07.09.2023
Volgograd students took part in a peacebuilding workshop
Students of the International Relations, Political Science and Regional Studies Department of VolSU Nikita Ivanov and Maxim Topychkanov took part in the fifth annual conference "Global Peace Workshop" in Turkey, held from July 24 to July 28 at the Sitki Kocman University in Mugla, with the support of the Center for Trust, Peace and Social Relations of Coventry University.
The conference brought together young people from 18 countries, including Turkey, the UK, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, the Czech Republic, Syria and others, to create an extensive network of the active youth interested in peacebuilding and peaceful relations.
During the week participants of the conference discovered more and more the importance of the peacebuilding process, peaceful communication and solidarity through the work of three parallel groups, each of which considered subjects on the various planes, such as:
1. Peacebuilding ‘after’ conflict – an introduction to reconstruction
2. Forced displacement, local integration and return
3. Peace.com – an introduction to communication for peace
Each group included a series of thematic lectures and practical exercises on the aspects of peacebuilding and modern experience in resolving post-conflict problems. Group sessions were conducted by the first-class specialists from the University of Coventry, many of whom had personal involvement in restoring order in such regions of the world as Northern India, Uganda, and Somalia. In addition, the participants could take part in the master classes, such as providing first aid and an excursus into the history of Turkey's foreign policy.
The program also included a series of excursions to the most famous cities and beaches of the region, sailing on the yacht in the Mediterranean Sea and “Culture Night”, where everyone could present the cultural features of their countries and get to know each other better.
On the last day of the classes, each group presented a joint project on its subjects, which in a creative manner emphasized the importance of the peacekeeping initiatives and cooperation between people, as well as was a product of the knowledge gained and ideas born this week. The students were awarded memorable certificates and promised to return next year.
Let us recall that Volgograd and Coventry are sister-cities, and the conference results can help in the implementation of the project of Volgograd development as the capital of public diplomacy. With this proposal, the Mayor of Volgograd, Andrei Kosolapov, addressed the President of Russia Vladimir Putin in April 2017 at a meeting of the Russian Organizing Committee “Pobeda (Victory)”.
Written and translated by Nikita Ivanov (Volgograd State University)
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