Media Release
Mangaluru, January 23: The School of Arts and Humanities, St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru, will organize a two-day international conference on 'Promoting Peaceful and Inclusive Societies for Sustainable Development' on January 28 and 29 at the University campus.
The conference is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 16, which focuses on building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. It aims to bring together academicians, researchers, policymakers, professionals, and students from India and abroad to deliberate on peace-building, inclusive institutions, human rights, governance, and the role of technology and artificial intelligence in fostering social harmony.
The conference will be inaugurated on January 28 at 10 am at LF Rasquinha Hall.
Darshan H V, IAS, deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, will inaugurate the conference, while Fr Dionysius Vaz SJ, chancellor, St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), will preside over the inaugural session.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Shanthie M D’Souza, founder and president, Mantraya Institute of Strategic Studies (MISS), senior research fellow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and visiting faculty at the Naval War College, Goa, on the theme 'Peaceful and Inclusive Societies'.
The conference features distinguished national and international speakers including:
• Dr Krishna Raj, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru
• Dr Joachim Andrade, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Brazil
• Dr Ute Ritz-Deutch, Binghamton University, USA
• Dr Alexandru Balas, SUNY Cortland, New York, USA
A panel discussion will feature Raju K, KAS, additional deputy commissioner, Dakshina Kannada, who will speak on 'Strengthening institutions to promote peaceful societies'. Other panelists include Fr Rosan Roy SJ, assistant director, LIPI, Kochi, who will deliberate on 'Cultivating peace narratives in higher education: Approaches and pathways'; Prof Rajram Tolpady, former professor of political science, Mangalore University, who will address 'Violence and Nonviolence?: For a Sustainable Society'; and Dr Ruksana Hassan, child psychologist, who will speak on 'Building Peaceful Communities'.
The conference also includes technical sessions, paper presentations across multiple parallel halls, a cultural programme, and a valedictory ceremony. The valedictory session, scheduled on January 29 at 3 pm, will have ACP Geetha D Kulkarni as the chief guest, with Dr Praveen Martis SJ, vice chancellor, presiding.
Selected papers presented at the conference will be published in ISBN/ISSN conference proceedings, and a few will be considered for publication in peer-reviewed journals with DOI.
The conference is organized in collaboration with international academic partners, including Sophia University, Tokyo (Japan), SUNY Cortland (USA), and Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (Brazil) and sponsored by Global Degrees.
Media representatives, academicians, students, and the general public are cordially invited to attend and cover this significant international academic event.
Dr Melwyn D’Cunha, Pro VC; Dr Rose Veera D’Souza, chairperson; Alwin D’Souza, convenor; Dr Roshan Monteiro, organising secretary; and Chandrakala, PRO, were present at the press meet.