Last week, Marie Gerard reported on the Presidential Peacebuilding Conference which she, Elizabeth McCormick and Gordon Hastie had attended.
The Conference Program included keynote lectures and presentations from international and national leaders in the industries of ‘Economic and Community Development and Peace’.
The Conference focus was on economic and community development as it relates to peace. Delegates heard about the underlying causes of conflict including poverty, disease, lack of water and food security and the lack of education. Other focuses were on the economic cost of conflict within a country and community as well as reconciliation process and how a community can move from peacemaking to peace building.
Among the many well credentialed speakers were:
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus who is the father of both social business and microcredit, the founder of Grameen Bank, and of more than 50 other companies in Bangladesh. For his constant innovation and enterprise, the Fortune Magazine named Professor Yunus in March 2012 as “one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time.”
Steve Killelea, an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace.
Jim Molan who since retiring from the Australian Army in July 2008 after 40 years service has been active in a wide range of community organistaions and joined the Australian Senate in 1018.
Dave McCleary .In October 2013 Dave was appointed by the Rotary Action Group, Worldwide Vice Chair Rotarians Against Child Slavery. Dave is the founder of the End Human Trafficking Now, Dave serves on Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) as the Chair “Deterring Traffickers and Buyer”. Business Engagement.
Taha Allam. Tara Allam is a science teaching student, and Together For Humanity Facilitator and role-model. Taha is a Muslim Lebanese Australian who has come a long way from his insular experience growing up in a monocultural community in Greenacre and Punchbowl.