Brussels Conference
DIASPEACE
INFOCON
Diasporas and conflict transformation
Final conference of two FP7 projects
Date: December 16-18, 2010
Programme (updated on December 9, 2010)
We have done our best to deliver a conference programme that reflects not only the diversity of research and policy questions in both projects (participation of diasporas in peacebuilding and development, diaspora-based dialogues, diasporas and NGOs etc), but also the different communities under study (Horn of Africa, Kosovo, Great Lakes region, etc).
Download the Conference Programme here.
Side Events
Photo exposition (December 16-18, 2010)
During the conference, David Brulotte from the Canadian photo agency “Stigmat” will exhibit a series of portraits he has taken with diaspora communities all over Europe.
See a preview of the photos.
Inter-Rwandan Dialogue (December 17, 2010)
Parallel to the official conference programme on December 17, a session of the “Highly Inclusive Intra-Rwandan Dialogue” will be held at a location in Brussels. The Intra-Rwandan Dialogue was founded by Isidore Munyakazi, a Tutsi residing the United States, and Elysee Ndayisaba, a Hutu residing in Belgium. The goal was to engage in dialogue with the aim of creating ‘true mutual understanding’ in order to arrive ‘at common interpretations of a given matter.’ It was stressed that arriving at a common interpretation doesn’t mean that the parties involved in the dialogue always have to agree with each other; rather, they need to have the same interpretation of the matter they disagree on… Dialogue differs from reconciliation because the latter implies re-establishing harmony among the people who have previously been divided by conflict, harmony that has been regained by asking for and granting forgiveness. Participants will include Hutu, Tutsi and Twa individuals from political parties and Rwandan civil organisations from the diaspora in African countries, European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden), and from the United States of America and Canada. The Intra/Inter-Rwandan Dialogue is discussed in INFOCON Deliverable 3. For more information about the initiative email to dirhi2010[at]yahoo.fr.
Civil Society workshop on dialogue, lobbying and reconciliation in conflict and post-conflict environments (December 18, 2010)
Drawing on the INFOCON Civil Society Mousebook, the workshop will explore the issues of dialogue, lobbying, and reconciliation work for transnational Civil Society Organisations. Invited are civil society representatives of the diasporas from the Great Lakes region, as well as members of the Kosovo-Albanian, Serbian, Kurdish and Turkish diaspora. The workshop takes place on December 18, 2010 and will be moderated by Prof. Hugh Miall (Kent University, Conflict Analysis Research Center).
Conference venue and information on transportation
Most events of the conference will be hosted by the Club de la Fondation Universitaire, rue d’Egmont 11, 1000 Brusssels. Some events will take place in the CDMA building (DG RTD), Marsveldstraat 21, 1050 Ixelles. Please download the document below for information on the venue and transportation.
Download information on the conference venue and transportation here.
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Contact
If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Stephan Kampelmann (stephan[at]internationalistfoundation.org).