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Associate Director and Peace and War Center Chair, Professor Yangmo Ku, along with six �����о��� students, represented the University at the Vermont Council on World Affairs (VCWA) summit. Together, they commemorated the International Day of Peace, participating in programs dedicated to enhancing our understanding of this paramount topic. The VCWA stated “This year’s event, Peace in Progress: Understanding Today, Shaping Tomorrow, will focus on the future of peace and will explore our current global peace landscape and envision future pathways to a more unified world. During this event, we will unite advocates, visionaries, and policymakers who are committed to the shared commitment of building a more peaceful and secure world.” 

The event featured retired Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) as the distinguished keynote speaker, as well as various informative panels covering topics such as the exploration of women’s unique role in peacebuilding; a comprehensive discussion on the possible outcomes of the 2024 election and its potential impact on peace; and a thoughtful examination of various challenges and opportunities that lie in the path of global peace efforts.

“The 2024 Peace Celebration was an eye-opening event in which speakers closely addressed the important roles of women - especially mothers - in the anti-violence and anti-corruption campaigns in Latin American countries. It was also highly inspiring to see both Israeli and Palestinian civil activists work together to end the conflicts in the Middle East, and to bring peace and reconciliation to the region despite turbulent geopolitical conditions,” said Professor Ku.
 

Several members of the greater �����о��� community were in attendance. Among them was Drukhshan Farhad ’23, notable for her unique perspective brought to the conference; she proudly describes herself as �����о���’s first Afghan female alumna. Currently holding the position of program officer at the Vermont Afghan Alliance, Farhad began contributing as a cultural liaison and an interpreter – courtesy of her proficiency in six languages – during her undergraduate years.

Director of Information Operations Research for �����о��� Applied Research Institutes (NUARI),  John Kidder, participated in the “Local Insights, Global Impacts” panel, contributing to a thought-provoking discussion. The collaborative research and work undertaken by NUARI and �����о��� concerning irregular warfare, adversarial influence operations, media literacy, and cognitive security are crucial to the nurturing of knowledgeable and proactive citizens and leaders. Such efforts are central to securing freedom and democracy in an increasingly complex and challenging global landscape. 

The full-day comprehensive summit scrutinized the indispensable role of subnational diplomacy in advocating peace and assessed the influences of burgeoning technologies on peace and conflict resolution mechanisms. Additionally, experts took a deep dive into global dilemmas and prospects for peace by exploring ongoing crises to stimulate cooperative initiatives aimed at creating a more peaceful global society. 
 

“My top takeaway from the celebration of peace was the incredibly important idea that we as individuals cannot wait for the government to solve our problems,” said Hailey Forar ’26. “It is the job of all of us to promote and work towards the ideal goal of peace to create the tomorrow we want, based on the today we know.”
 

�����о��� was among several sponsors of the annual event.