Plan Now: International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities 2014 Conference on Peace

As anyone who reads this blog regularly will know, education is an important way in which United Methodists (and other Methodists) collaborate around the globe.  One important venue for collaboration around issues of higher education for United Methodists and other Methodists is the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU).  IAMSCU was established during a meeting of the World Methodist Council in Singapore in 1991 and had its first conference five years later in Brazil.  Since then, IAMSCU has hosted international conferences approximately every three years. These conferences seek to bring the 775 Methodist institutions of education in the world together "to develop a dynamic, worldwide network of member institutions, resulting in effective inter-institutional cooperation and collaboration to prepare a new generation of Christian leaders."

This year is the next scheduled IAMSCU conference, which will be held in  Hiroshima, Japan, will take place this May 24-28.  The theme of the conference is Peace, Reconciliation, and Human Rights.  You can read more about the conference through the conference announcement.

While the period for people to submit proposals in response to the call for papers has closed, it is not too late to register for the conference.  Interested parties can still register up through April 24.  Undoubtedly, only a minority of readers of this blog will even be able to think about attending this conference due to financial and time restraints.  That is an unfortunate fact, but should remind us of something important: even in an age of increased digital and other global connections, bodies still matter, and bodies are subject to the limitations of time, space, and resources.  Nevertheless, for those who are able to attend this conference, it should be a rich time of fellowship, learning, and blessing.