More than 120 people attended the Positive Peace Conference 2019 at Stanford University in October to discuss peacebuilding initiatives.
The annual event provides a forum for peace experts and advocates to collaborate, and discuss IEP’s latest research in peace data.
Each year the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) hosts the Positive Conference with Stanford University’s Center for Latin American Studies to launch the Positive Peace Report and explore how building peace can improve economic outcomes, sustainability, social cohesion, resilience and equity.
More than 120 people attended the 2019 conference at Stanford University in October including academics, advocates, young people, civil society, government and business leaders who reflected on the concept of Positive Peace and how it can be implemented in different cultural, economic, political and social sectors.
IEP’s Executive Chairman and Founder, Steve Killelea, former United National Assistant Secretary General, James W. Rawley, as well as Tiffany Easthom, Executive Director of the Nonviolent Peaceforce, were just three of the many speakers who participated in the conference.
Participants were encouraged to engage in discussions and to consider how Positive Peace relates to their unique contexts, and how it could be used as a tool to complement their own work.
The discussion groups highlighted the importance of local contexts how faith and identity can shape ideas of peace and conflict resolution and the ongoing need for stronger connections between different cultures, beliefs and religions.
The conference closed with a discussion about activating Positive Peace including the importance of technology, social media and digital platforms such as IEP’s Positive Peace Academy or Ambassador Program.
