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True to tradition, the winter term kicked off with dedicated preparations for the annual Map the System competition. From the official launch in January to the Campus Final earlier this month, Map the System brought together the system thinkers of the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ. Gabriel Jabile, an undergraduate student in biomedical engineering, will be heading to the nationals in Banff after winning first place for his research into livestock disease outbreaks in Uganda. A special shout out also goes to Jordan Li as she completes her second year as our Map the System Campus Lead. 

Another chapter coming to a close is the 2024/2025 cohort of Peace Innovators, an initiative led by , one of the Core Collaborators at the Centre. For the past eight months, six high school students have been working hard to tackle a problem they’re passionate about and will present their projects on April 24th. If you know someone who would be interested in participating, please encourage them to before May 15th. 

Similarly, , an initiative that equips immigrant and refugee women to share their stories through art and performance, commenced their weekly workshops this term. Stay tuned for more information on their final showcase coming in June. 

This winter term, the Grebel Peace Incubator celebrated the project launch of Local Futures: Communities Collaborating for the Sustainable Development Goals. This three-year project aims to bring universities, municipalities, and community organizations together to work collectively on the Sustainable Development Goals and create a more sustainable future. Jon Beale and Laura Carr-Pries, the team behind the project, are looking forward to the journey ahead. 

It was a busy term for other Grebel Peace Incubator ventures too. Dima Aldera from is on the ground in Syria for the first time in years, working tirelessly to help reconnect families with their missing loved ones. Meanwhile, Majid Mirza from is overseas expanding the platform’s global reach, securing new clients abroad. and are also growing their networks, strengthening connections, and continuing to uplift their communities.   

, a Core Collaborator, recently launched a Certificate Program in Community-Based Research, offering mini-courses focused on using research to drive impactful change. With one course successfully completed in March, another ongoing in April, and several more in the works, this program is making a significant contribution to expanding the range of learning opportunities offered by the Centre’s affiliated organizations. 

, another Core Collaborator, have been meticulously working on , articles, and other forms of research with a focus on disarmament efforts and international security. By this time next year, Ploughshares will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a Grebel Gallery exhibit highlighting key milestones and the organization’s vision for the future. 

The Grebel Gallery is a space for artists and peace practitioners alike to present stories of peace and justice. This term, the gallery hosted three exceptional exhibits. February was the last month for artist Margruite Krahn’s Resurfacing: Mennonite Floor Patterns exhibit. She marked the end of the four-month display by hosting a hands-on traditional printmaking workshop at the historic Brubacher House. Before installing the current exhibit, the gallery hosted a pop-up exhibit curated by Inter Pares in collaboration with SHORE Centre. ‘Daughters, mothers, grandmothers, and other sexual outlaws’ shed light on sexual and reproductive health and rights activism worldwide. From now until June 17, the Grebel Gallery is featuring ‘Art is Always Conflict’ with over 50 pieces of art made by Elizabeth Ann Wenger (1946-2022). It invites reflection on the intricate nature of conflict and art with themes of disability, abuse, belief, unbelief, destruction, and regeneration. 

Finally, the Centre welcomed five new faces who quickly became part of our community: Lynne joined Project Ploughshares, Laura joined Local Futures, Amanda joined CCBR, Alina joined TREE, and Aaleyah joined the team at the Centre. As co-op students, Alina and Aaleyah will soon be returning to their studies. Bidding farewell to their talents, the Centre is looking forward to welcoming back a familiar face, Pinar Gurgen.