Mangaluru, January 23: The School of Arts and Humanities, St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru, is organizing a Two-Day International Conference on “Promoting Peaceful and Inclusive Societies for Sustainable Development” on 28 and 29 January 2026 at the University campus.
The conference is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 16, which focuses on building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. It aims to bring together academicians, researchers, policymakers, professionals, and students from India and abroad to deliberate on peace-building, inclusive institutions, human rights, governance, and the role of technology and artificial intelligence in fostering social harmony.
The conference will be inaugurated on 28 January 2026 at 10.00 a.m. at LF Rasquinha Hall.
Darshan H V, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, will inaugurate the conference, while Rev. Fr Dionysius Vaz SJ, Chancellor, St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), will preside over the inaugural session.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Shanthie M D’Souza, Founder and President, Mantraya Institute of Strategic Studies (MISS), Senior Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Visiting Faculty at the Naval War College, Goa, on the theme “Peaceful and Inclusive Societies.”
The conference features distinguished national and international speakers including:
• Dr Krishna Raj, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru
• Rev. Dr Joachim Andrade, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Brazil
• Dr Ute Ritz-Deutch, Binghamton University, USA
• Dr Alexandru Balas, SUNY Cortland, New York, USA
A panel discussion will feature Raju K, KAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada, who will speak on “Strengthening Institutions to Promote Peaceful Societies.” Other panelists include Fr Rosan Roy SJ, Assistant Director, LIPI, Kochi, who will deliberate on “Cultivating Peace Narratives in Higher Education: Approaches and Pathways”; Prof. Rajram Tolpady, Former Professor of Political Science, Mangalore University, who will address “Violence and Nonviolence?: For a Sustainable Society”; and Dr Ruksana Hassan, Child Psychologist, who will speak on “Building Peaceful Communities.”
The conference also includes technical sessions, paper presentations across multiple parallel halls, a cultural programme, and a valedictory ceremony. The valedictory session, scheduled on 29 January 2026 at 3.00 p.m., will have ACP Geetha D Kulkarni as the Chief Guest, with Rev. Dr Praveen Martis SJ, Vice Chancellor, presiding.
Selected papers presented at the conference will be published in ISBN/ISSN conference proceedings, and a few will be considered for publication in peer-reviewed journals with DOI.
The conference is organized in collaboration with international academic partners, including Sophia University, Tokyo (Japan), SUNY Cortland (USA), and Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (Brazil) and sponsored by Global Degrees.
Rev. Dr Melwyn DCunha, Pro VC gave the information.
Dr Rose Veera DSouza, Chairperson, Alwin DSouza, Convenor, Dr Roshan Monteiro, Organising Secretary Chandrakala, PRO were present at the press meet held at Press Club Mangaluru Today 23 January 2026
For further details:
School of Arts and Humanities
For more details, please contact:
Dr Rose Veera D’Souza
Dean, School of Arts and Humanities
St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru
📞 Mobile: 9448026838
Alwyn D’Souza
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
Conference Convener
St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru
📞 Mobile: 7353997590
Devishree Shetty
Assistant Professor, Department of Media Studies
Conference Convener
St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru
📞 Mobile: 9900971155