Attending the European Peace Research Association (EuPRA) conference 2024 in Pisa was an enriching experience that connected me with scholars, researchers, activists, and advocates from different parts of the world, each bringing their unique perspectives on peace, hope, and alternatives, but all of us sharing the same goal: a world where peace is achievable, equitable, and sustainable.
It was inspiring to attend and participate in the panels, roundtables, and research sessions. The discussions, debates, and reflections on the challenges we face as a global community stimulated many new ideas.
Among the various academic activities held during the conference, I found the roundtable titled "Beloved Community, Co-Liberation, and Decolonizing Palestine Solidarity" particularly relevant. This discussion featured four speakers with novel points of view and varied backgrounds: Jess Notwell from an Indigenous community in Canada and a professor at King University College, Bram J. De Smet, activist and PhD researcher at Tampere University, Diana Marcela Agudelo Ortiz, Coordinator of the Latin American Council of Peace Research from Colombia, and Malaka Shwaikh, Palestinian researcher at St. Andrew’s University in the UK. Each shared their academic and experiential insights into what it means to foster a “beloved community” amidst the numerous crises humanity faces today.
Their approach raised many questions and comments around decolonization, including forms of decolonizing human rights, feminism, and relations; top-down and bottom-up power relations; direct, structural, and cultural violence; educational and methodological approaches; and the capitalist economic system that we live in with its overwhelming adversity. Acknowledging the unique challenges, each speaker and the attendees brought to light the underlying message focused on the enduring strength within global communities. A unified vision of a transcendental peace and social justice, based on knowledge, identity, and persistence, will be essential for transforming these challenges.
Reflecting on the themes discussed in this roundtable, the notions of community, co-liberation, and co-resistance were essential takeaways. The concept of international solidarity and support, particularly in the context of Palestinian struggles, was presented not merely as a form of alliance but as a transformative act. The speakers’ reflections on Palestine resonated deeply, highlighting the global interconnectedness of peace struggles and the ways in which interdisciplinary and intercultural research can contribute to raising alternative paradigms in a complex and interconnected world. This emphasizes the importance of hybridity that combines academic insight, knowledge, cultural heritage, identity, and practical experiences to enrich our understanding of peace and social justice.
The EuPRA conference brought together people with a wide range of approaches to peacebuilding, from political engagement and academic research to cultural expressions and education. This diversity enhanced and strengthened the idea that, though our methods may differ, we share a common vision.
Listening to the varied approaches in this academic and cordial space reaffirmed the value of working collaboratively, respecting each method’s role in creating a more just society, and valuing each contributor’s efforts as an essential part of the larger mosaic of peace initiatives.