University of Waterloo Student to Speak at University of Notre Dame Peace Conference

Thursday, April 15, 2021
Elaina Mohr
Elaina Mohr, a Bachelor of Arts Student with a Major in Peace and Conflict Studies and a Minor in Religious Studies, has been selected to present at the 2021 Notre Dame Student Peace Conference, April 15-17, 2021. This year’s conference will take place virtually, in a fully online format, and focuses on the theme, “Beyond the Surface: Moving the Needle on Global Peace."

Mohr will give a presentation entitled, “Living in spaces of reconciliation: An analysis of the role of communal living space in reconciliation processes in post-conflict Northern Ireland,” on Friday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m. EST. Mohr’s paper will emphasize, “the role of intentional communal living space in reconciliation.” 

Mohr was selected to present from a pool of 56 proposals submitted by students or student teams. She is one of over 50 students from 19 colleges and universities around the world who are presenting their own research, practice and projects in the interdisciplinary field of peace studies during the conference.

The Notre Dame Student Peace Conference, endowed by Joan B. Kroc and sponsored by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, is an annual event organized by students and for students. Its mission is to provide space for students from all colleges and universities to dialogue about peacebuilding, social justice, and conflict transformation. Each year, the event draws hundreds of students from across North America and around the world.

"This year's Notre Dame Student Peace Conference presses forward exciting and innovative approaches to contemporary global challenges," says Laura Miller-Graff, Associate Professor of Psychology and Peace Studies and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Kroc Institute. "It's an important opportunity to see the role of young scholars in shaping the future of peace studies."

In describing this year’s conference, the conference committee wrote, “Our world today is plagued by an overwhelming number of issues. In recent months, we have witnessed a great awakening of hearts and minds across the globe in response to many of these issues. This awakening has allowed people of all ages in all places to voice the injustices they see and do what they can to create change. As scholars of peace studies, we have a duty to take action and respond to the most pressing challenges of our time."

The conference will also include keynote sessions featuring Bridget Moix, U.S. Executive Director of Peace Direct, and John Paul Lederach, Professor Emeritus of International Peacebuilding at the Kroc Institute. 

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The Kroc Institute is part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.