November 23 and 24, 2020, marked an important event in the international academic/university history of peace and conflict research.
The reason is that the Faculty of World Studies at Tehran University held a large – online – conference – “International Conference on Peace and Conflict Resolution (ICPCR)”.
My colleague and friend there, associate professor Ali Akbar Alikhani, is the dynamic pioneer of this important endeavour which includes an international Master’s program in peace and conflict studies.
It comes in the wake of a lecture I gave at the Faculty 6 years ago about peace and conflict research. As far as I’m informed, Iran is the second country in the Muslim world to establish a fill program of academic peace and conflict studies (Malaysia the first), and this conference marks the opening of this new academic field.
Iran’s bustling capital also hosts an interesting, very lively, Tehran Peace Museum – but that is also news to most people who, thanks to systematic mainstream media distortions, think that there are only evil, threatening and dark things to say about and happening in Iran.
There is all reason to celebrate this important academic event. I am only so sorry it could not be arranged ‘live’. But the day will come when we shall meet face-to-face and develop peace research and peaceful practices together.
Congratulations dear friends to this first huge step! ☮
Since I was invited to give one of the keynote speeches, you may watch it here:
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