By Pat Drew, Board Member of Al Amana International

Oct. 9, 2019:  A new center for reconciliation has been named in memory of Mary Hoch of Bronxville. The Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation ("MHCR") will formally launch in New York City on October 16th at the Loft at the Marble Collegiate Church. 

Before her passing in 2016, Mary and her husband Jim were working to find ways to support peace and dialogue in the world. The Center for Reconciliation came out of that work and will look to find ways to help communities heal themselves.

The Mary Hoch Center is housed at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. It will lead research on locally-led reconciliation practices and will support more effective processes throughout the world. The Center also hopes to lead collaborations of research and training that will help communities heal their relationships and enable transformative reconciliation around the world.

Antti Pentikäinen is the Director of the Mary Hoch Center. He explains why this reconciliation work is essential: "In today's world, conflicts continue in cycles. Fragile peace agreements fail without effective reconciliation, and violence re-emerges with devastating effects. The goal of the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation is to help create effective reconciliation processes and accompanying insider reconcilers in healing communities." 

The evening will feature keynote speeches from Father Michael Lapsley, founder of the Institute for Healing Memories and Anne Nuorgame, chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and member of the Saami Parliament in Finland. Ms. Nuorgame holds the highest-ranking position for Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations.

A panel discussion on the vital role of insider reconcilers in reconciliation processes will follow. Panelists include:

• Marc Gopin, George Mason University
• Azza Karam, Religions for Peace (TBC)
• Nadjla Manoush, George Mason University

The evening will provide the opportunity to meet the keynote speakers and panelists, the Director of the MHCR and MHCR's community of generous supporters.  

It will also provide an opportunity to learn about ways to get involved in the mission of the MHCR. For further information, and to register, click here.

Pictured:  Mary Hoch

Photo courtesy of the Hoch family

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