The Arthur V. Mauro institute for peace and justice at St. Paul’s College continues to uphold its mission of “advancing social justice, peace and inclusivity through outreach, learning and service.”

Over the years, the institute has hosted a series of lectures at the U of M and brought global leaders to engage the campus community. The two flagship events, the Sol Kanee Lecture Series and the Brown Bag Lecture Series have become defining platforms for dialogue on peace and justice.

History and background

Originally established as the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice at St. Paul’s College and officially launched in 2004, the organization was renamed The Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice in the fall of 2019. It was founded through the vision of Arthur V. Mauro, an alumnus of both St. Paul’s College and the U of M. Mauro envisioned the college, the university, and the city of Winnipeg as an ideal setting for research and engagement promoting peace and justice.

The Sol Kanee Lecture Series

Stanley Amaladas, the director of the institute, explained the purpose of the Sol Kanee Lecture Series “is triggered by and grounded in learning and service.”

He added guest speakers are chosen based on “the range of issues confronting peace and justice” largely and in-between. “So, we invite speakers related to both their specializations and to peace and justice,” he said.

He noted past Sol Kanee speakers have included distinguished figures such as His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Rabbi Michael Melchior, Chief Oren Lyons, Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Lloyd Axworthy, Justice Murray Sinclair and Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire.

“This year, a deliberate and intentional decision was made to invite two speakers rather than one for the sake of demonstrating that promoting peace and justice involves the efforts of more than one.”

Reflecting on a recent lecture in October which focused on archaeology, Amaladas said, “These are stories of human construction, human destruction and human efforts to remember, understand and preserve cultural heritages.”

Storytelling and peace education

Earlier this year, the institute collaborated with the Winnipeg School Division for the relaunching of the Storytelling Festival this year, featuring Brazilian storyteller Antonio Rocha. Amaladas touched on the significance of storytelling in advancing peace education, stating, “Stories are such a critical element in our human lives […] To ignore our stories is in fact to disavow our collective responsibility to listening and to enable conditions for feeling heard.”

The Brown Bag Lecture Series

The Brown Bag Lecture Series, according to Amaladas, is “intended to be a learning experience for both the presenters and audience.” He added, “The Brown Bag Lecture Series welcomes professors, practitioners, community leaders and graduate students dedicated to the pursuit of peace and justice, human rights and conflict resolution.”

Impact and outlook

The institute’s influence extends beyond its public lectures. Through an academic awards program, it provides bursaries and fellowships that directly support students in the peace and conflict studies graduate programs, investing in the next generation of peacebuilders.

“My experience is that the impacts are soft and yet hard enough to [feel them move people] to purposeful action,” he included.

He emphasized that the lectures reflect the institute’s mission. “We take our work in reaching out and partnering with our community stakeholders and speakers seriously […] This is how we serve our communities.”

Looking ahead, Amaladas expressed optimism for the future of the lecture series, hoping they “continue the grounds for understanding and […] conditions where all will feel the need to act on behalf of peace and justice.”

Final 2025 Brown Bag Lecture

The 2025 Brown Bag Lecture Series will conclude with Somia Sadiq, peacebuilder, storyteller and founder of Narratives Inc. Her lecture will explore how metaphors, ancestral memory and sensory detail can bridge divides and open new pathways for dialogue.

The lecture will take place on Nov. 27. Faculty, students, staff and the public can register to attend in person at Room 255, St. Paul’s College, or via Zoom at umanitoba.ca/st-pauls-college/mauro-institute-peace-justice/brown-bag-lecture-series.