanding that there are no easy solutions to complex problems.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Thursday, December 7, 2023 10:00 am - 11:00 am EST (GMT -05:00)

MPACS Information Session

Join an upcoming information session for an overview of the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, as well as an opportunity to connect with staff, faculty, and student representatives.

In-person: Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Virtual: Thursday, December 7, 2023

Registration required

Staff

MPACS Thursday Talk: Research Series

Ska'nikòn:ra - An Indigenous Governance Event

Speak Your Peace: Exploring Questions of Justice and Peace Together

The Urgency of Social Justice

Celebrating Ten Years of MPACS: Pursuing Transformative Peace and Justice

Grebel Faculty Attend Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival

MPACS Society: Meet the Team

Alumni Profile: Rebaz Kursheed - Re-Learning and Re-Shaping

Student Profile: Zerihun Addisu Kinate - The Education of an African Peacebuilder and Educator

MPACS Information Session