Core concerns of the Centre
Background
On the night of 14 November 1940 over 4000 firebombs were dropped by German aeroplanes on Coventry, killing hundreds, devastating large parts of the city, and destroying the medieval cathedral in the heart of the city. The Provost of the cathedral urged people to banish all thought of revenge. A new cathedral was subsequently built and dedicated to the pursuit of reconciliation.
In this same spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation the city was twinned with other devastated and 'martyred' cities throughout the world - including Dresden, Hiroshima, Stalingrad, Warsaw, Lidice and Caen. So Coventry's global reputation as a city dedicated to reconciliation and peace has grown.
In the light of this history and mission, it was fitting that Coventry University, committed as it is to the advancement of international understanding, should establish an academic centre for the study of peace, reconciliation and forgiveness.
Sustainable peace
It is estimated that over 130 million people perished during the last century of the old millennium. Our world is still plagued by violent conflict, barbarism, hatred and intolerance. For the sake of future generations we have to believe in the possibility of a world without war, and it is the mission of this centre to pursue this vision through its academic and related activities.
At the heart of any sustainable peace is the condition and process of reconciliation : the restoration of wholeness. There are structural conditions that can promote reconciliation, but integral to the process is that element of compassion, charity, mercy - forgiveness: the capacity to let go of the hatred and hurt of the past and begin to envision common futures.
Questions of life and death
How do we move beyond cycles of hatred and violence in conflict situations? How can we build community out of division and distrust after a formal peace settlement has been agreed? What is the role of forgiveness in such processes? What do we mean by reconciliation? Is reconciliation compatible with justice?
These are some of the questions with which people living with conflict throughout the world have to grapple. They are also the issues that inform the work of the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University.
Mission
To be a centre of research, teaching and related activities which will contribute to the deeper understanding and promotion of processes of peace and reconciliation throughout the world.
It is intended that the fruits of the work carried out at the Centre will empower those at the grass-roots, national and international levels who are striving to transform violent conflict situations by nonviolent means and lay the foundations for peace and reconciliation between the parties to conflict.
A basic premise informing the work at the Centre is that within the context of struggles to achieve peace and reconciliation at whatever level, the transformative power of nonviolence in such processes is not only under-estimated but also under-researched.
Resources on Conflict Transformation
To learn more about conflict resolution, you may be interested in the rich resources available at the following URL:
http://www.crnhq.org/
It is the homepage of the Conflict Resolution Network, which offers books, trainers' manuals, audio and video tapes, CD ROMs, and posters in Conflict Resolution and related communication skills. Another large and useful resource site, based in the University of Colorado, is
http://www.beyondintractability.org/
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