Recent News / Events
Royal High hosts conference on Peace & Conflict Resolution
Mon 9 Mar, 2009
Over 100 students from schools and colleges in the south west took part in today’s conference on Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Royal High Sixth Form College. The event, which was arranged specially for students taking the International Baccalaureate Diploma, brought together some of the country’s leading academics and other experts on the world’s trouble spots.
The conference was opened by the acclaimed historian and broadcaster Professor Saul David, who gave a presentation on the historical background to the current conflict in Afghanistan. Professor Paul Rogers, who has written a number of books on security issues and terrorism briefed the students on the current global security situation and what we can expect in the next 30 years. The students learned about the British Army’s stabilisation and reconstruction work in Iraq from a serving soldier, Lt Col Tim Cooper (Royal Corps of Signals) who has completed two tours of duty there. After lunch the sessions were led by three local experts. Professor Diana Jeater, from UWE , who chaired the Britain Zimbabwe Society from 2002-8 provided background to the current power struggle in the country. Dr Alex Pritchard from Bath University discussed the search for justice and peace in the Middle East. The final session on human rights in conflict zones was led by Caroline Butler, Secretary of The Bath Amnesty group.
The conference was organised by Angharad Holloway, IB co-ordinator at The Royal High. Mrs Holloway explained: “IB students are encouraged to think of themselves as global citizens and to engage with the major issues that divide or unite people across the world. It has been a privilege to have such eminent people with us today and the students from all the schools responded with some excellent questions and observations of their own.”
Here are some quotes from some of our students attending the conference:
“ A brilliant day, it was a fantastic idea to get the students really involved with current political affairs. Everyone participated and we are looking forward to debating these issues further with the IB students that we met from other schools.”
“ I really enjoyed finding out about why we are at war and putting current conflicts in their historical context”
“ I feel I have a much better understanding of current conflicts such as the situation in Gaza”
An 
A 
