Peace and Sustainable Development: A Philosophical Exploration

The Department of Philosophy at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, the McLean Center for the Study of Culture and Values at the Catholic University of America (CUA), and the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy cordially invite students, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to submit abstracts for the International Conference on: "Peace and Sustainable Development: A Philosophical Exploration" to be held at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, July 20-21, 2026.

The conference aims to foster a critical and interdisciplinary dialogue on the philosophical dimensions of peace, justice, and sustainability in an era of global uncertainty and transformation. It will provide a platform to explore how philosophical thinking—rooted in both classical traditions and indigenous worldviews—can deepen our understanding of conflict, reconciliation, justice, power, and ecological responsibility.

Philosophically, it requires a reorientation of consciousness from domination and competition toward cooperation, empathy, and respect for the dignity of all beings. True peace thus emerges as a dynamic and relational state—an ongoing process of harmonizing differences through moral responsibility and communicative understanding.

Sustainable development, understood as meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, extends this ethical horizon to humanity's relationship with nature. It demands a reconsideration of progress and rationality beyond material growth, guided by the principles of ecological balance, social equity, and intergenerational justice. Philosophically, it calls for a transformation in our conception of being and value—from possessive individualism toward an ontology of interconnectedness. Together, peace and sustainable development form a unified ethical project: a vision of human existence grounded in solidarity, responsibility, and the pursuit of a just and livable world.

Contributors can discuss key philosophical concepts, including interconnectedness, holistic wellbeing, sustainability, environmental justice, social justice, global justice, restorative justice, and the application of principles like dialogue, non-violence, and education to build peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies. We welcome theoretical, conceptual, and practice-based papers that critically engage with the ethical, social, political, and environmental aspects of peacebuilding and sustainable development.