|

2008 Annual
Conference Highlights
Aspirations, Possibilities, and
Realities:
Expanding Principles, Practice, and
Research in a Changing World
Photo Gallery:
http://acrnet.org/conferences/ac08/photo_gallery.htm
ACR’s
8th Annual Conference titled
“Aspirations, Possibilities, and
Realities: Expanding Principles,
Practice and Research in a Changing
World” was held in Austin, Texas from
September 24-27 and attracted almost 900
attendees from around the country and
the world. The conference program
offered a wide array of institutes,
mini-plenary sessions, lectures, and
more than 100 workshops by researchers,
educators, practitioners and other
leaders in the field of conflict
resolution.
The
annual meeting began on Wednesday with
several full-day and half-day
pre-conference institutes, International
Day, and the first day of the Advanced
Commercial Mediation Institute (ACMI),
which offered a two-day educational
forum for experienced professionals in
commercial mediation. International Day
began with a keynote address from
Michael van Walt van Praag, the
executive president and founder of
Kreddha, the International Peace Council
for States, Peoples and Minorities,
based in the Hague. International Day
also included the presentation of the
ACR International Development
Committee’s 2008 Outstanding
Leadership Award to Russian
peacemaker Shamil Fattakhov for his
leadership in promoting conflict
resolution through educational
television and media programs. ACR’s
Leadership Council also met on Wednesday
to discuss organizational initiatives
and plans for the year. The conference
officially opened on Wednesday evening
with a welcome reception and exhibitors’
open house. The exhibit hall remained
open throughout the conference,
showcasing vendors, publishers,
universities, and conflict resolution
organizations.
The
keynote address was given by Lee H.
Hamilton, former Indiana Congressman,
current president and director of the
Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars, and director of the Center on
Congress at Indiana University. In his
address, Hamilton discussed the
importance of consensus-building in
policy-making and resolving conflict
both domestically and abroad. He
reflected on his 34 years in Congress
and his role as co-chair of the Iraq
Study Group and as vice-chair of the
9/11 Commission. He stated that
consensus-building and sustainable
policies are needed most in Congress and
government at this time to bring the
country together: “The most important
political skill that is needed in the
country today…is the ability to build
consensus.” He recognized the importance
of mediators and negotiators and their
consensus-building skills in bringing
people and diverse points of view
together. He said, “I am deeply
appreciative, not only of the skills
that you have, but of the skills you
teach” and later added that achieving
consensus and resolving conflict
requires patience and perseverance. He
offered the audience lessons on
resolving conflict that he learned
throughout his distinguished career,
which he termed the “Ten Commandments of
Conflict Resolution.” He indicated that
those include an obligation to maintain
the following: a cooperative and
non-confrontational attitude; a strong
commitment; a focus on the facts;
collegiality; open communication with
all parties; fairness and justice in
negotiations; a willingness to
compromise; an ability to work together
to build consensus and to understand
opposing views; dealing with the core
issues; and inclusiveness. He cautioned
that “the agreement is not the end
point” and “often the very tough work is
not reaching the agreement, it’s
carrying it out and implementing it” so
that it is sustainable. He concluded his
address by lauding the expansion of
conflict resolution education and
commending conflict resolution
practitioners by stating, “The
profession that you are following is
absolutely essential to this country…
and to the international order.”
Hamilton’s speech was followed by a
panel discussion and a
question-and-answer session with the
audience in which he remarked about the
current state of affairs in Iraq and
U.S. foreign policy and offered some
recommendations. At the conclusion of
the session, ACR President Marilyn
McKnight awarded Hamilton with ACR’s
Peacemaker Award.
Six
mini-plenary sessions took place on
Thursday morning that highlighted
special topics of interest to conference
attendees such as immigration, higher
education, healthcare, and the military.
Over the course of the conference,
participants attended more than 100
workshops on a variety of topics ranging
from mediation styles to the value-based
challenge and contribution of
restorative justice to conflict
resolution. Twelve facilitated
discussions on diversity and equity were
held without competing programming on
Friday, creating forums for open
dialogue on the topics and reflecting
ACR’s strong commitment to those values.
A town hall meeting with ACR’s
president, Marilyn McKnight, on Thursday
offered an opportunity for participants
to learn more about ACR’s current
activities and initiatives and to ask
questions and provide valued input. The
conference included an all-day youth
program on Friday that introduced 50
young adults to the field of alternative
dispute resolution and which began with
an address on the power of apology.
The
conference also provided an opportunity
for ACR’s 18 Sections to hold member
meetings concerning each Section’s
business and professional interests.
Participants also learned about
Sections’ activities at the Sections’
Fiesta and Silent Auction held on Friday
evening. The evening was met with
enthusiasm, as conference attendees were
treated to food, drinks, games, and
prizes, while placing bids on auction
items. The event raised more than $4,000
in support of ACR scholarships and
programs. Other social events for
participants included a reception and
dinner at Buffalo Billiards on Austin’s
historic 6th Street where
they enjoyed an authentic Texas
barbeque, live music and games of pool.
The
annual membership breakfast was held on
Friday morning. Cynthia Morton presented
the Education Section’s William
Kreidler Award for Distinguished
Service to the Field of Conflict
Resolution to member William Warters
for creating a national clearinghouse of
resources for conflict resolution
education. Marilyn McKnight selected
Rachel Barbour as the recipient of the
2008 Presidential Award for her
service and dedication to ACR, including
her work as a tri-chair of the Austin
conference planning committee. Marilyn
McKnight honored the Board of Directors
and presented plaques to board members
Clarence Cramer, Ray Lanier, Angelia
Tolbert and Leah Wing, whose terms were
ending. Newly elected board members
Rachel Barbour, Jeffrey Cohen, Cristina
Franco, Marya Kolman, and Perri Mayes
also were honored.
The
conference closed on Saturday with the
presidential luncheon and awards
ceremony. Jim Melamed presented the
John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award
to Peter Salem in recognition of his
work spearheading organizational
collaborations to create reform in
family law and dispute resolution
processes and systems to benefit
children and families. Two new awards
were given at the luncheon, including
the inaugural Sharon M. Pickett Award,
which was presented by Lou Gieszl to
Alice Shorett for advancing the cause of
environmental protection through the
effective use of alternative dispute
resolution. Outgoing president Marilyn
McKnight formally introduced James
Rosenstein as the incoming president
through the traditional ribbon-cutting
ceremony. Rosenstein presented McKnight
with a plaque and her colleagues on the
board gave her a paddleboat in
recognition of her service to the
organization.
Angelia Tolbert presented the first
Marvin E. Johnson Diversity and Equity
Award to Reverend Mpho A. Tutu,
founder and executive director of the
Tutu Institute for Prayer and Pilgrimage
in Alexandria, VA, in honor of her work
advancing diversity and equity in the
United States and South Africa. As ACR
honored her, she, in turn, humbly
accepted the award by thanking those in
attendance for their own “holy work”
advancing the cause of conflict
resolution and for “listening people
back into the fullness of God’s peace.”
She spoke further about the importance
of “listening” in conflict resolution
and shared a story of her work as a
seminarian in South Africa where she
listened to rape survivors’ stories,
which helped initiate a healing process
for them. She noted that in the justice
system the victims are often not
listened to or heard, resulting in a
long road to healing. She concluded her
remarks by recognizing the need for not
just alternative dispute
resolution, but appropriate
dispute resolution.
ACR
thanks the members, presenters,
volunteers, planning committee,
exhibitors, sponsors and all who
attended for helping to make the 2008
conference one of the most successful
ever. We look forward to seeing you
October 7-10 in Atlanta, Georgia next
year!
Click
here for the 2008 conference brochure
ACR’s Diversity and Equity Statement
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.
|