The mini-symposium, arranged by the Otago-Southland branch of the United Nations Association of New Zealand - titled Can We Prevent the War? - will feature three speakers.
They are international relations specialist Rev Peter Frost, business leader Rob Hewett and Peace and Conflict Studies lecturer Dr Danny Fridberg.
Rev Frost said his talk about whether there was a way to peace was timely given many of the major world conflicts.
‘‘A rational way to achieving peace seems to be beyond our reach.
‘‘There’s no coherent system in place.
‘‘So, to understand a successful alternative, we may have to look to more irrational processes.’’
Rev Frost said he could not remember a more dire time for peace prospects and international relations since World War 2, due to the rise in autocratic regimes.
Rev Frost, as well as being a counsellor, has also worked in conflict resolution in many parts of the world.
‘‘We have some rather rogue administrations in the world who seem ... to be unable and perhaps deliberately unwilling to empathise with others.
‘‘So there’s a web of a doctrine out there that empathy is bad for civilisation.
‘‘That rather bizarre kind of thinking is really hazardous for the rest of humanity because it can only lead to conflict.’’
Knowledge and correct information will become increasingly important, Rev Frost said.
It also provided opportunities for New Zealand to assist in the peace process, as the country had developed a reputation for independent foreign policy through leaders such as former prime ministers Helen Clark and David Lange.
‘‘New Zealand is generally regarded as not much of a threat.
‘‘As such, we might be people who are willing to engage because we have a very strong history of speaking into international politics around peace and co-operation.’’
Rev Frost said he was both ‘‘optimistic and pessimistic for the future’’.
‘‘It seems to me that our orientation towards fear-based conflict is immense.
‘‘What’s the optimistic side? That human beings do have an alternative, and given the opportunity to meet and engage with other human beings, will generally, quite warmly, move towards protecting those beings if they can.’’
The talks will take place at noon on Saturday at the Mosgiel Salvation Army Hall.
