The topic of the two-day online conference is "DARING RECONCILIATION?!". Is reconciliation even 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?
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: September 16, 2024!
The Forum will take place on:
Thursday, September 19, 2024, 12:30-4:00 p.m. and 7:00-8:15 p.m. CEST
Friday, September 20, 2024, 2:00-4:45 p.m. CEST
Our attractive program includes keynote speeches by experts from inter-faith 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:
Fr. Michael Lapsley (SSM) was involved in the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement and supported the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He was chaplain of the Trauma Center for Victims of Violence and Torture in Cape Town and founded the Institute for Healing of Memories in 1998. He has six honorary doctorates and was awarded the Queen's Service Medal by New Zealand. Fr. Michael was Vice President of the South African Council of Churches from 2014-2017. In 2021 he was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize. Today he is President of the Healing of Memories Global Network.
Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam is a Professor of Gender and Development and the first female Director of Studies at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Nigeria. She chairs 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 also served at the World Council of Churches and is the author of a book on reconciliation in North Sumatra, specifically of the local church context there.
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). He is passionate about peace and reconciliation.
Rev. Dr. Jerda Djawa, lecturer at the theological seminary in Makassar, Indonesia. One of the female leaders of the reconciliation attempts in the Halmahera conflict from 1999 to 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 of the Free University of Amsterdam.
And more...
Discover the programme:
