Peacemaking Seminars

Peacemaking, faith-based or even secular, is the most reasonable solution to humanity's differences. It can become a creative bond between people and elevate the human condition on a national and, eventually, global level.

The Washington Seminar Center (WSC) offers peacemaking seminars that include guest speakers with Christian, Islamic, or Jewish backgrounds from various organizations and local universities. All guest speakers are very active and well-known in the national and international peacemaking community. Visitors should select two topics and the guest speaker for the topic they are interested in.

After your reservations have been made, the Director will work with you to schedule a seminar that meets your needs. Please look at the Reservations page, before you contact us.

1. Peaceful Prevention of Deadly Conflict - Fee: $250

What can be done to prevent deadly conflict? What policies should the U.S. be pursuing to help prevent war between and within states? How can the U.S. work cooperatively within the international community to prevent rather than react to violent crisis?

• A Representative, Friends Committee on National Legislation
  

2. The Current Situation In Palestine/Israel — Causes and Remedies - Fee: 500

Explore the historical, ethnic, and religious causes of the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. This seminar will present the facts about the violence experienced by both sides in the conflict that has lasted half a century.

• Rabbi Gerald Serotta, Associate Rabbi of Temple Shalom

3. Conflict Transformation - Fee: None

Search for Common Ground is an international non-governmental organization whose mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict: away from adversarial approaches, toward cooperative solutions. Their "toolbox" includes mediation/facilitation training, community organizing, and the use of radio/tv, journalism, sports, drama and music to bring conflicting parties together. This presentation can be tailored to focus on a particular region (ex. the Middle East) or issue (working with youth in conflict).

• A representative of Search for Common Ground

4. A Conversation About Conflict - Fee: None

Developed by the international NGO Search for Common Ground, A Conversation About Conflict encourages participants to develop a new awareness of conflicts in our lives – how we currently respond to them, what they cost us, and alternative approaches which can be used to resolve them constructively.

• Carole Frampton, Outreach & Training Director of Search for Common Ground

Fees

Many seminars involve no fee while some may cost $250-500 (this translates into $10-25 per participant, depending on group size). If there is a fee involved it is directly payable to the individual or organization presenting the seminar.

Groups that are not staying overnight and would like us to arrange one of these seminars as a daytime event in the local community are charged an extra $200 for space use, payable to the Washington Seminar Center.

Please send an email to or contact the director at (202) 547-8118 to discuss your options and potential fees.