(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University)
The ALA IRC (International Relations Committee’s) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Subcommittee presents “Libraries as Builders of Peace: Fostering Understanding through Access, Dialogue, and Knowledge”. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, December 10, at 11:00 AM CDT. December 10 is Human Rights Day.
Description
Libraries contribute to building a more peaceful world by fostering learning, understanding, and connection. As Peter Johan Lor has written, libraries are not only repositories of knowledge but active agents for peace and justice—places where access to information, dialogue, and inclusion help people understand one another and address the roots of conflict. In an era of complex global interdependence, libraries occupy a critical position at the intersection of knowledge, participation, and equity. By advancing transparency, accountability, and civic engagement, libraries strengthen the social infrastructure necessary for peace and sustainable development. They serve as inclusive spaces where diverse communities can encounter differing perspectives, deliberate on shared concerns, and co-create pathways toward mutual understanding.
This program considers how libraries can contribute to peacebuilding through multisectoral and multilateral collaboration, connecting cultural, educational, and policy domains in support of human rights, social justice, and access to information. Participants will explore practical and theoretical approaches through which libraries may nurture empathy, foster resilience, and promote the collective capacities essential for a more just and harmonious world.
Speakers
- Nancy Weiss, Former First General Counsel of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Currently, Senior Policy Fellow in the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property at American University’s Washington College of Law
- Clara M. Chu, Director and Mortenson Distinguished Professor, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library
- Elena Marmo. Head of Advocacy & Campaigns, TAP Network Transparency, Accountability and Participation for the 2030 Agenda
- Veronica Sabbag, Founder, United Voices 4 Peace
- Skye Patrick, Ph.D., County Librarian & Director, LA County Library
- Moderator: Loida Garcia-Febo, Chair ALA IRC UN SDG Subcommittee, ALA President 2018-2019, International Library Consultant
Please register here. The American Library Association appreciates support from the Association of Research Libraries.