Each spring, Peace and Justice Studies hosts a conference on a timely and important topic. Last year’s conference, discussing the topic of nuclear weapons, drew more than 1,200 attendees. This year’s dialogue will discuss genocide prevention.
Four of the world’s foremost genocide scholars will come to campus (the schedule can be viewed below; details and biographical information about the speakers included). The topic was chosen on the premise of the importance of stopping and preventing genocide. Organizers anticipate the event to be as big as last year’s, if not more popular.
The Peace and Justice Studies Program has put on a number of events, with more than 1,000 students attending them. The growth in Peace and Justice Studies minors has nearly doubled this year. The program details can be found on their Web site, found at uvu.edu/peaceandjustice
This particular conference is important, as it ushers in the first annual J. Bonner Ritchie Dialogue on Peace and Justice, wherein the conference receives an official new name. The conference will be held in honor of Dr. Ritchie, a professor emeritus here at UVU, whose work for peace and justice helped earn this honor.
Dr. Michael Minch, organizer of the conference, was awarded co-recipient of the 2008 Gandhi Peace Alliance award, (with George Cheney, who runs the Peace and Conflict resolution Program at the University of Utah). The honor was awarded by the Gandhi Peace Alliance. Minch directs the Peace and Justice Studies program as well as serving on the Religious Studies Committee.
