UWTSD hosts Human Rights, Good Governance and Social Justice Conference

25 April 2023

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) welcomed Liliana Salamanca, a political scientist experienced in human rights, IHL, Armed Conflict in Columbia and Peacebuilding, to its Human Rights, Good Governance and Social Justice Conference at its Swansea campus.

The event, which was opened by UWTSD Pro-Vice Chancellor Iestyn Davies, brought together the directors of the UWTSD Research Institutes/UNESCO initiatives (Global Humanity for Peace Institute; Harmony Institute; Global Futures Institute and UNESCO Bridges Hub) to discuss research collaboration.

The meeting explored practices and mechanisms to foster collective healing in post-conflict situations; with the work of the Colombian Truth Commission and the work undertaken in the UWTSD UNESCO project “Empowering Youth-led Racial Healing for Community Transformation and Systemic Equity,” led by Scherto Gill at its centre.

The aim was to enrich the focus on governance and human rights through humanities perspectives that focus on animal welfare, the relationship of harmony and wellbeing or the role of spirituality in the search for future wellbeing.

Dr Thomas Jansen, Academic Director Humanities and Social Sciences (interim), said: “The conference speakers highlighted the important role that recognition of victims’ experiences, dialogue between groups of victims and perpetrators, and the construction of a shared memory played in the work of the Truth Commission and for reconciliation in Colombia.”