Vavuniya prepares to host APPRA 2024 Conference
Arrangements are in top gear in Vavuniya as the first major town south of the Jaffna Peninsula prepares to host the Asia Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) Conference 2024 in Sri Lanka for the first time in APPRA’s over 40-year history.
The Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) and the Harmony Centre of the University of Vavuniya (Sri Lanka) are jointly organising this conference in collaboration with The Gate Institute (UK) on “Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence for Sustaining Peace and Democracy” from 7-10 March 2024 at the University of Vavuniya in Sri Lanka.
This conference will bring together more than 250 participants, including prominent scholars, experts, civil society activists, human rights activists, and peace practitioners worldwide. It will be an excellent platform for inspiring discussion, engagement, and networking.
The convenor of the conference and the Director of The Harmony Centre of Vavuniya University, Mrs. Mathivathany Sasitharan, has completed all the arrangements for the successful conduct of this conference.
Local transport arrangements have been made to reach the conference venue from Colombo Airport for all who require it. Similarly, transport arrangements for conference participants to return to Colombo Airport after the conference have also been made.
The conference organising committee has now finalised the programme, which can be viewed at the following link: APPRA 2024 Conference Agenda
On the last day of the conference, after the conference, arrangements have been made to take interested participants for a local visit and sightseeing to the ancient and tourist places of Trincomalee District on March 10, 2024. Those who wish to participate in this sightseeing are requested to express their interest to the conference convenor, Mrs.Mathivathany Sasitharan.
A welcome dinner reception with cultural events on the first day, March 7, 2024, has also been planned. All registered participants will receive free entry to the event.
A small local produce market is organised to promote local products during the conference. Participants will get a chance to interact, buy, and visit local people who will come to showcase those things at the conference venue.
A bookstall will be set up for the participants to buy some books related to Sri Lanka at discounted prices.
Several workshops have also been arranged during the conference parallelly, including an Intercommunal Reconciliation Through Experiential Learning for the Directors of the Harmoney Centres of the Universities in Sri Lanka and a session on research publication for early-career researchers and Ph.D. scholars.
The APPRA conferences held in various countries since 1980 have greatly contributed to creating networks and collaborations among researchers, experts, practitioners, universities, and institutions in other countries, creating a peace research culture and instigating the desire among young researchers to engage in peace research.
