THE SENATOR GEORGE J. MITCHELL INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL PEACE, SECURITY AND JUSTICE SPRING FESTIVAL OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME 2017 WELCOME THE SENATOR GEORGE FROM THE DIRECTOR J. MITCHELL INSTITUTE Welcome to the Senator George J. Mitchell our events this year focuses on diversity and FOR GLOBAL PEACE, Institute’s Spring Festival of events in Conflict the tensions between social inclusion and Transformation which is now in its fifth year and exclusion in a world that seems increasingly SECURITY AND JUSTICE is continuing to grow. to veer towards the latter. As our screening of a documentary on young people of diverse This year’s programme includes a combination ethnic backgrounds in post-conflict Balkans of politics, art, literature, film and documentary puts it, ‘Will you say hi to me on the bus?’ in formats ranging from debate and panel Meanwhile, our examination of Muslim and discussion to public lecture, conversation Loyalist accounts of World War One shows how and workshop. The Festival has never been exploration of ‘forgotten’ pasts can sometimes The Institute is delighted to have President averse to including challenging topics and reveal ‘undiscovered’ contexts of shared Halonen deliver the fifth Harri Holkeri Lecture this year is no exception. But perhaps more belonging. entitled, ‘Reflections on Women and Peace- than ever before we invite debate around a building’. series of timely, topical and testing issues. As in previous years our Festival draws Why do ordinary people kill? Does terrorism inspiration from the goals and aspirations Whether you are a returning regular or work? How do we respond to radicalisation in for peace-building of the late Finnish Prime attending the Festival for the first time, we daily life? We also invite you inside ‘Trump’s Minister, Harri Holkeri, whose contributions to greatly look forward to welcoming you to White House’ with Niall Stanage, political arms decommissioning and the Irish peace the events outlined above and described journalist and Associate Editor of The Hill, who process we mark each year by hosting a inside. A key purpose of the Festival is to offers an insider’s insight into Donald Trump’s lecture in his honour. Together with General generate debate and we hope that you will Presidential campaign and the events and John de Chastelain and Senator George J. find something in Festival 2017 to interest, decisions that followed its success. Mitchell – who in June 2016 formally launched stimulate and engage. the Institute that now bears his name – Harri In conversation with ground-breaking artist Holkeri brokered the talks that resulted in the Rita Duffy RUA, we learn how art can heal and Good Friday Agreement. In 2017 we celebrate pave the way for reconciliation, while elsewhere Holkeri’s contribution by hosting President Tarja in the festival programme we look at how the Halonen, who for twelve years was President of A GATEWAY TO power of the visual engages pressing current Finland and who, since retiring from this role concerns around racism, populism and the in 2012, has worked ceaselessly to promote Professor Hastings Donnan FBA INTERDISCIPLINARY migrant crisis. A strong theme underpinning human rights, democracy and civil society. Institute Director RESEARCH 2 3 WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL THURSDAY 27 APRIL RADICALISATION AND INSIDE TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE FREEDOM OF RELIGION NIALL STANAGE, ASSOCIATE ON CAMPUS AND IN EDITOR OF THE AMERICAN THE COMMUNITY POLITICAL NEWSPAPER, THE HILL Panel discussion with halal lunch Wednesday 26 April, 12 noon - 1.30pm, Lecture and Discussion Old Staff Common Room Thursday 27 April, 6.30 - 8.00pm, Halal lunch from 12 noon, discussion to start 12.30pm Peter Froggatt Centre, PFC/0G/007 In March 2017, the Court of Justice of the Kristin Aune is Senior Research Fellow at the Zaheer Kazmi, Research Fellow at the Mitchell Chaired by Barry Turley European Union ruled that employers could Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Institute, researches the relationship between ban staff from wearing religious and political Coventry University. Her book Religion Islam and liberalism and the impact of symbols. This ruling highlights how fears of and Higher Education in Europe and North counter-terrorism policies on contemporary Niall Stanage is White House columnist author of Redemption Song, a critically- religious radicalisation and threats to religious America (Routledge 2017) explores the Muslim politics and culture. for The Hill, the nonpartisan political acclaimed Irish bestseller about Barack freedom are common across Europe. The role of universities in monitoring religious newspaper and website based in Washington, Obama’s 2008 quest for the White House. discussion will explore factors that contribute fundamentalism and freedom of speech on Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner for D.C. A native of Belfast, Niall has lived to radicalisation, as well as how people campus. the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, in the United States since 2003. He has Niall was educated at Methodist experience limitations on religious freedom. served 15 years as the CEO of the Northern covered four presidential elections and College, Belfast and Oxford University. It will consider the UK’s ‘Prevent’ strategy Moustafa Faheem, President of the Queen’s Ireland Council for Integrated Education and is is a frequent TV commentator on both He lives in Washington, D.C. and key issues related to radicalisation and University Islamic Society, is a Computer a member of the Queen’s University Senate. sides of the Atlantic, most commonly religious freedom in Northern Ireland. Science student, originally from Egypt, who for MSNBC, Sky News and the BBC. How do I book? has been living in Northern Ireland for eight Book your place on Eventbrite: Panellists include years. Niall wrote extensively about the 2016 Please follow this link for Eventbrite: http://go.qub.ac.uk/Radicalisation-and- presidential election between Donald Trump Thelfa Ahmad, a student in Electrical Gladys Ganiel is a Research Fellow at the Freedom and Hillary Clinton, reporting first-hand https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inside- Engineering at Queen’s University who has Mitchell Institute. Her research focuses from the first caucuses in Iowa, through the the-trump-white-house-with-niall-stanage- been living in Belfast for twenty years since on religion and conflict transformation in party conventions and presidential debates, associate-editor-the-hill-tickets-33270697552 leaving Iraq. Northern Ireland. and onto Election Day itself. He is also the 4 5 Panel discussion and wine reception TUESDAY 2 MAY WEDNESDAY 3 MAY Wednesday 3 May, 6.00pm - 7.30pm, Council Chamber/Canada Room Reception from 6.00pm, THE PAST IN THE PRESENT: THE BORDER THROUGH TIME discussion starts 6.30pm EXAMINING THE ROLE OF PERSONAL TESTIMONY FROM CONFLICT Panel discussion and lunch Tuesday 2 May, 1.30pm - 4.00pm, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Titanic Quarter Lunch from 1.30pm, discussion to start 2.00pm © Getty Individual stories from conflict make a major To register or reserve your place, contribution to understanding the ‘other’ Please contact Cahal McLaughlin and offer new ways of thinking beyond the [email protected] The Irish border has been a source of Garrett Carr, author of The Rule of the Land: traditional narratives of sectarianism. Using inspiration for fiction, non-fiction, art and Walking Ireland’s Border the Prisons Memory Archive as context, the photography. It is a site for multiple and Brian McGilloway, author of the Inspector panel examines the role of personal testimony. varied writing and research projects seeking Devlin series set in Tyrone/Donegal Each panel member reflects through their to understand the everyday lives of border borderlands own unique lens on the challenges and dwellers, activists, peacemakers, paramilitaries Lorraine Dennis, Prisons Memory Archive opportunities personal testimony brings. and smugglers. It is a border that runs through Anthony Haughey, Dublin Institute of areas of natural beauty – undulating hills, Technology In addition to other speakers, wetlands, lakes and rivers – that continues to Aisling O Beirne, Ulster University panellists will include shape people’s engagement with a divided Katy Hayward, Mitchell Institute Joanna McMinn, Prisons Memory Archive island. Soon, with Brexit, this border will Ulrike Vieten, Mitchell Institute – Kate Turner, Healing Through Remembering become an EU frontier changing once more Wesley Geddis, Public Records Office NI in form and function. To register or reserve your place, Please contact Fiona Murphy The panel will consider representations of the [email protected] border through time. Our speakers include: 6 7 Increasing numbers of visual artists of different FRIDAY 5 MAY national backgrounds have commented on the THURSDAY 4 MAY rise of populist politics, nationalism and anti- migrant sentiments in Europe. Some of this BECOMING EVIL: HOW ART, work has been shown in travelling exhibitions and in museums. Examining a selection ORDINARY PEOPLE COMMIT POPULISM, of works by Pavel Sterec, Michal Moravčik, Csaba Nemes, Ai Weiwei and others, Maruška RACISM AND Svašek (Mitchell Institute) will scrutinise the GENOCIDE AND MASS KILLING underlying ideas, arguments and related controversies. The collections are currently JAMES WALLER THE MIGRANT on display in Prague and the talk will also consider how the works have been framed, received and criticised in the Czech Republic. Talk, with lunch CRISIS Thursday 4 May, 12 noon to 2.00pm, To register or reserve your place, Senate Room An illustrated reflection, please contact Maruška Svašek refreshments provided [email protected] Friday 5 May, 1.00pm - 2.00pm, Senate Room While the mechanics and structures of James Waller is Cohen Professor of Holocaust genocide are most often a focus of study, at its and Genocide Studies at Keene State heart, genocide happens because individual College in New Hampshire and Visiting humans choose to kill other individual humans Research Professor at the Mitchell Institute. in large numbers and over an extended period He is Director of Academic Programs of time.