You are cordially invited to join Austin Community College District (ACC) for the 10th Annual Spring Symposium! This year’s program — “What’s Peace Got to Do With It?: Transforming Conflicts in Your Relationships, Career, and Community” — is particularly powerful because each talk, panel, and conversation is set to intellectually stimulate and offer practical skills for dealing with conflicts in transformative ways. 

Date: Friday, April 19 
Time: 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Location: Highland Campus, Presentation Hall (2.1550)
REGISTER HERE

This symposium is not just an event; it’s a movement toward integrating peace and conflict transformation into every aspect of our lives. The event helps enhance personal relationships, elevate careers, and contribute to community transformation.

This event is free and open to the community. The symposium is sponsored by ACC’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies in collaboration with the Arts and Digital Media Division, including the Dance, Music, and Art departments and The Art Galleries. 

Highlights

  • Celebrate ACC’s Peace and Conflict Center’s journey and set the stage for a day of transformative discussions.
  • Keynote by George A. Lopez, Ph.D., a renowned figure in peace studies. Dr. Lopez, Professor Emeritus at the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame, brings a wealth of knowledge from his groundbreaking work in peace education and conflict transformation around the globe.
  • Dive into “Peace in Your Relationships,” a panel discussion unveiling the intricacies of peace at an interpersonal level.
  • Tour the juried art exhibit and experience the intersection of art, conflict transformation, and peace with ACC’s The Art Galleries (TAG) and see the top awardees of our annual art competition.
  • “In Conversation: Transforming Conflicts in Your Career” – a conversation on adopting peace practices in your work or breaking into the field of conflict transformation.
  • Engage with the arts during our performances, showcasing ACC’s Dance and Music talents.
  • “What Does Global Peace Have to Do With Your Community?” is a panel that connects global peace with local initiatives.

Bonus Event for Faculty

This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. George Lopez, will host a talk with faculty from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Thursday, April 18, at ACC Rio Grande Campus, Multimedia Room 1103. Dr. Lopez will define the role of peace studies and conflict studies across the curriculum and offer ideas about adding a Peace and Conflict Studies lens to existing course objectives across the academic and workforce disciplines. Faculty will have an opportunity to engage in Q&A and discussions. REGISTER HERE.