Lander University recently hosted the Sixth Annual Peace Studies Conference co-sponsored by the university and the Greenwood Chapter of People to People International (PTPI). The theme of the two-day conference was "Peace of Mind."
Dr. Daniel Pardieck, associate professor of Environmental Geology and a coordinator of the conference, told the opening session, "Peace is not possible without peace in one's mind." He noted that, like previous conferences, this one was being held against a backdrop of international tensions, referring to upheaval in the Ukraine and Crimea.
Connie Edwards, president of the Greenwood PTPI chapter, expressed her gratitude to Pardieck and Lander for their support of the conference.
The keynote speaker was Paul Sutherland, co-founder of the Children of the World Foundation, and founder and chair of the Utopia Foundation. He is also the creator and organizer for TEDxTraverse City, part of the internationally acclaimed TEDx speakers program. His topic was "Peace and Virtue." He also led a workshop on global perspectives on financial and cultural literacy.
There were several sessions featuring faculty members from Lander and other colleges and schools.
One of the conference attendees was Eileen Purkeypile, coordinator of membership services for the national PTPI, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.