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Students learn importance of Salzburg conference

University of Akron

UPublish story by Lisa Davis

AKRON – An opportunity for personal development turned into a workshop for students at the University of Akron, as Gail Garbrandt shared the experience of her trip to Salzburg, Austria.

Garbrandt, a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Manager, Internships in the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron, traveled to Salzburg in September. She attended a conference at the Salzburg Global Institute, which is through the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation.

On October 15, she held a workshop, along with faculty members from the departments of political science, women’s studies, and the Institute for Teaching and Learning to discuss what she had learned at the conference.

“I am always looking for opportunities for personal development,” she said. “I believe learning is a life-long process and if you don’t push yourself you won’t evolve and you become stagnant and don’t function as a responsible citizen.”

Garbrandt was one of 65 people who was accepted to attend the conference “Peace and Peace-making: Securing the Voice of Women in Civil Society,” held for five days in early September. The conference was not cheap and Garbrandt was fortunate to receive a fellowship from the institute, as well as funding from various departments at the University of Akron.

“I am very appreciative of all who stepped forward to make sure I had this experience,” Garbrandt said.

Bill Lyons, interim chair of the Department of Political Science and director for the Center for Conflict Management, said Garbrandt’s attendance was a good opportunity to do international networking and to improve the information brought into the classroom. Lyons was one of the panel members at the workshop held on campus.

Garbrandt wanted to attend the conference to broaden her knowledge in the area of women’s empowerment, she said. Garbrandt has worked for about 10 years in the area of women in politics and women’s empowerment but only on the domestic level. This conference on the international level was a step out of Garbrandt’s area, but it wasn’t, she said. This just gave her more knowledge on an international level.

The Salzburg conference reinforced a lot of what Garbrandt already knew about the importance of diversity in negotiations, but also gave her access to a global networking system. There were case studies, statistics and factual information presented that showed the reality of the situation and why women are at the forefront and important, she said.

The conference was a working conference, she said. Over the five days, those in attendance worked in groups and as a whole. The end product was to develope a document suggesting how to implement Resolution 1325, which is a game plan for ensuring gender equality, safety for women in refugee camps, and supporting women’s ability to return to name a few. The document was sent to the United Nations on October 14.

At the workshop for students, Garbrandt said that women are important in the peacekeeping efforts and negotiations, and that women are often the greatest victims of war.

Lyons said the workshop was a way to communicate the information Garbrandt learned beyond just the students in her classroom. He said he hopes students learned that women are grossly underrepresented in politics and to serious think about why that is and want can be done about it.

“Women often bring a different sensibility in how to handle conflict and those tools are underrepresented in our tool box,” Lyons said.

From her experience in Salzburg, Garbrandt wants to do more. “I feel I am not doing enough and can do more,” she said.

Garbrandt is currently working toward her graduate certificate in Gender Conflict and would like to develop a course on women in conflict to be offered in spring of 2010.

Also at the student workshop, where more than 200 students attended, was Patricia Milhoff, director of women’s studies and Helen Qammar, director of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, who served on the panel that discussed the underrepresentation of women in the peacemaking efforts.

Photo by Lisa Davis Gail Garbrandt, instructor at the University of Akron and manager of internships for the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the university, discussed her trip to Salzburg, Austria with students.

AKRON – An opportunity for personal development turned into a workshop for students at the University of Akron, as Gail Garbrandt shared the experience of her trip to Salzburg, Austria.

Garbrandt, a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Manager, Internships in the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron, traveled to Salzburg in September. She attended a conference at the Salzburg Global Institute, which is through the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation.

On October 15, she held a workshop, along with faculty members from the departments of political science, women’s studies, and the Institute for Teaching and Learning to discuss what she had learned at the conference.

“I am always looking for opportunities for personal development,” she said. “I believe learning is a life-long process and if you don’t push yourself you won’t evolve and you become stagnant and don’t function as a responsible citizen.”

Garbrandt was one of 65 people who was accepted to attend the conference “Peace and Peace-making: Securing the Voice of Women in Civil Society,” held for five days in early September. The conference was not cheap and Garbrandt was fortunate to receive a fellowship from the institute, as well as funding from various departments at the University of Akron.

“I am very appreciative of all who stepped forward to make sure I had this experience,” Garbrandt said.

Bill Lyons, interim chair of the Department of Political Science and director for the Center for Conflict Management, said Garbrandt’s attendance was a good opportunity to do international networking and to improve the information brought into the classroom. Lyons was one of the panel members at the workshop held on campus.

Garbrandt wanted to attend the conference to broaden her knowledge in the area of women’s empowerment, she said. Garbrandt has worked for about 10 years in the area of women in politics and women’s empowerment but only on the domestic level. This conference on the international level was a step out of Garbrandt’s area, but it wasn’t, she said. This just gave her more knowledge on an international level.

The Salzburg conference reinforced a lot of what Garbrandt already knew about the importance of diversity in negotiations, but also gave her access to a global networking system. There were case studies, statistics and factual information presented that showed the reality of the situation and why women are at the forefront and important, she said.

The conference was a working conference, she said. Over the five days, those in attendance worked in groups and as a whole. The end product was to develope a document suggesting how to implement Resolution 1325, which is a game plan for ensuring gender equality, safety for women in refugee camps, and supporting women’s ability to return to name a few. The document was sent to the United Nations on October 14.

At the workshop for students, Garbrandt said that women are important in the peacekeeping efforts and negotiations, and that women are often the greatest victims of war.

Lyons said the workshop was a way to communicate the information Garbrandt learned beyond just the students in her classroom. He said he hopes students learned that women are grossly underrepresented in politics and to serious think about why that is and want can be done about it.

“Women often bring a different sensibility in how to handle conflict and those tools are underrepresented in our tool box,” Lyons said.

From her experience in Salzburg, Garbrandt wants to do more. “I feel I am not doing enough and can do more,” she said.

Garbrandt is currently working toward her graduate certificate in Gender Conflict and would like to develop a course on women in conflict to be offered in spring of 2010.

Also at the student workshop, where more than 200 students attended, was Patricia Milhoff, director of women’s studies and Helen Qammar, director of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, who served on the panel that discussed the underrepresentation of women in the peacemaking efforts.

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