Following the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in 1998, the University of Tromsø and Tromsø College will, in association with the Norwegian National Commission for UNESCO, host approximately 500 researchers and students interested in peace studies during the conference Higher Education for Peace.
The human tragedies inflicted in the 20th century due to war and ethnic conflict have been enormous. This prevailing culture of war must be challenged by a culture of peace.
The aim of the conference Higher Education for Peace is to discuss conditions for peace and the role of institutions of higher education in promoting peace.
The conference will serve as a unique opportunity to exchange research results and educational strategies that promote creative thinking about peace studies in higher education.
Transforming a culture of war to a culture of peace
The idea of a culture of peace was born in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire in 1989 during the International Congress on Peace in the Minds of Men, as a call for respect for universal values. Values such as life, liberty, justice, solidarity, tolerance, human rights and equality between men and women were emphasised.
In 1995, the member states of UNESCO decided to dedicate considerable efforts of the organisation to the promotion of a culture of peace, recognising it as the great challenge of the coming century.
In 1997 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace.
Through participation in the celebration of the International Year for the Culture of Peace in the year 2000, this conference in Tromsø will promote the vision of UNESCO`s World Conference on Higher Education, as stated in the final report World Conference on Higher Education for the twenty-first
Century:
Vision and Action
The main task of the conference will be to assess and promote the role of higher education in developing a culture of peace through research and educational programs.
The following is a list of possible conference topics. Other topics are welcomed and will be considered by the Program Committee.
Topics to be discussed
Causes and Consequences of Conflict
within and between nations
in the global economy
in national economic systems
in the environment
in ethnic and religious communities
in everyday life
Educating for Peace
peacemaking and conflict resolution
studies about universal human rights and democracy
gender and ethnic studies
religious and secular communities
studies about sustainable development
all fields of higher education and research
Conditions, Contents and Consequences of Higher Education for Peace
in studies of the Social Sciences
in studies of the Humanities
in studies of the Arts and Sciences
in studies of Health and Medicine
in studies of Law
Suggestions and information
If you would like to suggest conference topics and/or speakers, please contact the Conference Secretariat by October 1st, 1999, by using the electronic form <participation.htm#Registration> .
On the mailing list <general_information.htm#Mailing> you may receive and distribute news and information relevant to the conference by electronic mail.
Full details regarding the call for papers and submission of abstracts will be given in the Second Announcement in November 1999.
The final deadline for proposals and abstracts will be early February 2000.
Higher Education for Peace
Centre for Environment and Development Studies
University of Tromsø
N-9037 Tromsø, Norway.
Phone: +47 7764 5527, Fax: +47 7767 6672
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.peace.uit.no