In Conversation: Shekhar Mehta & Steve Killelea on 'Peace in the Age of Chaos'

This International Day of Living Together in Peace, join Rotary International President-Elect Shekhar Mehta in conversation with Businessman, Philanthropist, and Founder & Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), Steve Killelea, as they discuss the power of Positive Peace to create more resilient and peaceful societies.

Moderated by Lord John Alderdice, Liberal Democrat Member of the UK House of Lords, the discussion will explore key themes from Killelea's debut book, 'Peace in the Age of Chaos: The Best Solution for a Sustainable Future', including why we need to expand our understanding of peace in the 21st century; the importance of measuring peace; and how Rotarians are incorporating IEP’s conceptual framework – the eight Pillars of Positive Peace – into their development work and peacebuilding efforts.

Speakers:

Shekhar Mehta, Rotary International President Elect:

Shekhar Mehta, an accountant, is Chair of the Skyline Group, a real estate development company he founded. He is also a Director of Operation Eyesight Universal (India), a Canada-based organization. Mehta has been actively involved in disaster response and is a trustee of ShelterBox, UK. After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, he helped build nearly 500 homes for families affected by the disaster. He pioneered a program that has performed more than 1,500 life-changing heart surgeries in South Asia. He is also the architect of the TEACH Program, which promotes literacy throughout India and has reached thousands of schools. A Rotary member since 1984, Mehta has served Rotary as director, member or chair of several committees, zone coordinator, training leader, member of The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers, and district governor. He is also the chair of Rotary Foundation (India). Mehta has received Rotary’s Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Awards.

Steve Killelea, Founder & Executive Chairman, Institute for Economics and Peace

Steve Killelea is the Founder & Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), one of the world’s most impactful think tanks on peace and how it is created. Killelea also founded the Global Peace Index, which ranks 163 countries and independent territories by their relative levels of peacefulness each year, and is used by major organisations such as the World Bank, OECD and the UN. Over the last two decades, Killelea has applied his business skills to his many global philanthropic activities, including his private family charity, The Charitable Foundation, which now has over three million direct beneficiaries. In 2010, Steve was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to the community through the global peace movement. In 2013, a coalition of Australian Foundations recognised his funding of IEP as one of the 50 most impactful gifts in Australia’s history. In the same year, the Action on Armed Violence group recognised Steve as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on reducing armed violence. Killelea serves on the President’s Circle for Club de Madrid, the largest forum of former world leaders working democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers working to strengthen democracy. He is an honorary president for Religion for Peace, the largest organisation in the world working on inter-religious challenges.

Lord John Alderdice, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom

In the last thirty years, John Alderdice has been involved in almost every aspect of the Irish Peace Process. As Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland from October 1987, he played a significant role in all the talks between the political parties and the British and Irish Governments on the resolution of the historic conflict in Ireland through to the negotiation of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. He then retired as Alliance Leader and became the first Speaker of the new Northern Ireland Assembly, leading the establishment of the new legislature. In 1996 his contribution to liberal politics at home and abroad was recognized when he was appointed one of the youngest ever life members of the House of Lords, the Upper Chamber of the Westminster Parliament. Lord Alderdice’s professional background is as a clinical and academic physician and psychiatrist. He was a consultant psychiatrist in psychotherapy in Belfast and senior lecturer in psychotherapy at The Queen’s University of Belfast (UK) from 1998 to 2010. Lord Alderdice’s main focus now is as Director of the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict (CRIC) established in Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford where he concentrates on analysing, understanding and engaging with the problems of religious fundamentalism, political radicalization and violent community conflict, including the intractable difficulties between First Nation populations and incoming people.

To read or order Steve Killelea's new book, 'Peace in the Age of Chaos: The Best Solution for a Sustainable Future', visit www.peaceintheageofchaos.org