The Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University Keffi has described the 4th International Conference organized by the Faculty of Arts as the best way to promote peace building in the current digital age.
The Vice Chancellor made the remark while declaring the conference open at the University’s assembly hall and commended the Faculty of Arts for organizing the conference, which aims to promote research and innovation, and urged other faculties to follow suit.
According to the Vice Chancellor, this conference would empower young people to utilize social media as a tool for promoting peace in society.
The Vice Chancellor’s remarks underscored the importance of leveraging digital technology for peace building, particularly among young people who are active users of social media.
By empowering young people with the skills and knowledge to promote peace online, the conference hoped to inspire a new generation of peace builders who could harness the power of digital technology to create positive change.
Prof. Adam Ayuba Binchi, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, stated that the purpose of the conference was to brainstorm and find solutions to the conflicts plaguing the country, particularly in the digital age where social media is often misused to disseminate false information and exacerbate problems.
“This is the era of digital tools,” Prof. Binchi said. “We are looking at how we can use these tools to resolve conflicts rather than promoting violence in society. Let’s harness modern technology to resolve our differences.” The conference aimed to bring together policymakers, traditional rulers, and critical stakeholders to deliberate and arrive at positive conclusions.
The Dean emphasized that the conference was a platform for experts from within and outside the country to share knowledge and ideas on how to promote peace building in the digital age.
By exploring the intersection of humanities, conflict, and peace building, the conference sought to provide practical solutions to the challenges posed by digital technology.
The conference featured presentations and discussions on various topics, including the role of artificial intelligence in conflict resolution, the impact of social media on peace building, and strategies for promoting digital literacy and responsible online behavior.
By fostering a dialogue between academics, policymakers, and community leaders, the conference aimed to contribute to a more peaceful and harmonious society.
Prof. Adewale Alagbe, former Dean, and Prof. Matthew Michael, Deputy Dean, spoke about the conference theme, “Humanities, Conflict, and Peace Building in the Digital Age.” and emphasized that the conference was designed to explore ways to build peace in the digital age.
According to them, the three-day conference features paper presentations by scholars, plenary sessions, and discussions on critical issues, including, surveillance and ethics of control, cyber kidnapping, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
Some specific topics to be discussed include “Digital Age Conflict in Hauwa Shehu’s Hausa Prose” and “Relevance of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Among Female Students of the University of Ilorin.”