News & Updates
On Demand: Songs of Hope and Peace – International Peace Day Concert
The Abrahamic Reunion hosted a concert on September 21st, 2025, in honor of the International Day of Peace. They have made the full concert available to watch any time using the link below.
A Message from the UN Secretary General
September 21st marks the 2025 International Day of Peace. Below is a transcript of the statement presented by António Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations. “Our warring world is crying out for peace. This year’s International Day of Peace urges each...
Jeffrey Sachs: Global Military Spending and Proposed Reallocation
Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University and president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, has prepared a proposal that would provide funds to peacebuilding efforts by reallocating military spending. Sachs' proposal closely resembles the...
The Elijah Interfaith Institute: Sharing Wisdom, Fostering Peace
The Elijah Interfaith Institute is a stellar example of a group that aims to foster peace through interreligious dialogue. "Elijah seeks to create a community of religious leaders, scholars and practitioners from all faiths, who are inspired to find novel ways of...
2025 Conference on Evil in Russian Thought & Literature
The Northwestern University Research Initiative in Russian Philosophy, Literature, and Russian Thought hosted its Third Annual Conference on July 31st, 2025. To read more about this conference and its events, please view the program below. Evil in Russian Thought...
Abrahamic Reunion: Songs of Peace – International Peace Day Concert (Online)
The Abrahamic Reunion is hosting a virtual concert featuring several talented composers and musicians. Please see below for a description of the concert. Musicians, Spiritual Leaders, and Peacemakers from around the world are coming together for a very special Online...
The Taliban Took His Brother. Then His Father. He Still Tells the Truth.
Exiled Afghan journalist Baktash Siawash visited the University of Oregon, sharing his family's story of loss, survival, and the rising global threat to press freedom — even in exile.For exiled Afghan journalist Baktash Siawash, a trip to the United States once seemed...
Stories of Asturias: Nine Women Journalists
University of Oregon students studied with Crossings Institute co-Director Professor Peter Laufer in Oviedo, Spain. They researched, reported, wrote and edited news stories across languages and cultures. Here is their final project, the magazine they...
Bypassing the Algorithm: Venezuelan AI “News Anchors”
By James Lejeune and Sydney Seymour “AI is an innovative and safe way to bypass the information blockade and hurdles to journalistic content,” said “La Chama,” an AI-generated Venezuelan news anchor. In Venezuela and other parts of South America, journalists face...
“Don’t Shoot the Journalist: Migrating to Stay Alive,” launches on World Press Freedom Day
Editor Peter Laufer’s “Don’t Shoot the Journalist: Migrating to Stay Alive,” launched officially at the Bozar Center in the heart of Europe’s capital, Brussels, Belgium, on May 7th. The volume assembles conversations, anecdotes, reflections, detailed experiential...
AI Reshaping Journalism in the Global South
Today’s media landscape is confronting unparalleled challenges— from rising restrictions against press freedom to the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence. Media professionals around the world have been discussing how these circumstances are reshaping the media...
World Press Freedom Day 2025 Report: A Brave New World
Written by Tarek Anthony, Ellie Johnson, James Lejeune and Sydney Seymour UNESCO’s 2025 World Press Freedom Day conference, “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and the Media,” was held at Bozar Center for Fine Arts in Brussels,...
A Proclamation for Peace: Kim Stafford’s Poem in Global Translation.
The following poem was composed by Kim Stafford, former Oregon Poet Laureate (2018-2020). Kim recently published the book A Proclamation for Peace Translated into World Languages (2024; see ...
Oxford Consortium for Human Rights: Day at Ditchley Park
The OCHR cohort spent its third day in the United Kingdom exploring the Ditchley Foundation estate and learning about a variety of technology topics from diverse speakers. Please enjoy a travel vlog to and from Ditchley Park, attached below. Also, take a glance over a...
Oxford Consortium for Humans Rights: Gala Dinner
“Thank you for being who you are, continue being who you are, and I can’t wait to hear what you all will accomplish,” said Hugo Slim, assistant director of the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights (OCHR), at the 2024 OCHR final banquet in Oxford University’s Merton...
Oxford Consortium for Human Rights: Capturing Worcester College
After spending hours in the Stanford House listening to enlightening lectures, I spent my afternoons exploring Worcester College, taking lazy-lakeside walks and people-watching on the Nuffield Lawn. I used this time as a chance to learn more about my surroundings. I...
Jason Rezaian Speaks to University of Oregon Students at this Year’s Ruhl Lecture
Jason Rezaian speaks at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication's 2024 Ruhl Lecture. Rezaian, who spent 544 days in an Iranian prison as a wrongfully detained journalist, discusses international policy, advocacy for hostages around the globe,...
Workshop for Educators: Understanding and Addressing Antisemitism and Islamophobia, with Hussein Ibish and David Schraub – May 23, 2024 Event
The Chair is pleased to co-sponsor an upcoming Workshop for Educators, Understanding and Addressing Antisemitism and Islamophobia, with Hussein Ibish and David Schraub. This event will be held on Wednesday, May 23rd, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. PST in the University...