The Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution will hold a festival throughout October
An interactive festival is set to be held to encourage communities across the world to come together.
This year, Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR) has embraced the chance to turn a challenge into a positive opportunity by holding a month-long, all-digital festival of free events in place of its annual conference.
The centre, a hub for conflict resolution in Scotland, is inviting people to attend its International Conference, Connections and bridging the divide, which is in response to the growing need for connection, kindness, understanding and compassion now more than ever before.
Throughout October, the SCCR will bring together speakers, film makers, writers and artists from around the world who will talk from their heart and experience, combined with the opportunity to engage in interactive workshops and the arts.
The programme includes events hosted by world-renowned special guests live from Canada, America and Australia for a truly international and inclusive experience.
On 1 October, the SCCR will kickstart the exciting line-up of online events with a bang. The conference will be launched with a private film screening of BAFTA Scotland Award-winning Nae Pasaran. This will be followed by an exclusive Q&A with the documentary’s creator Felipe Bustos Sierra, of Glasgow-based production company Debasers, for an in-depth exploration of the film’s powerful story of solidarity and hope.
And to mark World Homeless Day next month, the SCCR has invited individuals from organisations who are dedicated to ending youth homelessness; Cyrenians, Rock Trust, A Way Home Scotland and A Way Home Canada, to form a discussion panel for the The past, the present and the future webinar.
As October is a significant month in the third sector calendar, there will also be events throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, including an energetic webinar with Dr Akeem Sule, the co-founder of Hip-Hop Psych, in collaboration with Thrive Edinburgh: World Mental Health Day Virtual Festival.
Later in the month, founder of the internationally-popular online resource Hey Sigmund and author Karen Young will offer her wealth of expertise in her Strengthening the Relationship Between You and Your Teen online webinar from her home in Australia.
These are just a few of the events from the diverse programme that explores themes such as relationships, mediation and developing practices, the teenage years and neuroscience, trauma, and the arts.
This year, the SCCR recognised the need for insightful, interactive and free online events and, since their inception in 2014, continue to strive to deliver conflict resolution, improving-relationships and wellbeing-focused digital resources.
Diane Marr, senior network manager for Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution, said: “At the Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution, we understand the importance of connection. Due to the challenges everyone has experienced this year, we felt it was more important than ever to bring people together – which is why we are going digital for our annual conference.
“We are delighted that we will be joined by so many inspirational speakers, artists and writers from around the world. Our International Conference is set to be an exciting month full of free and uplifting events – we hope to see you there!”
Browse and register for all of the SCCR’s free International Conference events on the website.
