First Peacebuilding Through Education International Conference To Be Hosted In New York City

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, The Fountain Magazine in collaboration with the Peace Islands Institute is hosting the first Peacebuilding Through Education International Conference in New York City. The one-day event, held at The TimesCenter, will explore how education, at the primary and secondary school level, can serve as an effective and sustainable tool in promoting peace and resolving conflicts, both in and out of the classroom. The speakers at this year's conference will also highlight successful instances of using education to build peace in conflict-stricken regions of the world that have been the scene of recent bloodshed.

"The Peacebuilding Through Education International Conference is rooted in the fundamental idea that focusing on educating our youth will increase intercultural tolerance and build a more peaceful society," said Y. Alp Aslandogan, President of the Alliance for Shared Values, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community service, education and interfaith understanding to elevate humanity and bring greater peace. "As we live in a society that is increasingly global in nature, focusing on education is essential to a peaceful coexistence between people of different cultures and religious faiths. In a time of violence and unrest abroad, it is important that we focus on these issues and remind ourselves of the power of understanding, tolerance and compassion."

Y. Alp Aslandogan is one of eleven scheduled speakers at the conference. A diverse group of international speakers and panels will discuss topics including: peacebuilding through education, mobilizing civil society for peacebuilding, principles and methodologies in peace education and peace as a shared ideal.

The Peacebuilding Through Education International Conference is the latest in a series of conferences held by The Fountain Magazine around the globe – in diverse locales such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia – all promoting the importance of peaceful coexistence and the need for open dialogue in our global society.

Global leaders in education in attendance include: Ghulam Farooq Wardak, Minister of Education, Afghanistan; Armin Altamirano Luistro, Minister of Education, Philippines; Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa, Minister of Education, Tanzania; Rochelle Hendricks, Secretary of Higher Education, New Jersey; Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan, President of the Alliance for Shared Values; Hilary Cremin, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, University of Cambridge; David Perlmutter, Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Iowa. The Fountain Magazine and Peace Islands Institute partnered with educational institutions such as Yale University, New York Institute for Technology, Baruch College and Quinnipiac University for this conference.

In conjunction with the conference, The Fountain Magazine also launched a photography competition, "Peace in a Frame" which included entries from around the world.  The winning photos/photographers were selected on September 15 and will be displayed at The TimesCenter during the conference.

The conference will conclude with an awards ceremony to recognize three organizations that exhibited best practices in promoting peace through education and whose work displayed a commitment to fostering peace throughout the world. The following institutions will be honored for their unique work: Search for a Common Ground, Washington, DC; The Filipino–Turkish Tolerance School (FTTS), Zamboanga, The Philippines; and PLURAL+ Video Festival, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

For more information about the Peacebuilding Through Education International Conference, please visit: www.fountainconferences.org/

For more information about the "Peace in a Frame" photo competition, please visit: http://www.peaceinaframe.com/

About Alliance for Shared Values

The Alliance for Shared Values, is a non-profit umbrella organization serving as a centralized collaboration platform and a unified voice for its member dialogue and cultural organizations in the United States. The Alliance is composed of a diverse set of organizations dedicated to promoting philanthropy, community service, intercultural and interfaith understanding to elevate humanity and bring greater peace. The Alliance for Shared Values works to promote projects and initiatives for community enrichment by facilitating networking, the sharing of best practices and augmenting local resources of its member or partner organizations.

SOURCE Alliance for Shared Values