The U of M’s peace and conflict studies (PACS) program will mark the 20th anniversary of its PhD program with a two-day conference, Small Peace, Petite Love, from April 17 to 18 in a hybrid format at St. Paul’s College.

Jessica Senehi, director of the PACS program, said the conference is intended to create space for exchange and collaboration. It is “a great opportunity for graduate students to share knowledge and network,” she said, adding that it allows participants to connect across programs, universities and with alumni.

The PACS program was launched in January 2006, emerging from the work of the Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice at St. Paul’s College.

Sean Byrne, a pioneer of the program, said, “The vision was to advance human rights, conflict resolution, global citizenship, peace and social justice through education, research and practice, and to prepare leaders in a multiplicity of contexts who make a difference locally, nationally and globally.”

Byrne said graduates continue to contribute across sectors. “PACS alumni are working in key roles in the public and private sector,” he said. “PACS doctoral alumni are contributing to scholarship, working with government agencies and NGOs, and some are leading PACS and other academic programs.”

The conference will also serve as a platform for scholarly works to be presented. Ha (Cassie) Dong said it brings together participants across areas of study. “I hope everyone knows this conference is interdisciplinary,” she added.

She said, “I think this will be a wonderful opportunity for students, researchers and community members to share ideas and learn from each other and perhaps find people you want to collaborate with in the future.”

Jessica Laus, president of the PACS Students’ Association (PACSSA), said the anniversary carries significance in the current global context. “I am reminded time and again how far I have come, how far our discipline has come and how we both continue to persevere,” she said.

Saad Ahmad Khan, chair of the PACS Joint Master’s Program and an alumnus, said the conference responds to current global conditions. “Our contemporary world is witnessing the crumbling of the rules-based world order,” he said. “I hope that this conference will be one such step toward discovering those novel and innovative solutions.” The conference will also serve as a space for reflection and continued dialogue within the PACS community.

Byrne said the 20th anniversary conference creates space for alumni to “return and share their innovative insights about practice and scholarship and create an ongoing dialogue.”

Khan hopes participants leave with a sense of possibility. “My deepest hope is that both participants and attendees see the immense good there is in this world, and those who want to change it for the better.”

Further details about the conference will be shared in the coming days. To stay updated, follow PACSSA’s page on Instagram at @umanitobapacssa.