Inspired by the Jesuit spirit of Magis, the Centre for Peace and Justice was established at XLRI in 2019 for promoting peace and harmony amongst fellow human beings, without discrimination of any kind as enshrined in various International Conventions and Covenants and the Constitution of India. This effort was in fact, part of the peace initiatives in South Asia started by Fr General Arturo Sosa, who said “this is a matter which falls within the purview of the GC-36, to promote peace in the Sub-continent.”
It was Fr. E. Abraham and Fr. P. Christie, both the former and current directors of the XLRI Xavier School of Management, who took the call to move forward in setting up the Centre. The Centre collaborates with state and non-state stakeholders having similar objectives and values to set up and support academic programmes, advocacy, research centres and training for the advancement of education and knowledge in the field of peace studies, justice, conflict resolution and communal harmony, thereby aiming to achieve the greater common good. Ethical conduct, integrity and trust, sensitive social conscience, inclusiveness and tolerance, global mindset, creativity and innovation are the guiding values of XLRI.
According to Fr. Christie, “XLRI’s vision for the greater common good must bring meaningful change to the lives of the people around it…the community good is at the core of our purpose and existence.”
Recently, the Centre for Peace and Justice, XLRI Jamshedpur and Loyola Institute of Peace and International Relations, Kochi have jointly launched the much-awaited Certificate Program in Peace Studies, at Kochi Campus of LIPI, on 26 October 2019, as part of its peace initiative in the Indian subcontinent.
The partner institution, Loyola Institute of Peace and International Relations, Kochi, is the nodal platform for Peace and Reconciliation of the South Asian Jesuit Assistancy. LIPI aims at creating and nurturing an atmosphere of peace with a multi-pronged approach. LIPI is academic in nature, spiritual in vision and interdisciplinary in approach. In the contemporary context of violence, ethnic conflict and religious fundamentalism, the Institute envisages new strategies and concrete steps for peace building and conflict resolution.
The course curriculum covers Human Rights and Justice, Industrial Conflicts and Peacebuilding, Understanding Peace, Dealing with Conflicts and Communal Harmony, Science and Technology for Peace, Art & Peace and Inner life and Peace. It integrates experiential learning tools with field research and requires writing a dissertation. The program selects students from a diverse set, belonging to the academia, industries, civil society organisations, lawyers, schoolteachers, administrators, community-based organisations, social activists and NGO workers.
Both the institutions are also part of consultations and networking on ‘peace and reconciliation’ and work towards capacity building and training for peace and conflict resolution through setting up peace clubs and inter faith dialogues. As part of the process, scholars and artists of international repute are invited for collaborative efforts.
The Centre is open to collaborations with willing partners sharing similar objectives.