Malone University’s Spring 2024 Worldview Forum: “The Israel - Gaza Conflict: Local Perspectives”
Malone University’s next Worldview Forum will address the timely topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and recent national conflicts stemming from it. Two guests will be featured on the panel: one with connections to Israel and one with connections to Palestine. The conversation will consider what we can do in northeast Ohio to promote healing and non-violence. The event will be held on February 21 at 7:00 pm in the Johnson Center, and is free and open to the public.
The forum’s moderator will be Scott Waalkes, Ph.D, professor of international politics.
"After the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, universities and local communities saw both anti-Jewish and anti-Palestinian rhetoric and attacks. Whether it is Jewish students being threatened at Cornell University or three Palestinian-American students shot in Vermont, or a tense rally at Kent State University--not to mention weeks of anguishing scenes of both Israelis and Palestinians suffering and dying in Gaza—we want to model civil dialogue," said Scott Waalkes, Ph.D, professor of international politics. "We need to figure out how we can be peacemakers while discussing this conflict. Our two proponents are both northeast Ohio natives who care deeply about, and know many, people affected by the conflict. By hearing their stories and prayerfully responding, we hope people will leave with ways to model peace in their local communities."
The proponents for the evening include:
Steve Sosebee was born in 1965 in Kent, Ohio. He is the co-founder, President/CEO of the US-based non-profit humanitarian medical relief organization, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF). Founded in 1991 in Palestine while he was working as a journalist, Sosebee met many injured kids in need of medical care they could not get in their occupied country. Since its founding, the PCRF has become the main NGO in the world sending thousands of international volunteers to provide free medical care for tens of thousands of sick and injured Arab children in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq who could otherwise not get the care that they needed locally. PCRF also arranges free surgery outside of the Middle East for more than 1,000 injured Arab children, regardless of their nationality, race, or religion.
“At Malone, we strongly believe our current moment calls for more open and civil dialogue among people who differ and disagree and our Christian faith gives us the very grounding for these conversations," said David Beer, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and director of the Center for Christian Faith and Culture. "We want to provide healthy models of civil dialogue for our students and our community, and the Worldview Forum series is a wonderful expression of this."