Aspirations, Possibilities, and Realities:

Join us for the 8th Annual Conference of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) September 24 -27. This four-day program "Aspirations, Possibilities, and Realities: Expanding Principles, Practice and Research in a Changing World" is the major event of the year for professionals in the field of conflict resolution. More than 1,000 people from across the country and around the world are expected to attend.

No matter your area of expertise or work setting, ACR’s 8^th Annual Conference provides you a wealth of valuable sessions that will inform, challenge, and inspire you. This year’s conference provides you an outstanding opportunity to interact with some of the nation’s leading thought leaders. Plan now to take advantage of this rich, practical, and unsurpassed learning experience. Gain new skills that will make an important difference in the work you do each day. And, of course, take advantage of informal networking that will enable you to make connections that can last a lifetime.

Plan to arrive a day early and participate in one of the pre-conference skill-building institutes. These half-day and full-day institutes offer the opportunity to delve deeper into issues and hone your skills with some of the field’s top experts. The institutes take place on Wednesday, September 24.

This is an exciting time in the development of our field and our organization. Your presence at this conference will help build your career and support the work of ACR. Many significant issues will be discussed in Austin.

With lots of new energy and activities across the organization, this year’s conference will be an opportunity to reflect on how to explore how we can best work together to meet the challenges that lie ahead. We need YOU to help us create ACR’s future. Come join us in Austin and be a part of these important conversations.

ACR is pleased to offer the 2008 Annual Conference attendees a dynamic program including informative presentations on timely and cutting-edge topics, skill-building workshops, and thought provoking panel discussions on current issues in the field. There will be an abundance of sessions to inspire and interest both experienced practitioners and those new to the conflict resolution field.

Keynote speaker Lee H. Hamilton is president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and director of The Center on Congress at Indiana University. Mr. Hamilton is a former member of Congress, co-chair of the Iraq Study Group and vice-chair of the 9/11 Commission. 

ACR is committed to diversity and equity in its membership, structure, and organizational work. A culturally diverse organization is one that recognizes, supports, values, and utilizes people's differences and similarities in support of the organization's goals and objectives. Diversity and equity mean recognizing and working to eliminate injustices in access, process, and consequences of ACR's efforts to strive to meet the needs of diverse members and stakeholders.

ACR encourages and promotes participation, accessibility, active representation, and leadership from diverse populations including, but not limited to, races, ethnicities, national origins, languages, genders, sexual orientation, economic statuses, school or organizational locations, physical abilities, ages, religions, educational types or levels, and perspectives. Further, ACR actively implements equity and affirms diversity in its work, including its publications and standards, and in its board, staff, programs, chapters, sections, and committees.

 In order to promote diversity and equity in ACR and the conflict resolution field, on-going self-examination is essential. We are committed to discussing and implementing fairness and openness in our values, procedures, conceptual frameworks, and structures. All persons participating in ACR programs and activities are a part of this endeavor.