OPPORTUNITY: Building and Keeping the Peace: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue (conference)

On March 1st, 2018 join the
Canadian International Council (CIC) Winnipeg Branch at their conference:
Building and Keeping the Peace: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue.

Peacebuilding is a concept that first emerged in the 1970s as structures to promote sustainable peace by addressing the “root causes” of violent conflict. Additionally, the concept also emphasizes and supports Indigenous capacities for peace management and conflict resolution. Through this definition, we immediately see how complex peacebuilding is as it depends and is interlinked with many factors such as the root of the conflict, the parties involved, and the intentions of peacebuilding. As a multidimensional exercise, peacebuilding involves political, economic, and civil institutions and cooperation and includes a range of different methods in achieving sustainable, long-lasting peace. Taking into consideration the time, effort, cost, knowledge and adaptability required, it often looks and seems like an uphill climb.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek,
but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
– Martin Luther King Jr.

In Canada, we often imagine ‘peacekeeping’ as our military helping facilitate and protect processes of disarmament and demobilization. In fact, Canada used to be the largest contributor to peacekeeping missions in the 1990s and peacekeeping has long been an identifier to the “Canadian Identity”. However, after several failed peacekeeping missions, such as in Rwanda, Bosnia and Somalia, Canada’s model of peacekeeping has begun to shift.

Military roles in peacekeeping are typically troops acting and maintaining a neutral role as a “third-party invention” systems but military presence was and is just one factor of the overall equation. As such large and complex practices, advocates of peacebuilding and peacekeeping argue that a multi-perspective approach is needed if the success of a mission is meant to be long-lasting. Yet, in a changing political, economic, technological, and social climate, peacebuilding and peacekeeping exercises and models are changing as well.

Is the ‘classic model’ of peacekeeping still relevant in the 21st Century?
Can peacebuilding work across cultures?
What are the gender implications of peacebuilding and peacekeeping?
What role does Canada play in 21st Century peacekeeping?

On March 1st, join the Canadian International Council (CIC) Winnipeg Branch as they ask these questions and more to a breadth of professionals involved in the different perspectives of peacebuilding and peacekeeping. 

Throughout the day, listen and learn from panellist and keynote speakers as they weigh in on cultural challenges to peacekeeping, peacekeeping environments int he 21st century, Canada’s role and more. 

CONFERENCE DETAILS

When: March 1, 2018; 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where: St. Paul’s College, University of Manitoba, 252 – 70 Dysart Rd. Winnipeg
Who: Public; some topics may be better suited for a more mature audience
Cost: Free, register here

Keynote speaker
Alexandra Novosseloff, International Peace Institute in New York

Speakers
Daniel Mach – “I was a child soldier”
Obasesam Okoi – PhD candidate, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Manitoba
Namakula Evelyn B. Mayanja – PhD candidate, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Manitoba
Dr Timothy Donais – Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr Ahmed Kawser – Junior Research Affiliate, TSAS Canada
Daria Goncharova – Masters candidate, Political Studies, University of Manitoba
Dr Jane Boulden – Royal Military College of Canada
Sarah Jane Meharg – Peace and Conflict Planners, Ottawa

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Learn more about Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions here

“CIC Winnipeg Branch is Manitoba’s forum to discuss international issues and Canada’s place in the world. We are an active and energetic organization that brings together Manitobans from the academic, business, media, diplomatic and political communities who have an interest in global events and want to contribute to the discussion of Canada’s foreign policy.”

Written by: Keana Rellinger