As the world is burning in the fever of natural violence COVID 19, we are holding the Second International Conference on Peace and Conflict Resolution. COVID has claimed around one million and three hundred lives and continues to despair all countries in the world.
What is certain is that, under these hard conditions, the international system, the world community, and the Iranian society is in need of peace, tranquility and cooperation today more than ever. It is essential that everyone does everything they can for more scientists, experts, and thinkers get involved in politics and decision-making so that peace and patience is strengthened and violence and extremism is weakened. Peace and conflict resolution is as important as the existence of human being. All human activities and development is dependent upon peace and tranquility. Peace and security is the most basic and the primary need of human beings and its provision is a duty for any government. Without peace and the capability to conflict resolution, there is no positive and durable security. A successful society is the one that is able to take meaningful steps to provide durable peace and warm peaceful coexistence both internally and externally.
The University of Tehran believes the holding of the International Conference on Peace and Conflict Resolution is a humble step in this direction. The existential philosophy of the university lies in helping the talents to bloom so that the wise and brilliant people in the society are promoted to experts and elites who would direct the society towards development and resolve its issues in various areas. One of the problems and harms that is inflicted upon today’s society in all levels from family, school, and neighborhood to social institutions, governmental organizations, political parties and the administration is lack of tolerance and the low level of self-control and intolerance towards hearing others and resolution of disagreements. Issues should be managed and resolved because if they are not resolved or remained untouched they turn prolonged and lead to dissatisfaction in individual and collective levels. One of the responsibilities of university in this field is to develop the culture of tolerance, self-control and patience together with increasing the skills and techniques of dialogue, negotiation and conflict resolution.
After holding the first international conference on peace and conflict resolution in May 2019, the second international conference was planned for June 8, 9 of 2020, but the COVID 19 crisis led us to postpone it to November 23, 24 of 2020. The event was to be held with the participation of the presenters. However, the COVID 19 problem continued and therefore meetings, scientific gatherings and classes were either cancelled or were held online. The Second International Conference on Peace and Conflict Resolution will not be an exception. Therefore, the policymaking council of the conference decided that the event would be held as secluded, though in an online format. I appreciate the participation of all professors, researches, and interested individuals who helped us have a vibrant environment with sending us their abstracts. The majority of abstracts were eligible to be presented but time and schedule limits made us make choices among them, but we are still pleased that all abstracts are made available to the scientific community through the book of abstracts that you now have in your hand.
In the end I see it necessary to appreciate all who helped us in holding this event. The members of the scientific committee and the policymaking council, Dr. Rahimian the Research Dean of the University of Tehran, Dr. Ghahremani the Dean of the University of Tehran on International Affairs, Dr. Ameli and Dr. Samiee the former and present heads of the Faculty of World Studies, Dr. Noorbakhsh and Dr. Sadeedabadi the head of Alborz Campus of the University of Tehran, Dr. Ayoubi faculty member at University of Tehran and the head of the UNESCO National Commission, Dr. Sahrbaf the Dean of the World Studies Scientific Council, Dr. Karami the Dean of the Faculty of World Studies on Administrative Affairs, Ms. Jalalzadeh the Director of Public and International Affairs of the Faculty of World Studies, Mrs. Shafiee the Director of the Informatics Section of the Faculty of World Studies as well as two other collogues of mine who are engaged in the administrative affairs of the conference from the first day, Dr. Soltaninejad the Executive Director of the conference and Mr. Mirshahi our Associate. I thank all these dear individuals and wish them health and wellbeing.
A. A. Alikhani
The Head of the Secretariat and Scientific Secretary of the Conference