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From http://www.allianceforpeacebuilding.org/event/2014/02/language-peace-and-security

SIL International, the Center for Applied Linguistics, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding invite you to a symposium on Language, Peace, and Security.

Language, Peace, and Security
United States Institute of Peace,
2301 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
February 21, 2014

Across the world, nations and societies are in crisis. Peace between nations and peoples is under threat; civil strife and injustice breed insecurity for individuals and social groups. Threats to peace and security proliferate, and solutions are elusive. At the center of both the problem and the solution are matters of language. Language is a defining factor in social and cultural identity, within and between groups. Language use and language choice are pivotal in both crisis and crisis resolution. Communication across and within groups is essential to maintaining peace and security.

These two roles of language–as medium of communication and as expression of identity–are vital considerations for any serious discussion of peace and security. But how exactly can such discussions lead to solutions? How do issues of language, language complexity, and communication play out in peace-building efforts and ongoing security? How can language issues be identified and addressed effectively in policy planning and execution? In this session, keynote presentations will address these questions, drawing on relevant scholarship, and field practitioners will describe related experience in a panel discussion.

Learn more about the symposium at http://www.allianceforpeacebuilding.org/event/2014/02/language-peace-and-security