Objective of the conference

The event on April 5th, titled "Peace, the Virtual World, and Armed Conflicts," hosted by the Department of Political Sciences (Aula Starace), arises from the longstanding collaboration between Uniba and the University of Jozefow (Poland). It is aimed at academic personnel, scholars, experts, and students of all levels. This activity falls within the research strand characterizing the IUS/11 sector, which is attentive to the evolution of new concepts such as identity, peace, belonging, and multiculturalism. In this perspective, Roberta Santoro has initiated the Interuniversity Center for Geopolitics and Politics of Religions (CeRGePoR), an international initiative involving countries like Albania, Poland, Spain, and Angola.

The event on April 5th involves not only national scholars but also scholars from Poland, including Prof. Bronislaw Sitek, former dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Olsztyn and currently the national President of the university admission committee.

The reason for the meeting stems from the observation that increasingly frequent contacts among different cultures, due to various reasons (from trade to wars, cultural relations, diplomatic relations, and the expansion of religions), have created a fertile ground for the development of a sense of belonging and identity. The awareness of one's own and different identity has proven to be a necessary element for understanding the meaning of life and the significance of personal existence in a fast-changing and challenging environment.

Religious dimension today constitutes not only a characteristic element of the broader multicultural phenomenon but becomes the predominant element in a context where religions, moving "towards new realms of existence" different from those culturally and theologically considered traditional, take on characteristics typical of a so-called "expressive individualism." Religion has become an experience of a personal and spiritual nature, but it not only remains confined to the private sphere but, due to the perception of a sense of belonging to the same destiny, assumes public relevance.

The social and institutional imbalances induced by the coexistence of different cultures (that is, different and sometimes opposing ways of conceiving life), which can even lead to destabilization of the system, creating openings for forms of state destabilization (as with different forms of revolution) or social destabilization (as with terrorism), cannot be ignored.

Conflict, which arises at the moment of impact between communities, presents itself as a conflict between models (including relational) and visions of life. Therefore, belonging to the religious community and the theological content of religion is not always the result of a conscious choice of theological content but is still the result of a personal path choice, corresponding to the role of religion in contemporary society.

This multicultural scenario, which characterizes our entire society, is further complicated by the strongly divisive climate that armed conflicts are causing. Furthermore, wars and conflicts are also affecting the virtual world, particularly impacting the lifestyles of individuals and organized groups. It is necessary to build an alternative to this growing conflict, which risks compromising the level of human development and well-being that has been built over time since the end of the Second World War. Peace is the only alternative, and therefore, it is important to find the incentives and tools that allow us to rebuild a social system that fosters the full and integral development of the human person.

These are the objectives and hopes of the conference to be held on April 5th in Bari, which must increasingly become the international venue for encounter and dialogue.

Proposed topics:

1. Exploring the possibilities of using digital media to promote peace values, developing online communities for peace-building through the utilization of online tools that enable the exploration of online communities, aimed at supporting and spreading the values of peace, tolerance, and inclusion.

2. Artificial intelligence as a tool to counter conflicts (including armed ones) and support the values of peace and tolerance. The focus of scientific discussions will be on the possibility of using artificial intelligence models for the early detection of harmful content, misinformation, and antisocial content present in the virtual world.

3. Global collaboration for peace - exploring the possibilities of using technology for global collaboration to promote the culture and values of peace, fostering attitudes of tolerance and understanding.

4. Research on the possibilities of using VR technology to promote understanding, empathy, and cooperation among people from different cultures and regions of the world.

HONORARY COMMITTEE 

Attorney Francesco Paolo Sisto, Senator of the Republic - Vice Minister of Justice

Prof. Stefano Bronzini, Rector - Aldo Moro University - Bari

Prof. Skender Topi, Rector - Aleksander Xhuvani University - Elbasan

Prof. Giuseppe Moro, Director of the Department of Political Sciences - Aldo Moro University - Bari

Prof. Alessandro Rubino, Delegate for Internationalization, Aldo Moro University - Bari

Mr. Giuseppe Viggiano, Vice President of the Bari City Council

Prof. Dr. hab. Magdalena Sitek, Rector of the Academy of Applied Sciences WSGE named after A. De Gasperi in Józefów

Rev. Prof. Dr. hab. Mirosław Sitarz, Vice-Rector of John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE 

Prof. dr hab. Bronisław Sitek, Uniwersytet SWPS

Prof. Zbigniew Witkowski, UMK Toruń

Dr hab.Małgorzata Such-Pyrgiel, prof. WSGE

Prof. Gaetano Dammacco, Università di Bari

Prof. Roberta Santoro, Università di Bari

Prof. Giuseppe Cascione, Università Aldo Moro - Bari

Prof. Pietro Polieri, Università Aldo Moro - Bari

Prof. Elisabeta Osmanaj, Università "Aleksander Xhuvani" - Elbasan

Prof. Ferdinando Parente, Università di Bari emerito

Dr hab. Ewa Szewczyk, prof. UZ

Prof. dr hab. Marek Szewczyk, UAM

Prof. Laura Tafaro, Università di Bari

Dr hab. Marcin Szewczak, KUL

Dr Iwona Florek, AWSGE

KOMITET ORGANIZACYJNY / ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / COMITATO ORGANIZZATIVO

Dr hab. Małgorzata Such-Pyrgiel (AWSGE) - Head of the Organizing Comittee

prof. Roberta Santoro (University Aldo Moro in Bari, Włochy) 

Dr Iwona Florek (AWSGE)

mgr Artur Banaszak (AWSGE)

Joanna Sitek (student AWSGE)

Jakub Grabczan (student AWSGE)