The first-ever APPRA conference on AI and Peace concludes magnificently in Sri Lanka

The Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) and the Harmony Centre of the University of Vavuniya (Sri Lanka) jointly organised the Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) Conference 2024 in a grand and glittering manner in collaboration with The Gate Institute (UK) on “Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence for Sustaining Peace and Democracy” from 7 to 10 March 2024 at the University of Vavuniya in Sri Lanka.

More than 200 researchers and academics participated in this conference, and over 80 research papers were presented. Over 50 researchers from 30 countries participated in the conference.

APPRA 2024 was the first international conference to examine how AI and the latest digital technologies can contribute to democracy, human rights, good governance, and peace, which enabled the reciprocation of experiences between experts in the interdisciplinary fields of international relations, conflict resolution, development, anthropology, media and communication, global security, information technology, and computer science.

Professor. T. Mangaleswaran, Vice-Chancellor of Vavuniya University, Sri Lanka, Professor. Kelli Te Maiharoa (New Zealand), Co-Secretary General, Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA), Asst. Professor. Rajib Timalsina (Nepal), Co-Secretary General of Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) and Dr Senthan Selvarajah ( UK/Sri Lanka), CEO of The Gate Institute, UK, served as co-chairs of this conference. Mrs. Mathivathany Sasitharan, Director, Harmoney Centre, University of Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, served as Convenor of the conference.

Inaugural day

Professor Matt Mayer, Co-Secretary General of the International Peace Research Association and Senior Research Scholar of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst’s Resistance Studies Initiative, USA, attended as the chief guest of this conference, which started with traditional cultural events of Vavuniya University students.

Professor. (Mrs) GAS. Ginigaddara, The Vice Chancellor of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Special Guest and Dr M.Malaravan, Consultant Eye Surgeon, Teaching Hospital, Jaffna, participated as Guest of Honor in the first-day conference.

Following the cultural events, conference co-chairs Professor. T Mangaleswaran, Associate Professor. Kelli Te Maiharoa, Asst. Rajib Timalsina, Dr Senthan Selvarajah, and convenor Ms Mathivathany Sasitharan delivered their inaugural addresses.

Dr M. Arumugam, Chairman of the Startup Committee at Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation, delivered the keynote speech for the first day on the topic ‘Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurship: Implications for Peace’.

Two-panel discussions were held on the first day. Dr Jehan Perera, Executive Director of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, Professor N. Selvakumaran, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and Member of the Public Service Commission of Sri Lanka and Dr R.Ramesh, senior lecturer in Political Science at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka participated in the panel discussion on ‘Building Pathways for Peace and Sustainability’ chaired by Professor. Aslam Khan, Mahatma Gandhi Central University. Liu Cheng, Professor at the School of History of Nanjing University, China; Kelli Te Maiharoa, Associate Professor at Otago University, New Zealand, and Co-SG of the Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) and Dr Micahel Liga Liga, David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding at Brigham Young University, Hawaii, USA, participated in the panel discussion on ‘Indigenous Peace Research Perspectives for Culture of Peace in Asia-Pacific’ chaired by Professor T Jayasingam, former Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka.

Professor Emeritus Roy Tamashiro, Webster University, USA- Smart Lecture Hall, Faculty of Applied Science, UOV, also led a workshop on ‘Early-career Scholars: Ideas on Writing and Publications’ on the first day of the conference.

Researchers presented their papers in the Parallel Technical Sessions on the following topics: Digital Technology for Change and Development in the Global South, Climate Justice and Sustainability Issues, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Pathways for Peace and Justice, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology and Innovations, Technology and Peacebuilding.

A grand cultural night and dinner were held at Hotel Oviya, Vavuniya, from 7 pm to 11 pm. The event featured various events reflecting the culture of the Vanni region and highlighting the arts of the underprivileged, indigenous and the disappearing arts. These events attracted a lot of attention and appreciation from the audience.

For the conference participants, a market showcasing local produce was organized in the university compound. A book stall was also set up to sell local books at a discounted rate.

Second Day

The second day of the conference started with cultural events by the students of the University of Vavuniya. Professor. Roy Tamashiro, Webster University, USA, attended as a Special Guest on the conference’s second day. Maria Teresa Muñoz, Co-SG, International Peace Research Association (IPRA), Argentina, Professor V Kanagasingam, Vice Chancellor, The Eastern University of Sri Lanka and Professor. Linda Groff, Director, Global Options & Evolutionary Futures Consulting and Emeritus Professor, Calif. State University, California, USA, graced the occasion as Guests of Honour.

A special event on the second day morning was a tribute to Professor Johan Galtung, one of the founders of the International Peace Research Association and known as the father of peace and conflict studies, who died on 17 February 2024, aged 93, chaired by Professor Matt Mayer, Co-Secretary General of the International Peace Research Association and Senior Research Scholar of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst’s Resistance Studies Initiative, USA.

Professor Tatsushi Arai, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, School of Peace and Conflict Studies (SPCS), Kent State University (KSU), Ohio, USA, delivered the keynote address for the second day on the topic ‘Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence for Sustaining Peace and Democracy’.

The second day’s panel discussion was on ‘Artificial Intelligence for Sustaining Peace and Democracy’. Dr M. Arumugam, Chairman of the Startup Committee at Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation, Professor. Linda Groff, Director of Global Options & Evolutionary Futures Consulting and Mr Kishoth Navaretnarajah, Co-Founder and Programme Strategist, DreamSpace Acedamy, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, participated in this panel discussion, presided by Dr. Kelli Te Maiharoa, Associate Professor at Otago University, New Zealand, and Co-SG of the Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA).

Two workshops were held in the afternoon of the second day. Professor Tatsushi Arai, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, School of Peace and Conflict Studies (SPCS), Kent State University (KSU), Ohio, USA, conducted a workshop entitled’ Intercommunal Reconciliation through Experiential Learning’. Directors and staff of Harmony Centers of Sri Lankan Universities who were specially invited participated in this workshop. Dr. Wim Laven, Cuyahoga Community College, USA, conducted another workshop on ‘Forgiveness and Reconciliation in the 21st Century’.

Meanwhile, parallel technical sessions were held on the following topics: Cooperation and Harmony in the Asia-Pacific, Peace Education for Peace, Peace and Security in a Changing World Order, and Social Media and Journalism for Sustaining Peace.

Third-Day

Professor Premakumara De Silva, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the SRCs, University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka, participated as the Special Guest Speech on the second day of the conference, which started with the cultural events of the students of Vavuniya University.

Professor Manjushri Sharma, Symbiosis College of Arts & Commerce, Pune, Maharashtra, India, and Professor Liu Cheng, School of History of Nanjing University, China, attended as Guests of Honor.

Emeritus Professor S. Pathmanathan, Chancellor of the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, delivered the keynote speech on ‘History and Coexistence in Sri Lanka’.

Dr. Micahel Liga Liga, David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding, Brigham Young University, Hawaii, USA, chaired a panel discussion on ‘Advancing Peace Research and Education: Challenges faced and lessons learned’. Professor. Maria Teresa Muñoz, Co-SG of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA), Professor. Shanti Nandana Wijesinghe, Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Dr. Bahirathy Rasanen, Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Jaffna and Dr Stella Micheong Cheong, South Korea/UK, participated in the discussion.

In the afternoon, an exploratory session on ‘Establishing an Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka’ was held. In this session, https://www.give.community/, a transnational collaborative networking hub between researchers, professionals, experts, entrepreneurs, and investors to foster an Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (IEE) in war-affected and underdeveloped areas of Sri Lanka, developed by The Gate Institute was unveiled. Mr Jeyaraj Kulasekaram, a board member and Co-founder of the Gate Institute, UK, Ms Mathangie, a board member of the Gate Institute, UK and Coordinator of GIVE Hub, and Mr. Yadurshan Manoharan, a Co-founder of Upview Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka participated in this session moderated by Dr.Senthan Selvarajah, CEO of The Gate Institute, UK.

The three-day conference ended at 6 p.m. The next day, the conference participants were taken to the ancient and tourist attractions of Trincomalee District for sightseeing.