PACS Biweekly Newsletter - February 25, 2020

Tuesday, February 25, 2020
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March Break Open House 2020

Open House: March 21, 10am-4pm
Student Training: March 12, 10:30-11:30am OR March 16, 3-4pm

March Break Open House is on Saturday March 21st, 10am-4pm. Our sample lecture series will be the highlight of this event. The goal is to give students the opportunity to get a feel for what it is to be a Faculty of Arts student at UWaterloo. We will also set up our academic fair so families can visit you to get their questions answered.

We need current students, faculty and staff from each area to be present in the Hub to chat with visitors about each major from 9:45am-4:00pm.


Please click here to complete the form to sign up

Applications OPEN for Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS)

Application deadline: March 15, 2020

The Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program has a few spots left for Fall 2020 and will still be receiving applications through the month of February. Combining rigorous scholarship with practical skills development, the program equips scholars and practitioners alike with the tools needed for impactful peacebuilding. Learn more on the MPACS website and apply online by March 15, 2020. Please contact Seth Ratzlaff with any questions.

Events

Together for Taal: Taal Benefit Concert

When: February 26, 7-9pm
Where: Student Life Centre (SLC) Great Hall
Cost: $5 admission, additional donations appreciated

University of Waterloo Filipino Students' Association (UWFSA), Laurier Filipino Students Association (LFSA), and Kitchener-Waterloo Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (KWCHRP) are hosting a fundraiser concert to help our friends in the Philippines who are affected by the Taal volcano eruption.

Please join UWFSA, LFSA and KWCHRP for a fun night of live musical performances, guest speakers, and food/refreshments.

Cllick here for more information

Hallman Lecture: The State of Indigenous Health in Canada: Causes and Consequences
 
When: February 27, 7pm
Where: AHS expansion building
Using her experience as medical doctor and special advisor on health for Nishnawbe Aski Nation – an organization representing 49 First Nation communities in northern Ontario – Jane Philpott will examine causes and consequences of the main health issues in Indigenous communities.
Panel Discussion: Who's Defending Democracy?

When: March 2, 7pm
Where: Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex - Hauser House

 

Who’s defending democracy? Panel moderated by CBC’s Craig Norris. We live in an age of increasing political polarization and a decreasing level of trust in institutions. Democracies need to reengage civil society in the face of growing uncertainty.

Click here for more information.

Jobs and Opportunities

Conference: Educators in Emergencies? University Responses to Humanitarian Crises

When: March 5, 8am-5pm
Where: Laurier University in Senate and Board Chambers
 

The conference will feature the Hon. Bob Rae, former Premier of Ontario, and will examine how Canadian and American universities have responded to humanitarian emergencies, particularly the Syrian refugee crisis. The conference will welcome attendees and speakers from Ontario and the United States, and will be held from 8am to 5pm in the Senate and Board Chambers at Laurier. The day will end with a session led by Mr. Rae discussing the ways in which students, staff, faculty, and community members can mobilize universities towards action. Mr. Rae’s keynote address will be held at Lazaridis Hall at Wilfrid Laurier University from 7pm to 9pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm.
Admission to all conference events is free.

Click here to register.

Volunteers Needed for CISV: Children's International Summer Villages

When: Summer 2020 
Where: Various National and International Destinations Available
Applications Due: ASAP interviews are conducting in January and February
 
CISV is recruiting leaders (ages 21+) for their Village, Interchange, and Step up programs. Leaders are  trained by their National Training Program, as well as a local leadership trainer. Prior to traveling, the leaders meet with their traveling delegates every Wednesday from April 1 - June 10th7-9pm at JF Carmichael School, Kitchener.  In September leaders attend a Welcome Back party with the delegates and present to our community about their experience.
Internship Opportunity: Forge
When: Fall 2020
Where: Elmira, Ontario and International (Zambia 7-8 weeks)

This is a great opportunity for students who will be graduating from the PACS this year and are looking for employment opportunities.

Forge is a Christian mission organization dedicated to helping churches meet the physical and spiritual needs of widows, orphans, and refugees around the globe. Their primary focus is on transformation development programs that will, over time, break the cycle of poverty.

Upcoming Events

PSCI 493 Spring 2020

When: August 14- 28, 2020
Application deadline: March 2, 2020

Meet scholars, diplomats, journalists and social justice advocates, among others. Visit major cities and sites of political, historical, and religious significance.

Cost: $5000- $6000 CAD (based on group size)

Priority will be given to students in at least 3A with a minimum cumulative average of 75%

Financial awards are available.
Universidad de los Andes Four Week Summer Course

When: June 30-July 27, 2020
Application Deadline: March 31, 2020
Where: Bogotá, Columbia 
Cost: $3,038USD (includes housing, breakfast, academic tuition, course related cultural and academic excursions)
 
This is an exciting opportunity for students to improve their Spanish language skills while learning about Colombia’s cultural and political context in an upcoming 2020 Summer course: Colombia: A Glance into the History of Peace and Conflict through Biodiversity, Culture & the Arts. In this interdisciplinary course, students will take Spanish lessons in the morning and explore Colombia’s history, culture and natural environment in afternoon sessions.

Students are not required to have a minimum level of Spanish.
Kosovo International Summer Academy 2020
When: Part 1: July 12-22, 2020
                Part 2: August 12-22, 2020
Where: Prishtina, Kosovo

Application Deadline: Part 1: April 20, 2020
                               Part 2: May 5, 2020

This July (12 – 22) and August (12 – 22), Kosovo International Summer Academy (KSA) will organize Part I and Part II of its 8th edition in Prishtina, Kosovo, with a special focus on “Peace building in post-conflict areas – Diplomacy, Leadership and Negotiations”, that will be realized by Kosovo Center for Diplomacy. 
The uniqueness of Kosovo International Summer Academy is the association with the professors and guest lecturers from the world’s top universities, government officials and ambassadors. KSA will be welcoming experts from different levels that will be teaching and sharing their academic and professional experiences with our participants, as well as will give the chance to our participants to take the information from the first hand.  Kosovo International Summer Academy elaborates different topics on economics, politics, diplomacy, professional etiquette and protocol, leadership, peaceful conflict resolution, EU Integration process, international law, human rights, international justice, international security and the role of civil society in building peace, in interactive lectures with diplomats, high ranking officials, representatives of civic society and prestigious local and international organizations.

Scholarships are available, click here to learn more

Graduate Studies

Religion, Culture and Global Justice (MA) at Laurier University

For those upper year students looking to further your studies with a graduate program, Laurier offers an MA in Religion, Culture and Global Justice which may be of interest to you. Alongside questions of policy, the program fosters critical analysis of cultural and religious processes as well as their political implications in a globalizing world.

Notes and Additional Resources

MPACS Blog
 
The first MPACS blog entry has been posted! Click the button below to read "Reflection on social media, space and the practice of peace" to give you an idea of what our MPACS students are up to.
UW Relay for Life 2020

When: April 3-4, 7pm-7am
Where: TBD

Relay for Life (RFL) is a Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) fundraising event held annually at the University of Waterloo.  The event takes place from 7pm-7am, signifying a patient's long battle with cancer. It includes continuous walking, mixed with fun activities and performances, all surrounding the important message that together we can fight back against cancer. RFL also involves a luminary ceremony, where participants are able to reflect on loved ones who have passed on or have won their battle by decorating a luminary that will be lit in memory of or in honour of their loved one.
 
Anyone with a connection to Waterloo is invited to register for the event as a participant as an individual or create a team with their friends to fundraise. 


Click here to learn more and register.

Counselling Services
 

Counselling Services strives to help you lead a healthy and balanced life. They provide a secure, supportive, and inclusive environment for all students. Counselling Services provides individual appointments, seminars and workshops, peer support, and online help for those in need of support and guidance.

Click here to be directed to their home page.

Online Workshops and Seminars

Can't make it to the in-person sessions? Campus Wellness also offers online workshops and seminars! These include the coping skills seminars, relaxation exercises, stress management, and tips for sleeping well.

Click here to be directed to their home page.

Disclaimer: Events and opportunities above are not all endorsed by the PACS department; this bulletin includes opportunities that we think PACS students may be interested in but are not sponsored by PACS. Please use your own discretion to determine if an opportunity is right for you.


If you have any questions regarding the above content please contact: pacsasst@uwaterloo.ca