2015 Celebration of Achievements
The end of each school year is a call for reflection. Many of us look back and reflect on the decisions we have taken and the projects we have either led or were a part of, and also celebrate our accomplishments. This year, S-CAR wanted not only to highlight the different events, conferences, and renowned speakers that came to share their knowledge with the community, but to also congratulate our students and alumni who made a difference in their respective communities in advancing the field of conflict resolution.
In order to demonstrate the diversity of our student body, this year showcased Master’s theses, PhD dissertations, special projects, and internship experiences. The idea behind this event was to help students present their achievements, lead discussions on topics that interested them, and receive feedback to help them move forward. The aim was to empower all levels of the S-CAR community to come together and exchange ideas, create connections, and look for inspiration. By building bridges between the undergraduate, Masters, and doctoral students, this event celebrated S-CAR as a community.
Through roundtable discussions and featured speakers, the participants had the chance to have in-depth conversations about their projects and lessons learned and to share their knowledge with the community and peers. In small groups, the participants were able to have meaningful discussions, expand on topics, and brainstorm on the implementation and values of specific concepts.
In addition to the student and faculty round-table presentations and discussions, S-CAR featured two speakers who are, in different ways, creatively advancing peace studies and using history and art as ways to understand conflict and transcend its devastating impact. Tatsushi Arai, S-CAR alumnus and 2015 Mason Alumnus of the Year, presented on the concept of conflict history to illustrate how contested historical narratives and meanings have an important impact of the development and transformation of intercommunal and international conflicts. Using a method of applied practice, he has facilitated dialogues and trainings and created workshops on psychoanalysis and memory in the contexts of U.S.-Afghan-Pakistan relations and the Taiwan Straits.
The second featured speaker was Michael Verdon, an undergraduate student enrolled in Art and Visual Technology with a minor in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. In search of ways to combine both degrees, Michael got involved in Burning Man - a concept based on community building and community healing. As a way to unite a society after a tragedy, Michael and his team, with the help of that particular community, have been the engineers of several temples. At their completion, these temples serve as a symbol of resilience and perseverance aiming to bring people together and create a space for reflection, moving forward, and healing. In addition to this, the community was also invited to bring items that represent their losses, pain, suffering, and struggle. And finally to complete the process, the temples were burned, which is to serve as a transformative way for the communities to start a new chapter and move on. His latest project, The Temple of Transformation, was recently exhibited at Mason's Fairfax Campus. Everybody was invited to bring mementos that symbolized remembrance, loss, fear, and forgiveness and all of these items were placed within the structure, which was floated out onto Mason Pond and set on fire on May 8, 2015 at 8:30pm.
The Celebration of Achievement event helped create a stronger bond and unity among all the participants. It also demonstrated the diversity in students and ways of practicing conflict resolution and peace studies. Now, let’s look forward and focus on next year’s achievements. We encourage you to reach out to us and keep us updated at [email protected].