Annual Peacebuilding Conference in Kansas City Area to be jointly organized by Park University this year in 2021
The Greater Kansas City Peacebuilding Conference, a joint initiative by Park University and Johnson County Community College, is set to explore ways to heal societal polarization. The conference, themed "Peacebuilding: Healing Our Polarized Societies," commences on Thursday, September 16, at 1 p.m., and concludes on Wednesday, October 27.
The conference will offer a mix of in-person and virtual discussions, ensuring accessibility for all. The virtual event kicks off with a presentation by Michael Collins, executive director of The Americas at the Institute for Economics and Peace. Collins' presentation, titled "Positive Peace: Empowering the Peacebuilder We Each Have Within," will review the pillars of positive peace and how they can be assessed and leveraged to address societal polarization.
On October 6, Mará Rose Williams, higher education reporter at The Kansas City Star, will present a discussion titled "Media as a Tool to Heal Polarized Societies." The discussion will be available both in-person and virtually.
Another significant presentation is by Rev. Donna Simon, who will discuss the U.S. minimum wage and the concept of a "living wage" at the event "Healing Polarized Societies Through Equitable Pay." This event will be held at St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Mo.
For more information and links to the virtual sessions, visit jccc.edu/conferences/peacebuilding.
Admission to all events is free. The conference will take place at 3800 Troost Ave. It's worth noting that, due to limited search results, detailed information or the schedule from the specific 2021 event may not be readily available online. To obtain further details, it would be advisable to check archives or websites directly related to Greater Kansas City peace organizations, local universities, or the conference host's official pages. Alternatively, contacting local peacebuilding groups in Kansas City or organizations that promote civil dialogue and reconciliation might provide access to past conference materials or summaries.
- Participants at the Greater Kansas City Peacebuilding Conference, through various sessions, can focus on their education-and-self-development by learning about peacebuilding strategies and personal-growth opportunities, such as Michael Collins' presentation on Positive Peace.
- In addition to peacebuilding strategies, Mará Rose Williams' discussion on Media as a Tool to Heal Polarized Societies at the conference offers insights for personal-growth and education-and-self-development for individuals interested in contributing to societal healing.
