The second conference on "The Role of Academic Institutions in the Afghanistan Peace Process" was held for the Western Zone

In the second conference on "The Role of Academic Institutions in the Afghanistan Peace Process" which was held through video conference at the State Ministry for Peace, presidents and professors of universities and representatives of study and research institutions in the western part of the country announced their readiness to support the peace process. They said that they will cooperate with the State Ministry for Peace in this process.

In the beginning, Abdul Khaliq Balakarzai, Deputy Minister for Coordination of Tribes in the State Ministry for Peace, thanked the participants and said that all sections of society, especially academic institutions, need to contribute to the effectiveness of the peace process. Pointing to the importance of the role of academic institutions in the peace process, he said that academic figures can be active in creating a mindset for peace-seeking, given their impact on the younger generation.

Noting that peace is a complex and time-consuming process, he said that all people should be consulted and that the State Ministry for Peace will facilitate this process.

On the other hand, Ghulam Yahya Hazem, General Director of Policies and Programs at the State Ministry for Peace, expressed his gratitude to the professors and deans of universities and representatives of study and research institutions present at the conference, saying that the State Ministry for Peace is working to establish a unified umbrella of cooperation with academic institutions to work together for peace.

Expressing that academic institutions are the body of civil society, he said that academic institutions have always played a role in creating social peace, and global experience shows that this role can also be important and significant in creating political peace.

He added that efforts are being made to establish a communication mechanism and continue consultative meetings between the State Ministry for Peace and academic institutions, to provide the necessary cooperation for academic institutions so that universities can play an effective role in this process and also use their capacities to provide technical support to the negotiating team.

Then, the participants of this conference presented their views and perspectives on the peace process. They considered the role of academic institutions in promoting a culture of peace and peace-building important and said that the experience and knowledge of academic institutions should be used to create social peace, hold tolerance discourses, and prevent the rise of extremist beliefs, prejudice and violence.

Efforts to trace the root causes of war, pay attention to the victims of war and hear their views, create peace content and add it to the university curriculum, preserve freedom of speech and thought in academic institutions, value research, create consensus among politicians and protect citizens' rights were the issues which were demanded to be emphasized during the peace negotiations.

They also called the holding of consultative meetings of the State Ministry for Peace a positive step for the participation of all sections of society in the peace process and considered the establishment of a clear mechanism necessary for the continuation of these programs.

It is noteworthy that the first conference on "The Role of Academic Institutions in the Afghanistan Peace Process" which was held at the State Ministry for Peace by the Department of Policies and Programs of the ministry, presidents and professors of universities and representatives of study and research institutions from the center zone had participated.