Thursday, June 20
7:45 pm
Cathedral of St. Matthew, 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.
An evening of discussion led by Virginie Ladisch regarding the process of building
peace in countries recently emerging from civil war. Virginie, a graduate from
Haverford College, was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for one year to
conduct independent research in South Africa and Guatemala. On her year abroad,
Virginie focused on cross-cultural approaches to reconciliation and dealing
with the past. Virginie will expose some of the main challenges facing countries
seeking to rebuild peace after long internal conflicts, with a particular focus
on the case of Guatemala. After 36 years of civil war, opposing factions in
Guatemala finally signed a UN-brokered peace accord in December 1996. The violence
was primarily ended but the challenges of building a lasting peace had just
begun. At present, Guatemalans are struggling to rebuild their country and to
find ways to foster reconciliation. This evening of discussion will highlight
some of the approaches taken to promote reconciliation and some of the core
components of this process. Contact: Susan Gunn at (202)667-4050 or s2gunn@yahoo.com.