Spring 2025 Peace Week

Format: Hybrid, Arlington, Van Metre Hall, Room 318

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The rapidly changing dynamics of global conflicts—driven by technology (AI), geopolitical competition, increasing polarization, and environmental pressures—are challenging traditional models of peacebuilding and conflict resolution education. In parallel, a new global peacebuilding architecture is underway at the United Nations under the "New Agenda for Peace," which seeks to rethink and reshape approaches to conflict prevention and peacebuilding. This roundtable will explore how educators and practitioners can adapt and innovate their approaches to teaching and training future peacebuilders considering both evolving conflicts and this new global framework. Participants will discuss how peacebuilding education can align with the changing landscape of conflicts and peacebuilding architecture. The session will include active dialogue and collaborative problem-solving on how to prepare peacebuilders to handle these changes in both theoretical and practical ways. Through shared insights, strategies, and best practices, the roundtable will explore how to equip students and professionals with the tools they need to engage in a rapidly shifting and complex global peacebuilding environment.

Facilitator: Engy Said, PhD Candidate, Carter School

Panelists: 

• Audrey Williams, PhD Candidate, Carter School 

• Yuriko Noda, PhD Student, Carter School 

Format: Virtual 

Presented by: Carter School Better Evidence Project

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The ongoing foreign aid freeze, and the dismantling of USAID, and the hostile take-over of the United States Institute of Peace have shocked the entire global peace and development sector. Thousands have lost their jobs, vital projects have been terminated, and numerous organizations have been forced to close their doors. While many are now asking if this is the end of the sector as we know it, there has been an outpouring of solidarity among professionals along with a recognition that the moment demands innovation and action. If the global peace and development sector is to survive, we must work collectively to meet the moment with innovative and sustainable solutions. This panel discussion, hosted by the Better Evidence Project, will explore how we can build resilience to meet the challenges of the current moment. The panel will feature practitioners and thought leaders discussing how organizations can protect their work amidst funding cuts, political shifts, and global instability; tap into alternative funding sources; and explore novel approaches to collaboration to build on solidarity and strengthen collective resilience. The session will also solicit ideas for the Better Evidence Project’s planned networking hub, which aims to create a space for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and resource mobilization across the sector. In this rapidly evolving landscape, we must move from a reactive stance to a proactive approach that enables us to withstand volatility and uncertainty. This discussion will offer a space to explore creative and timely solutions, make new connections, and consider long-term strategies for resilience.

Panelists: 

• Professor Agnieszka Paczynska, Carter School

• Professor Jeffrey Helsing, Carter School

Format: In-Person, Arlington, Van Metre Hall, Room 308

Presented by: Carter School Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation

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This session will seek to highlight on the significant governance capacity gains in Somalia over the past decade and their implications for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. With the participation of Somali Ambassador Dahir Hassan this session aims to explore the interplay between improved governance and regional dynamics, addressing both opportunities and challenges. The insights gained will contribute to our understanding of  peace and conflict in Somalia and the greater Horn of Africa and encourage collaborative discussions among scholars, practitioners, and students.

Panelists: 

• Ambassador Dahir Hassan, Somali Ambassador to the US

• Dr. Alpaslan Özerdem, Dean, Carter School 

• Antti Pentikäinen, Research Professor, Carter School

• Rowda Olad, Associate Director for the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, Carter School 

Format: In-Person, Fairfax Campus, HUB fire pit

Host: Carter School Undergraduate Office 

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Carter students invite current Mason students, staff, and faculty to join them as they gather together to talk about the deep stuff—engaging in real conversations that matter. Fireside Chats are a space for open, reflective, and fun discussions where we explore meaningful questions, build deeper bonds, and tackle tough topics with honesty and curiosity. Come ready to listen, share, and connect in a supportive community that values real dialogue. 

Format: Virtual 

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This session will critically explore the gap between high-level climate-peace resolutions and their on-the-ground implementation. As the international community increasingly recognizes the interlinkage between climate change, conflict, and peace, this session will focus on how to effectively translate the ambitious declarations emerging from COP discussions into tangible, results-oriented action.

As climate change exacerbates conflicts and humanitarian crises, it is vital that the resolutions emerging from COP conferences translate into real action. The event will specifically address the operationalization of key frameworks, including the Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief, and Recovery (BCCAP), launched at COP29, and the COP28 Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace Declaration. Despite these advancements, the critical challenge remains: how do we move from declarations and pledges to concrete policies, programs, and financing that directly address the climate-conflict nexus?

Specifically, the discussion will focus on the following themes:

1. The Baku Call and the Shift from Resolution to Action: The Baku Call for Climate Action, with its establishment of the Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub, represents a milestone initiative aimed at addressing the urgent nexus of climate change, conflict, and humanitarian needs and brings into partnership an unprecedented set of Global North and South countries. However, the challenge is translating this hub’s potential into real-world outcomes. This session will explore how the hub can move beyond a coordination platform to a dynamic engine for joint action. What mechanisms need to be in place to ensure its effectiveness? How can it bridge the gap between policymakers, peacebuilders, and local communities?

2. Operationalizing the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace: COP28’s declaration on climate relief and recovery emphasized the need for peace-sensitive climate action. We will examine how countries and international organizations can move from this global pledge to national-level implementation. What practical steps can be taken to ensure that climate finance, recovery, and relief efforts are genuinely integrated into peacebuilding frameworks?

In doing so, the session will tackle major challenges such as the gap between financial pledges and their actual deployment in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS), and opportunities offered by data and AI in operationalizing peace-sensitive climate action.

Moderators: Engy Said, PhD Candidate at GMU, Former Harvard Fellow

Diego Osorio, Former Harvard Fellow

Panelists: 

• Mr. Hans Ibrekk, Norway's Special Envoy for Climate and Security

• Dr. Jeffery Helsing, Research Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Better Evidence Project

• Mr. Julius Jackson, Team Leader, Conflict and Peace Unit - FAO 

• Michiko Fumikase, Conflict Prevention, Fragility, and Peacebuilding - UNICEF

Format: Virtual 

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Drawing on their theoretical and practical work (research, field work, teaching), panelists will discuss the critical importance of Building a Climate for Peace, and the compatibility (mutual dependency) and possible tensions that can arise when seeking sustainable development (broadly defined) and sustainable peace. In particular, they will provide examples from DC and elsewhere in the US, Israel-Palestine, and Morocco. Following the presentations, there will be time for some conversation with the audience (through Q & A, and possibly by having attendees share short examples of/insights from their relevant work). The two main presenters are Carter School PhD alumni and adjunct faculty. Two graduate students who recently participated in a study abroad focused on sustainable development/sustainable peace will also participate to share who the experience has enhanced their learning.

Facilitator: Dr. Silvia Danielak, Assistant Prof. of Environmental Conflict and Peacebuilding, Carter School GMU

Panelists: 

• Dr. Adina Friedman, Adjunct Prof. Carter School GMU; ESIA GWU; UMD. Founding Director of ILLI Initiatives

• Dr. Michael Shank, Adjunct Prof. Carter School GMU; Adjunct Assistant Prof. NYU Center for Global Affairs

• Mrs. Rebecca Orfilla, Graduate Student, Carter School GMU

• Mr. Troy Fontenot, Graduate Student, Carter School GMU

Format: In-Person at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in D.C. 

Location: Bloomberg Center is 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington D.C. 20001

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Effective and successful negotiations require strong preparation and the use of tactics and strategies that lead to an outcome each party can live with.  Every conflict has a unique set of issues, circumstances and factors, not to mention unique parties to the dispute who have different needs and interests.  Every conflict has a shape or structure consisting of the issues over which the parties are struggling.  Those issues tell us what the conflict is about and then about what has to be addressed for the conflict to be addressed, resolved or transformed.  Scientists can become even greater active agents of change, including driving innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing conflicts, particularly those at the community level as a preventive measure.

This workshop will focus on the connections between the environment, science and peacebuilding (presentation by Professor Silvia Danielak of the Carter School)

Negotiation and conflict resolution skills (workshop led by Professor Jeffrey Helsing and the Carter School’s Better Evidence Project team):

·       Negotiations and Constructive Engagement

·       Conflict Dynamics and Conflict Resolution and Transformation Tools

·       Bridging Theory and Practice Across Lines of Difference

Format: Virtual

Cosponsored by: Genocide Prevention Program at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, George Mason University

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In this engaging and timely book, Professor R. Brian Ferguson brings us into a debate that runs hot in contemporary scholarship and online discussion: are men predisposed to war? Within this debate, chimpanzee behavior is often cited to explain humans' propensity for violence; the claim is that male chimpanzees kill outsiders because they are evolutionarily inclined, suggesting to some that people are too. In Chimpanzees, War, and History (Oxford UP, 2024), Ferguson challenges this consensus.

By historically contextualizing every reported chimpanzee killing, Ferguson provides detailed demonstration of the connection between human impact and intergroup killing of adult chimpanzees. Second, he argues that killings within social groups reflect status conflicts, display violence against defenseless individuals, and payback killings of fallen status bullies. Ferguson deconstructs efforts to illuminate human warfare via chimpanzee analogy, and provides an alternative anthropological theory grounded in Pan-human contrasts that is applicable to different types of warfare. Bringing readers on a journey through theoretical struggle and clashing ideas about chimpanzees, bonobos, and evolution, Ferguson opens new ground on the age-old question--are men born to kill?

R. Brian Ferguson is Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University-Newark, and the founding director of the Rutgers-Newark Graduate Program in Peace and Conflict Studies. He has studied war since the 1970s and has developed a general theoretical perspective that encompasses ethnology, archaeology, biological anthropology, historical anthropology, and militarism in the world today. 

Facilitator: Douglas Irvin-Erickson, Assistant Professor and Director of the Genocide Prevention Program, Carter School

Panelists: 

• R. Brian Ferguson, Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University-Newark

• Rick W. A. Smith, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at George Mason University, Affiliate Faculty of Women and Gender Studies Program

• Leslie Dwyer, Associate Professor, Carter School

• Thomas Flores, Associate Professor, Carter School   

Format: Virtual

Presented By: Rotary Mega-Meeting and the FutureWAVE People-Powered Planet Podcast

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Join us for an inspiring conversation with Rotary Peace Fellow Arthur Romano and Baltimore Peace Camp founder Nawal Rajeh as they discuss their groundbreaking initiative, Building Bridges for Peace, an innovative urban peacebuilding program being piloted in Baltimore. As leaders in conflict resolution and community-driven peace efforts, Arthur and Nawal will share insights into the Carter School Urban Peacebuilding program, the powerful role of Rotarians in violence prevention, and how this pilot project is laying the foundation for a scalable, city-wide peace network. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how collaboration, education, and action are creating safer, more resilient communities—starting in Baltimore and expanding beyond!

This is the second in a series of Mega-Meeting/Podcast Interviews.  The first one, celebrating Jimmy Carter's lifetime of Peacebuilding work, attracted over 500 live participants from 84 countries. Replay: TheWorldIsMyCountry.com/rotary 

Panelists: 

Stephanie Urchick, Rotary International President

Nawal Rajeh, PhD, Urban Peacebuilding, Baltimore Violence Reduction project. She is co-founder of By Peaceful Means (BPM), a grassroots community organization that works to interrupt forms of physical and structural violence in Baltimore City. She is an adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University’s Justice and Peace Studies Program and a consultant with Movement Matters in DC.

Arthur Romano, Rotary Peace Fellow and founder of the Program on Urban Peacebuilding at the Carter School. He has, over 25 years, been developing innovative and participatory education models with communities affected by conflict and violence – building the capacity to disrupt and transform cycles of violence. He developed conflict resolution workshops for hip-hop artists from around the world.

Arthur Kanegis, filmmaker and podcast host, offers the BULLYPROOF hip-hop program utilizing a rap’n roll opera and other performance tools to transform violence in detention centers, schools and communities. "We've got a better way than fight or flight! We've got the power rooted in what's right. Tuned to channel insight; Flashing inner light - We're the rad dudes with the dyna-kinda might" See BULLYPROOF.com 

OZUEM ESIRI, founder of the Rotary Districts & Clubs Joint International Online Mega-Meeting Platform -- the largest online gathering of Rotarians around the world!! Ozuem has hosted virtually all of the top rotary leadership. He is an outstanding peace ambassador and truly a world citizen!

Al Jubitz, co-founder of the Carter School Rotary Collaboration and the Rotary Action Group for Peace.

Mari Clarke, PhD, is an economic anthropologist and a member of Rotary Washington Global.

Format: Virtual

Presented by: Carter School Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation

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As geopolitical polarization and authoritarian currents intensify—even within the United States—the role of trusted, community-embedded reconcilers has never been more urgent. This panel invites participants to co-create Phase II of the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation’s flagship Insider-Reconcilers Study, a global participatory action research initiative exploring insider-reconcilers’ healing-centered practices in their own communities. Building on a rich qualitative foundation of 40+ interviews across conflict zones, this session will co-create the next phase of research instruments, aims, and ethical frameworks. Participants will engage in dialogue that bridges global insight with domestic unrest, asking: What can insider-reconcilers teach us about sustaining reconciliation amid growing division? How might we reimagine mental health, resilience, and justice in polarized societies? Join us in crafting an inclusive, field-informed research agenda that speaks to international and U.S.-based reconciliation challenges and honors the wisdom of those who build peace from within.

Format: Virtual 

Presented by: PiVoT Peace Lab: Polarization & Violence Transformed

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American society has become deeply polarized in recent years. Expressions of hatred, mistrust, denigration and aggression have generated emotionally charged divisions among many population groups. In many settings, such expressions motivate certain individuals and groups to commit acts of violence against their adversaries, frequently targeting low power social groups. Who, how and why has such polarization, and its accompanying violence, occurred? And how can polarization be transformed to pro-social interactions? In this session we address these questions by examining political extremist groups. Going beyond, or beneath, ideological explanations of their activism, we adopt a social-psychological understanding of extremism in the USA. While the list of enemy groups varies over time and among extremist groups, the social psychology of self-righteousness, perceived threats and outgroup acrimony underpins the violence of most extremist groups. The findings of two case studies—the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers—are presented. We also explore transformative techniques designed to undermine polarization in this country, including recent insights about ways to mitigate extremist led violence. Finally, we examine the sense of existential threats between the right-wing and left-wing movements based on their political identities.

Panelists: 

• Daniel Rothbart, Druscilla French Chair of Conflict Analysis and Resolution

• Randy Lioz, Masters Student, Carter School

• Elizabeth Langsdale, Masters Students, Carter School

Format: Virtual 

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"Getting Back to the Table," written by Joshua Weiss, a distinguished alum of the Carter School, offers a compelling exploration of how individuals and groups can navigate failure in negotiation and conflict resolution. In this insightful book, Weiss examines the challenges people face in returning to the negotiation process after setbacks, the psychological and structural barriers that prevent learning from these failures, and practical strategies to overcome them.

In an engaging discussion, Dr. Alpaslan Özerdem, Dean of the Carter School, will interview Weiss to delve into the book’s key themes. The conversation will highlight why negotiators often struggle to return to the table after initial failures, what prevents them from gaining valuable insights from their experiences, and, ultimately, how embracing failure can foster growth, resilience, and more effective conflict resolution. This event promises to provide valuable lessons for practitioners, scholars, and anyone interested in developing stronger negotiation skills.

Facilitated by: Alpaslan Özerdem, Dean of the Carter School 

Speaker: Joshua Weiss, Co-Founder, Global Negotiation Initiative, Harvard University and Senior Fellow, Harvard Negotiation Project 

Format: Virtual 

Presented by: Carter School Labs 

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Join us to learn about Carter School’s Peace Labs and how to get involved! Our labs are made up of GMU students and faculty and consist of several specialized centers focused on addressing various aspects of peacebuilding. Combining research with practical application to create impactful peace strategies globally.

 Participating Carter School Labs: 

1. Sustainable Peace Lab
2. The Narrative Transformation Lab (TNT Lab)
3. PiVoT Peace Lab: Polarization & Violence Transformed
4. Transitioning Justice Lab

Panelists: 

• Randy Lioz, Manager, PiVoT Peace Lab, MS Candidate
• Daniel Rothbart, Director, PiVoT Peace Lab, Professor of Conflict Resolution
• Audrey Williams, Manager, TNT Lab, PhD Candidate
• Xenia Bakhtiarova, Manager, Sustainable Peace Lab, PhD Candidate 
• Patricia Maulden, Director, Transitioning Justice Lab, Professor of Conflict Resolution

Format: Virtual 

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An insightful alumni panel will explore innovative approaches and diverse pathways in the field, highlighting adaptability, and interdisciplinary skills sets. Alumni will discuss unique perspectives, how they have navigated career trajectory and how to used their degree in a rapidly changing world. The target audience is students; alumni and the broader Mason community. .

Panelists: 

• Peter Swanson, Senior Mediator

• April Umminger, Manager, Senior Internal Communications Strategist

• Julie Rouge, Dean, School of Security and Global Studies

• Gus Fahey, President, Valley In Motion 

Format: Virtual 

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During the early days of the Trump administration, the global aid community faced unprecedented challenges as the United States implemented a widespread aid freeze. This abrupt policy shift sent shockwaves through organizations worldwide that relied on U.S. funding for critical programs in peacebuilding, human rights, and humanitarian assistance. Faced with this sudden loss of resources, grassroots organizations and NGOs in conflict-affected regions like Syria, Burma and Sudan were compelled to rapidly innovate and adapt their strategies to sustain their vital work.

This session will explore the creative solutions that emerged from this period of uncertainty, examining how organizations in these three contexts adapted differently to the same challenge. Across all settings, US aid reductions signaled diminished international commitment to conflict resolution while strengthening hardline actors. Panelists will discuss how they engaged with international accountability mechanisms and strengthened localized peace initiatives to overcome funding shortfalls. By examining these adaptive approaches, participants will gain valuable insights into developing flexible, context-specific solutions for complex and evolving conflicts. The session aims to highlight how adversity can spark innovation in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, providing lessons that remain relevant in today's dynamic global landscape. 

Moderator: Professor John Dale 

Facilitators: Myra Dahgaypaw & Professor Terrence Lyons

Panelists: 

• Hanin Ahmed, External Officer for Localization Coordination Council ERRs (Emergency Response Room) in Sudan 

• Deyaa Alrwishdi, SJD Candidate and Fellow, Harvard Law School (HLS)  

• Debbie Stothard, Coordinator/Founder, ALTSEAN-Burma

Format: Virtual 

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A panel discussion on the UN’s 2nd International Declaration for Peoples of African Descent with a Focus on the Afro-Latino populations of Colombia, South America.  This panel will examine the UN’s Declaration writ large with an especial focus on the African descended peoples on the Pacific Coast of Latin America.  We will explore the opportunities for the Colombian Afro-Latinx populations to model higher efficacy for the UN's Second Declaration.  

Moderator: Melvin Hardy, Instructor, Political Leadership Academy 

Panelists: 

• Charles Krause, Journalist, and former Chief Foreign Correspondent for Latin America of the Washington Post

• Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, Director of the Andes, Washington Office on Latin America

• Tonija Hope, Director, Ralph J Bunche Center at Howard University

• Danielle Dean, VP for Advocacy, UN Association of the National Capitol Area

• Clara Montanez, Rotary UN Representative to the World Bank and philanthropist for projects in Colombia

Format: Virtual

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MOVIE: “The World is My Country” – Martin Sheen, the actor who played President Bartlet in West Wing, introduces World Citizen #1 Garry Davis as revealing “a roadmap to a better future”.  In these troubled times, this riveting story can inspire us to see how we, the people, can actually create a peaceful and sustainable future. 

Garry Davis was a song and dance man from the Golden Age of Broadway who leapt off the Broadway Stage onto the world stage as World Citizen #1! Hear about his amazing adventures with Albert Einstein, Ellenor Roosevelt, John Paul Sarte, and Simone de Beauvoir.

This will be a screening of the PBS version of the film, followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists: 

Arthur Kanegis, the director of the movie, talks about how we can come together as one planet above the divisions and strife tearing us apart.

David Gallup, president and general counsel of the World Service Authority.  Since 1954, the World Citizen government has been issuing World Passports and identity documents to millions of stateless people -- the most vulnerable communities in the world. WCG is working to develop a self-sovereign digital identity component of the World Passports and ID documents. Located in Washington DC, David will discuss possibilities for collaborating on a project to develop this technology as a powerful tool for upholding  human rights and rewriting conflict narratives!

Mari Clarke, PhD, is an economic anthropologist and a member of Rotary Washington Global and the Rotary District 7620 Peace Committee. She will share related information from the 2025 Rotary Presidential Peace Conference in Istanbul, Türkiye.  She will also comment on the film and share the vision of her late husband David Fishman -- who initiated the collaboration between Rotary International and the Carter School. 

Format: In-Person, Fairfax Campus, Monsoon Grand Tier III, Center for the Arts Building, Fairfax Campus

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Facilitated by: Mercedes Allsop, Executive Assistant to the Dean, Carter School

Music has the power to transcend borders, connect hearts, and create pathways to peace. Join us for a captivating session with world-renowned Cellist, Conductor & Rotary Peace Peace Fellow, Founder - Orchestrating Peace, Diego Carneiro, as he takes us on a transformative journey through the universal language of music.

In Paths to Peace, Diego explores how music intertwines with emotions, media, reasoning, and cultural expression to bridge divides and foster understanding. Through a blend of live performance, storytelling, and interactive discussion, this session will highlight how music serves as a tool for conflict resolution, emotional healing, and collective harmony.

Each of us experiences the world differently, yet to achieve peace, we must find a common ground. This session invites you to reflect on how music shapes our perspectives, stirs our emotions, and ultimately unites us in shared humanity.

Whether you are a musician, peacebuilder, or simply someone seeking inspiration, Paths to Peace will leave you with a deeper appreciation of how the arts contribute to global peace efforts.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the profound connection between music and peacebuilding!

Format: In-Person, Fairfax Campus, Merten Hall, Room 1202 

Presented by: Carter School Better Evidence Project 

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This will be a hands-on workshop that will illustrate how students can be more effective leaders through the development of facilitation and dialogue skills and tools with a particular emphasis on conflict resolution. Carter School facilitators will demonstrate effective facilitation and constructive conversation techniques and strategies as well as collaborative problem-solving. Short activities will engage the participants in understanding conflict resolution tools.. 

Those who are interested in ways to address conflict at the individual, group or community level will also find this workshop of interest.  

Facilitators:

• Isabella Cuevas, Outreach Coordinator for the Better Evidence Project, Master’s student in the Carter School

• Kamila Elyazgi, Program Associate for the Better Evidence Project, M.A. Graduate of the Carter School

• Averi Jordan, Recruitment Coordinator and Academic Advisor, Carter School

• Jeff Helsing, Executive Director, Better Evidence Project and Research Associate Professor, Carter School

Format: In-Person. Mason Square 

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Admitted and prospective students are invited to this special event to connect with Carter School students, alumni, faculty, and professionals in the peacebuilding and conflict resolution field. This interactive networking experience will demonstrate the value of shared knowledge and lessons learned within the Carter School community. 

This session recognizes recipients the Charles E. Scheidt Master’s Fellowship for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention and highlights outcomes for success. Through this program, students learned strategies to prevent mass atrocities through policy planning, diplomacy, civil society building, development, and education. Graduates are prepared to apply conflict resolution skills and techniques designed specifically for hot spots where mass atrocities seem likely to occur. The Scheidt Fellowship supported students and emerging leaders who are working to build peace and prevent genocide in their communities and countries including the United States and the African Great Lakes region. 

Join us as Carter School alumni and current students offer insights on their experience with the program and how the pairing between the Master’s in Conflict Analysis and Resolution and the Mass Atrocity and Genocide Certificate is enhancing their careers and professional pathways. 

• Format: Virtual 

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In today’s rapidly changing global landscape, fostering pluralism—accepting and celebrating diversity—has never been more critical for achieving peace and stability. This interactive session explores how pluralism can serve as a transformative tool for conflict resolution, bridging divides across cultural, political, and societal lines. Through real-world case studies, discussions, and practical strategies, participants will gain insights into how pluralism can address persistent global conflicts, climate challenges, and the ethical development of artificial intelligence. Join us to discover how inclusive dialogue and collaboration can help navigate the complexities of our uncertain world and build pathways to peace.

Facilitated by: Mercedes Allsop, Executive Assistant to the Dean, Carter School

Panelists: 

• Mercedes Allsop, Executive Assistant to the Dean, Carter School

• Manu Meel, CEO, BridgeUSA, Host, The Hopeful Majority Podcast

• Michael Fountain, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Colin Powell Leadership Institute

• Sarah Keenan, Associate Director of Strategic Engagement, Program for Pluralism and Civil Exchange, Mercatus Center, George Mason University

Format: Virtual 

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This panel explores the critical role of reconciliation in the Cyprus peace process, examining its significance in fostering sustainable peace on the divided island. Panelists will discuss the challenges and opportunities of reconciliation efforts, drawing from diverse perspectives on the island’s complex political, social, and historical landscape. The session will delve into different approaches to reconciliation—ranging from grassroots bicommunal initiatives to institutional mechanisms (or their lack thereof)—assessing their effectiveness in addressing deep-seated divisions. Panelists will also consider what is realistically possible in Cyprus, given the ongoing political deadlock, and explore pathways toward building trust, healing historical wounds, and fostering a shared future.

Facilitator: Gül M Gür, Adjunct Faculty, Carter School 

Panelists: 

• Meltem Onurkan Samani, Founder and General Coordinator of the Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Centre

• Neophytos Loizides, Professor of International Conflict Analysis, University of Warwick

• Achilleas Demetriades, Advocate, Lellos P. Demetriades Law Office LLC, Cyprus

• Mine Balman, Peace Activist and Former Assistant to TCM at the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus

Format: In-Person, Fairfax Campus, SUB 1 Lawn

No regisration required, stop by SUB 1 Lawn on the Fairfax Campus!

In this session, participants contribute to a Dialogue Wall, drawing on various storytelling techniques to engage in an interactive conversation around social issues. A thought-provoking question related to social issues will be displayed on the wall, inviting participants to freely share their perspectives and stories—whether through ideas, agreements, counterpoints, questions, reflections, critiques, drawings, or written expressions.

The Narrative Transformation Lab (TNT Lab) aims to make difficult conversations more accessible through personal storytelling, fostering empathy and mutual understanding. This open format encourages diverse voices to engage in meaningful dialogue without the pressure of direct confrontation, fostering a safe and inclusive environment for expression. It promotes peace by encouraging understanding, empathy, and open communication among Mason community members with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Such narrative dialogue helps bridge differences, reduce misunderstandings, and foster constructive conversation, all of which are essential for peacebuilding and conflict resolution. It serves as a real-world practice of conflict resolution by enhancing respectful communication between people with diverse viewpoints.