Universities as traditional spaces meant to foster inclusive, healthy, respectful, and responsible discourse and& debate are increasingly being challenged by deepening polarization due to conflicts in the Middle East; profoundly made worse by the eruption of conflict, violence, and massive loss of innocent life in Palestine, Israel, and now Lebanon.

The last year has seen an unprecedented rise of divisive tensions on campuses, further inflamed by amplifying influences of partisan politics and 24/7 media coverage. A result has been an increasing erosion of this tradition; an erosion that undermines the opportunity universities historically offer for promoting free speech and constructive, thoughtful consideration of both the dimensions of and solutions to the most critical socio-political issues of the day, particularly for those who will move on to be among decision-makers in the future.

Efforts to bolster nonviolence, justice, peace, and coexistence are promoted through engaging in a more proactive, inclusive sharing of perspectives – through dialogue fostering understanding and showcasing valuable difficult dialogue and conflict transformation skills in listening and being heard without undermining or canceling out each other’s experience.
This initiative is contributed to directly and in person by visiting Palestinian and Israeli speakers representing grassroots peacebuilding organizations – including joint Palestinian-Israeli organizations – actively involved in these efforts on the ground in the region, committed to a mutually just and beneficial 2-state solution.

The Importance of a Balanced Narrative
Current narratives on campuses increasingly present a biased perspective, whether anti-Palestine or anti-Israel, that undermines adequate focus on how to constructively support peace from both a Palestinian and an Israeli perspective needed to achieve actual concrete progress toward permanent resolution of the conflict and mutually beneficial, peaceful coexistence in the region.
The approach of PeaceWorks On Campus involves bringing pairs of Palestinian and Israeli speakers representing established grassroots peacebuilding organizations from the Middle East, including joint Palestinian-Israeli partnerships, to selected US campuses to present their experiences and lessons learned, and to help facilitate an inclusive, mutually respectful dialogue among students that helps in alleviating polarization, and encouraging increased understanding and potential cooperation toward ending the conflict and violence.

An important feature is moving toward including and empowering student leadership in planning and decision making for on-going PeaceWorks activities on their campuses throughout the school year and beyond.

Selected speakers from a list of 11 Palestinian and Israeli Peacebuilding Activists spend a full day on campus engaged with students and faculty. 

* Events are intended for MSU students only and not open to the public.

Location: James Madison College, 332 Case Hall
Time:        9:30 am to 5:30 pm: Meetings available to schedule with speakers throughout the day

                       to accommodate class schedules for students, faculty, and staff
                     9:30-10:30: Breakfast meeting with speakers for Faculty
                     11:30-1:30: Lunch meeting with speakers for Students