The topic of the two-day online conference is "DARING RECONCILIATION?!". Is reconciliation possible in polarised conflict situations as we find them in many countries? What do psychological and philosophical concepts, experiences from peace processes and from religious traditions and spiritual practices teach us?
The Forum will take place on:
Thursday, September 19, 2024, 13:00-16:00 and 19:00-20:30 CEST
Friday, September 20, 2024, 14:00-17:00 CEST
Our attractive program includes keynote speeches by experts from interfaith and transcultural peace initiatives in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Workshops will give plenty of opportunity to exchange ideas on peacebuilding and reconciliation with experts and interested participants – last year’s International Forum welcomed more than 100 people from all over the world!
The event is open to the public and free of charge.
Language: English, simultaneous translation into Spanish
Keynote speakers from South Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia:
Yasmin Sooka, human rights lawyer, chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council. Sooka was a member of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission from 1996-2001 and chaired the committee responsible for the final report from 2001-2003.
Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam is Professor of Gender and Development and the first female Director of Studies at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Nigeria. She is the Chairperson of the African Women's Leadership Network and was named one of Nigeria's 100 Leading Women in 2024.
Dr. Martin Sinaga, lecturer at the Theological Seminary in Jakarta. He was also active in the World Council of Churches and is the author of a book on reconciliation in North Sumatra, in particular on the local church context.
Further short presentations and breakout sessions:
Father James Oyet, Catholic priest from the South Sudan Federation of Churches and Secretary General of the South Sudan Federation of Churches (SSCC) until April 2024. He is passionately committed to peace and reconciliation.
Rev. Dr. Jerda Djawa, lecturer at the theological seminary in Makassar, Indonesia, was one of the female leaders of the reconciliation attempts in the Halmahera conflict from 1999-2002.
Dr. Andrés Pacheco Lozano is co-director of the Amsterdam Center for Religion, Peace and Justice Studies and lecturer at the Dutch Mennonite Seminary at the University of Amsterdam.
And more...
Discover the programme: