In parts of the world where there are no embassies, religious leaders play an important role. It is with this in mind that the Leaders for Peace Foundation, at the instigation of Pope Francis, decided to collaborate on a joint program with the Pontifical Lateran University through its Itinerant School of Peace (EIP) project. This year, Leaders for Peace has strengthened important educational partnerships with the Pontifical Lateran University. In addition to offering training in Peace Studies, it trains seminarians who are actively engaged in countries plagued by violence and conflict. Given the crucial role of seminarians in peace processes, it is essential to raise their awareness of mediation and negotiation with armed groups. In this context, the Itinerant School of Peace project was launched in December 2022 at the Lateran, with the collaboration of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the University of Geneva, Sciences Po Paris, the Community of Sant’Egidio, and with the support of the French Embassy to the Holy See. During these two days of training, faculty and researchers from Sciences Po and the Department of Peace Studies at the Pontifical Lateran University (PUL), as well as members of the board of the Leaders for Peace Foundation, spoke to share their experiences and knowledge. The Itinerant School of Peace concluded with a roundtable discussion on interfaith dialogue and the role of religion in conflict resolution.
The various modules offered as part of the School addressed the following topics:
- Leadership. Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN, former Prime Minister and President of the Leaders for Peace Foundation;
- Major Contemporary Issues. Mr. Pierre VIMONT, Former French Ambassador to the United States and to the European Union, former Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Research Fellow at the Carnegie Europe Foundation;
- The Energy Transition: A Source of New Conflicts? Mr. Giuseppe CASALE, Professor in the Peace Studies Program at the Pontifical Lateran University;
- Negotiation in Peace Processes. Mr. Salvatore FARINA, Former Chief of Staff of the Italian Armed Forces;
- Benevolence in international relations. Mr. Frédéric RAMEL, Professor and Director of the Department of Political Science, and Ms. Elisabeth Decrey-Warner, Founder of Geneva Call, Research Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), and former President of the Parliament of the Republic and Canton of Geneva;
- Cultural diplomacy. Ms. Irina BOKOVA, International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Member of the High Committee for Human Fraternity, Former Director-General of UNESCO, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Former Ambassador of Bulgaria to France.