Peacebuilding Conference in Kansas City Area, 2021, to be jointly organized by Park University
The Greater Kansas City Peacebuilding Conference 2021 is set to kick off on Thursday, September 16, at 1 p.m., co-hosted by Park University and Johnson County Community College. The theme of this year's conference is "Peacebuilding: Healing Our Polarized Societies."
The conference will offer a mix of in-person and virtual discussions, providing a platform for diverse voices to share insights and solutions. The event will commence with a virtual presentation by Michael Collins, the executive director of The Americas at the Institute for Economics and Peace. Collins' presentation, titled "Positive Peace: Empowering the Peacebuilder We Each Have Within," will review the pillars of positive peace and how they can be assessed and leveraged to address societal polarization.
On the same day, Mará Rose Williams, higher education reporter at The Kansas City Star, will present a discussion at Park University's Park Distance Learning Conference Center, both in-person and virtually. Williams' discussion topic, "Media as a Tool to Heal Polarized Societies," will focus on the award-winning project, "Truth in Black and White," which highlighted racial disparities in reporting.
As the conference progresses, Rev. Donna Simon, D.Min., will present "Healing Polarized Societies Through Equitable Pay" on October 27. Her presentation will delve into the U.S. minimum wage, the promise of America as a land of opportunity, and the concept of a "living wage." This event will be held at St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Mo., located at 3800 Troost Ave.
The conference will conclude on October 27, with Collins' presentation still scheduled for the evening, starting at 6 p.m. For more information and links to the virtual sessions, visit [jccc.edu/conferences/peacebuilding](http://jccc.edu/conferences/peacebuilding).
Admission to all events is free, making this conference an accessible opportunity for everyone interested in fostering peace and understanding in our communities. For accurate details about this specific 2021 conference, you may need to consult local event archives, official conference materials, or direct outreach to the organisers.
Attendees can look forward to online education sessions at the Peacebuilding Conference 2021, including a virtual presentation by Michael Collins on personal growth and education-and-self-development, titled "Positive Peace: Empowering the Peacebuilder We Each Have Within." Furthermore, Mará Rose Williams will discuss the role of media in promoting personal growth and healing polarized societies through her work on the award-winning project "Truth in Black and White," which will be presented in Park University's Park Distance Learning Conference Center and online.
