October 9-10, 2026
Day 1: October 9, 2026, 6pm-8:30 pm, Room FSS 4007, Social Sciences Building, University of Ottawa
6:00 Registration and Networking
6:30 pm Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, and Dinner
7:00 pm Keynote Address 1: Reinventing the Architecture of Peace: How We Got Here and What Must be Done
Keynote Remarks: Peggy Mason, President, Rideau Institute, G78 Board Member and former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament to the United Nations
Host and Moderator: Kizzann Sammy, President, Kochi Consulting, G78 Board Member and Advisor to UN Women’s Caribbean Office
7:45 pm Moderated Q+A and Discussion
8:15 pm Thank You and Adjournment
————————————————————————————————————–
Day 2: October 10, 2026, 8 am-5:30 pm, Room 4007, Social Sciences Building, University of Ottawa
8:00 am Registration, Networking, Coffee, Tea and Light Breakfast
8:30 am Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, Housekeeping, and the Agenda for the Day
9:00 am Keynote Address 2: Reinventing the Architecture for Peace: The Five Global Hinge Points of the Mid-21st Century
Keynote Remarks: Dan Smith, Senior Fellow, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, Blogger, Consultant and former Director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Host and Moderator: Leah Darbyson, Researcher and G78 Executive Committee Member (To Be Confirmed)
9:45 am Moderated Q+A and Discussion
10:10 am Thank You and Closing
10:15 am to 10:30 am Break
10:30 am Panel 1: Women’s Peacebuilding Strategies: Experiences from Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran
Panelists: To Be Determined
Host and Moderator: Susan Tanner, G78 Vice-Chair and Human Rights Advocate (To Be Confirmed)
11:20 am Moderated Q+A Discussion
11:55 am Thank You and Closing
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch Break
1:00 pm Keynote Address 3: Reinventing the Architecture for Peace: Lessons from Organizations and Policies Aimed at Strengthening Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Keynote Remarks: John Packer, Neuberger-Jesin Professor of International Conflict Resolution and former Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
Host and Moderator: Sylvie Lemieux, G78 Board Member and CNANW Board Member (To Be Confirmed)
1:45 pm Moderated Q+A and Discussion
2:10 pm Thank You and Closing
2:15 pm Panel 2: New Politics, New Peacebuilding: A Conversation with Leaders and Scholars of Youth-Led Peace Organizations and Political Movements
Panelists: Alimi Salifou, Co-Chair, ImPACT Coalition for Future Generations, Nigeria, Others To Be Determined
Host and Moderator: To Be Determined
3:00 pm Moderated Q+A and Discussion
3:30 pm Thank You and Closing
3:30 pm to 4:00 pm Break
4:00 Wrap-up Session
Summary of insights and directions from conference deliberations by the Chief Rapporteur and team of Student Rapporteurs from Carleton and Ottawa universities. Comments from participants.
Host and Moderator: Richard Harmston, G78 Board Secretary and Chair, Peace and Security Working Group
5:15 pm Next Steps, Thank You and Closing
5:30 pm Adjournment of the Conference