The Faculty of Graduate Studies in Arab American University and among the Master in Conflict Resolution Program has organized a seminar about the Good Friday Agreement and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. The seminar that was through Zoom hosted Professor Gary Mason- Lecturer at Emory University in Florida, and researcher at Maynooth University in Ireland.
Dr. Dalal Iriqat- the VP for International Relations held this online seminar that came as part of the course Comparative Studies in Negotiating Processes and Peace-building around the World, and focused on the Irish experiment in conflict resolution and peace process.
Professor Mason presented a quick overview about the history of the conflict and then talked about the peace process that led to the Good Friday Agreement. The seminar was organized mainly to connect the Irish experiment with the conflict resolution field and try to reflect the concepts, terms and theories on this new scientific field through a comparative study between the Irish and Palestinian cases. The discussion focused on the concepts, terminologies and theories on resolving, managing and transforming conflicts, and on using conflict resolution tools such as negotiations, mediation and the role of the third party.
The seminar also discussed Belfast Agreement or the Good Friday Agreement that was on 1998, and Dr. Mason talked about the data, details and the political parties’ roles to reach to this agreement.
The Seminar also focused on the role of the civil society, the businessmen and clergy, women, the families of the martyrs and the prisoners, and the importance of each role in achieving conflict resolution.
Arab American University always seeks to organize such symposiums and educational seminars as the university adopts the creative educational techniques to encourage critical thinking and analysis and to enhance the knowledge, skills and capabilities of its students by learning directly from the experiences of others not only from the books and the articles.
Questions were raised and everyone expressed their perspective and their analysis which enhanced the skills and knowledge of the Conflict Resolution master program students especially under the current circumstances of political settlement and cease-fire negotiations.