Iraq Never Again: Ending War, Building Peace

Leaders’ assumption that violence is a way to obtain resources and even to promote democracy has contributed to the catastrophe of Iraq. Running parallel to this age old reliance on militarism is leaders’ inability to plan for a just peace. This conference will examine the non violence policy alternative to war, the human costs of Iraq and the humanitarian means of security. In Iraq and elsewhere, only these alternatives promise a more peaceful and joy-full future.

In addition to marking the 5th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, this conference will celebrate the 20th birthday of Sydney University’s Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies and the 25th anniversary of the launch of the international Peace Boat.

Distinguished speakers such as Prof. Joe Camilleri (LaTrobe University), Ian Cohen (Green MP, MLC), Prof. Kenji Isezaki (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) and Dr Mike McKinley (Australian National University) will bring together their perspectives on what can be learned from the war in Iraq and how we can contribute towards building a future of peace.

15-16 April 2008
Customs House, Circular Quay
$95.00 full price; $55.00 concession.

View full conference schedule

REGISTER ONLINE – Credit card payments accepted online.

Please make cheque or money orders payable to “Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies“

For further enquiries, contact:

Sydney Peace Foundation
phone: 9351 4468
email: spf@arts.usyd.edu.au

Center for Peace and Conflict Studies
phone: 9351 7686
email: arts.cpacs@usyd.edu.au

Scholarship Fund

Proceeds from the Iraq Never Again: Ending War, Building Peace conference will go towards a scholarship fund for Iraqi or Afghan postgraduate students to study in Sydney

Iraq has become a place where nightmares rather than dreams flourish.
“We don’t know what will happen tomorrow … there is no horizon,” a young Iraqi said recently.

The conference will help to broaden these horizons to include visions of peace with justice, not just in the words of the participants but also in practical initiatives to provide a scholarship fund for young people whose studies have been interrupted by war.

In addition to marking the 5^th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the conference
celebrates the 20^th birthday of Sydney University’s Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies
and the 25^th anniversary of the launch of the international Peace Boat.

Tuesday and Wednesday April 15 and 16, 20

Customs House, Circular Quay, 31 Albert Street, Sydney

Cost: $95 full price and $55 concession, includes conference materials,
lunch (vegetarian & halal available) and morning and afternoon tea.

register online at www.usyd.edu.au/neveragain

Enquiries: spf@arts.usyd.edu.au or (02) 9351 4468

 

Conference organised by the Sydney Peace Foundation, the University of Sydney Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Macquarie University Centre for Middle Eastern Studies in conjunction with the Peace Boat

Conference Flyer

Iraq Never Again:

Ending War, Building Peace

Two-day conference — Tuesday and Wednesday, April 15 and 16

Customs House, Circular Quay, 31 Albert Street, Sydney

 

 

Professor Joseph Camilleri (La Trobe University) states:

The mounting human, financial and diplomatic costs which the United States has had to shoulder in Iraq are directly related to the illegitimacy of the operation…. The same process is about to unfold in Afghanistan, although here allies of the United States, including Australia, have been less forthright in distancing themselves from US priorities and policies.

Associate Professor Jake Lynch (University of Sydney) suggests:

Australian troops are now being pulled back from frontline duties in Iraq, but public opinion is split down the middle on whether we should be in Afghanistan– the case against it is seldom aired because the mission is supported by leaders of both main parties in parliament.

Professor Stuart Rees (Sydney Peace Foundation) argues:

The continued Iraqi deaths and the recording of the 4000^th US casualty make the peace debate long overdue. But imagining peace requires a radical shift in thinking away from militarism and violence towards all the ideals of human rights .

 

Cost: $95 full price and $55 concession, includes conference materials,
lunch (vegetarian & halal available) morning and afternoon tea

and an evening peace festival aboard the Peace Boat in Sydney Harbour.

Proceeds from this conference will go towards scholarships for
Iraqi and Afghan postgraduate students to study in Sydney

Register online at www.usyd.edu.au/neveragain

 

In addition to marking the 5^th Anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the conference will celebrate the 20^th Birthday of Sydney University’s Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies and the
25^th Anniversary of the launch of the Peace Boat.

Enquiries: spf@arts.usyd.edu.au or (02) 9351 4468

Conference organised by the Sydney Peace Foundation and the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney; Macquarie University’s Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, and the Global University of the Peace Boat.

Conference Programme

Iraq Never Again:
Ending War, Building Peace

The assumption by leaders that violence is a way to obtain resources and even to promote democracy has contributed to the catastrophe of Iraq. Running parallel to this age old reliance on militarism is the inability of leaders to plan for a just peace. This conference will examine the non violence policy alternative to war, the human costs of Iraq and the humanitarian means of security. In Iraq and elsewhere, only these alternatives promise a more peaceful and joy-full future.
In addition to marking the 5th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, this conference will celebrate the 20th birthday of Sydney University’s Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies and the 25th anniversary of the launch of the international Peace Boat.

Tuesday and Wednesday April 15th and 16th 2008
Two Day Conference

Customs House
Circular Quay, 31 Albert Street, Sydney
Day One – The Fascination with Violence
8.30 Registration

9.00 Welcome
A/Professor Jake Lynch, Director, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
Opening
Professor Richard Broinowski, Adjunct Professor, University of Sydney, former Australian diplomat and former General Manager, Radio Australia
9.30 Fascination with Wars, Illiteracy about Non-Violence
Facilitator: Dr. Lynda-Ann Blanchard, Executive Officer, Sydney Peace Foundation
Dr. Michael McKinley, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Strategy,
Australian National University
Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees, Director, Sydney Peace Foundation
11.00 Morning tea

11.30 The Human Costs of Iraq and other Wars
Facilitator: Donna Mulhearn, Peace Activist
Dr. Susan Wareham, President, Medical Association for the Prevention of War
Dr. Richard Hil, Senior Lecturer, Southern Cross University
1.00 Lunch

2.00 Iraq War and Regional Consequences
Facilitator: Nick Deane, Marrickville Peace Group
I.Asia Pacific – Professor Kenji Isezaki, Head of Peace & Conflict Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, former Japanese Government Representative for Disarmament, Demobilization & Reintegration in Afghanistan
II.Middle East – Noah Bassil, Associate, Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, Macquarie University
3.30 Afternoon tea

4.00 Thinking Differently about Iraq? – Poets and Poetry for Peace
Orchestrated by: Brendon Doyle, Lynette Simons, Stuart Rees
Teachers in “Passion, Peace and Poetry”, University of Sydney
4.45 Peace Boat Festival Announcement
4.50 Closing
Professor Sev Ozdowski, Adjunct Professor CPACS, former Human Rights Commissioner
Evening Session: Peace Festival – On the Peace Boat
5.30 – 9.30 Performing Arts as Antidote to War
Day Two – The Non-Violent Alternatives
8.45 Registration

9.00 Building Peace in Iraq: Youth Visions
Roza Germian, Kurdish Journalist and Peace Activist
Samer Khamisy, Iraqi Peace Activist
Representative from the Peace Boat
10.30 Morning tea

11.00 Ending War, Building Peace: The International Canvas
Facilitator: Dr. Hannah Middleton, Sydney Peace Foundation
Professor Joseph Camilleri
Professor of International Relations and Director, Centre for Dialogue, La Trobe
11.45 Coalition of the Unwilling: Washington or Democracy, Not Both
A/Professor Jake Lynch
Director, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney
12.30 Closing
Ian Cohen
Green MP, Member of the NSW Legislative Council
12.45 Farewelling the Peace Boat leaving Sydney Harbour

2F, 3-14-3 Takadanobaba,
Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0075, Japan
Tel: +81 (3) 3363-8047
www.peaceboat.org

Box 54, Holme Building
University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
Phone: +61 2 9351 4468
www.sydneypeacefoundation.org.au

Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
The University
of Sydney
Mackie Building K01
NSW 2006, Australia NSW 2006, Australia
Ph: + 61 2 9351 7686 Ph: +61 2 9351 2222
www.arts.usyd.edu.au/cpacs www.usyd.edu.au

Please register online at www.usyd.edu.au/neveragain
Cost: $95 full price and $55 concession, includes conference materials, lunch (vegetarian and halal options available) and morning and afternoon tea.