September 21 is annually commemorated as The International Day of Peace.  While there is much to celebrate in prosperous and peaceful areas around the world, there are also numerous conflict zones and global crises. 

This symposium, sponsored by Chapman University’s Dept. of Peace Studies and its partners, provides a forum for researchers, activists, students, and the general public to share ideas and strategies for addressing the local and global challenges facing our nation and planet Earth during what some have called “The Age of Trump.”

The forum commences with a panel on “Wars and Peace Abroad.”  Local and international experts, including Douglas Kellner from UCLA and Mark Tomass from Harvard University, address such political and economic challenges as international peace and security, terrorism, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere.

The second session focuses on “Conflicts and Cooperation at Home.”  The panelists include Errol Southers from USC, Michael Heaney from the University of Michigan, Fran Faraz from Golden West College, and David Meyer from UC Irvine. They focus on understanding and confronting violent extremism; political activism and social movements; democracy and authoritarianism; and building peace locally and nationally.

During the third session, panelists, including Neil Arya from the McMaster University, the University of Waterloo, and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (a Nobel Peace Prize recipient), and Nicole Capretz from Climate Action Campaign, analyze such “Planetary Challenges” as global health, refugees and immigrants, and climate change.

Following the panels, there will be optional breakout sessions on “Promoting Nonviolent Social and Political Change.” This will allow symposium participants to express their views and formulate possible strategies for peacefully addressing the challenges facing humanity in the early 21^st century.

Everyone is welcome, and lunch and dinner will be served.