Conferences & Events
Interactive, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary conferences geared to addressing critical issues and developing practical applications
A Series of Conferences On
The 3rd Side
A Nonpartisan, Multi-Event Series
Raising Public Awareness and Support For
Grassroots Palestinian-Israeli Peace-Building Partnerships
Practical hope at the grassroots for reaching across the divide to achieve nonviolence, healing, justice, reconciliation, and peace.
Organized by:
> Common Bond Institute (CBI)
> International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)
> Michigan State University Department of Psychiatry (MSU)
Endorsed by a growing list of diverse organizations:
> Muslim Mental Health Consortium
> Serling Institute for Jewish Studies and Modern Israel
> American Human Rights Council
> American Muslim Center
> Beyt Tikkun
> Tectonic Leadership
~ Participation is free ~
~ Previous Event (Ended) ~
April 13, 2024
* Conference is a Virtual event
A 1-day conference focused on raising public awareness and support for a growing peace movement made up of 200+ grassroots Palestinian-Israeli peace-building organizations, including dozens of partnerships, working together on the ground in the conflict region. In this event several of these organizations are selected to present their histories, missions, goals, activities, and needs for continuing and expanding their vital efforts.
( Additional events in this series highlighting more of these organizations will be posted in the coming months )
~ Previous Event (Ended) ~
Virtual Webinar
Saturday, March 9th
3-hour event, Noon to 3:00 PM EST
Presentation by 4 peacebuilding organizations
(This Webinar Has Ended)
19th Annual
Joint Israeli-Palestinian
Memorial Day ceremony
~ Jerusalem ~
May 12, 2024
8:30 pm Jerusalem Time (1:30 EST)
Common Bond Institute is a sponsoring organization
Yom Hazikaron, or Israeli Memorial Day, is sacred in Israel. Yet, the ceremonies that are held to honor this day most often serve to reinforce cultural narratives of national pain, victimhood, and hopelessness. The Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony, co-hosted by Combatants for Peace and the Parents Circle-Families Forum, transforms this narrative by including Palestinians in Israel’s Memorial Day Ceremony alongside Israelis, transforming despair into healing, personal responsibility, and hope. In mourning side by side, we seek not to equate narratives but to transform despair into hope and build bridges of deep compassion that can change reality.
The Joint Memorial Ceremony is the largest Israeli-Palestinian peace event in history. Last year 15,000 people attended the event in person, and 300,000 people participated online. The goal is to have an even larger participation and show for healing and peacebuilding.
This ceremony has become a focal point for the entire peace community. Nearly every peace-building NGO in the region participates in some way, and we are proud to be sponsors of the ceremony this year. It has a profound impact on everyone involved in or witnessing the event.
The joint ceremony sets the foundation for widespread cultural change by shifting public opinion on a mass scale. Joining together to mourn each other’s pain challenges the status quo, setting the foundation for building a new reality based on mutual respect, dignity, and equality.
UPDATE:
Although the Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony was accessible on the Facebook platform, unfortunately the YouTube channel broadcasting the ceremony was hacked and many wishing to participate through the YouTube link were prevented from accessing it. However the full gathering was recorded and is still available to view.
If you missed attending this historic event, or wish to experience it again, a recording is available here
Annual International Conference on
Transgenerational Trauma
Communal Wounds and Victim Identities
~ Amman, Jordan ~
Addressing the dynamics and implications of communal and transgenerational trauma, and developing ways to effectively prevent and treat them.
Sponsored by:
Common Bond Institute (CBI)
Jordanian Pioneer Center
Michigan State University (MSU)
International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)
International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations – Jordan (IFMSA)
Official Partner and Event of:
Charter For Compassion – and- Parliament of World’s Religions
A 3 day conference and highly interactive learning community, offering a program of prepared workshops and presentations and engaged dialogue designed to impart knowledge and skill, share research, and stimulate in-depth deliberation leading to increased understanding and practical applications.
The Annual TT Conference is linked each year with programs of post-conference psychosocial treatment services to refugees and skills training of local service providers:
International Conference on
Refugee Crisis in Europe and Middle East
Sharing Tools for Humanitarian Response
~ Freiburg, Germany ~
Sponsored by:
Common Bond Institute (CBI)
Freiburg City Government
Michigan State University (MSU)
International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)
Official Partner and Event of:
Charter For Compassion – and- Parliament of World’s Religions
A 3-day international working conference bringing key stakeholders together to address:
- The current forced migration crisis in Europe
- Immediate psycho-social treatment needs of refugees arriving traumatized by war, violence, and the exodus
- The dynamics of trauma and displacement in the individual and community
- The support needs of societies and communities receiving refugees
- Developing practical, culturally sensitive humanitarian responses to the growing need
- What is working, what is not working
- Networking to promote the development of a cross-cultural network of humanitarian aid organizations and groups addressing the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East for mutual support and cooperation.
- Public policy recommendations
- Promoting a Bi-Regional Cross-Training project: a bi-regional response and collaboration between German and Jordanian mental health professional groups to provide culturally adapted psychosocial treatment services to the refugee population in each country.
International Muslim Mental Health Conference
~ Amman, Jordan ~
Sponsored by:
Michigan State University (MSU)
Common Bond Institute (CBI)
International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)
Co-sponsored by:
International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations-Jordan (IFMSA-J)
Official Partner and Event of:
Charter For Compassion and Parliament of World’s Religions
It’s purpose is to:
• Examine how challenges to mental health impact diverse communities, including unique characteristics of faith communities,
• Share effective and culturally appropriate models and methods of assessment and service,
• De-stigmatize mental health issues and increase public awareness and understanding,
• Muster strengths within communities to promote and support quality service resources to their members within the cultural context of faith communities,
• Promote advocacy and empowerment.
Conference on
" Engaging The Other:"
The Power of Compassion
~ San Francisco, California ~
At a time when escalating polarization is the true culprit, a shared common-ground conference promoting respectful listening, dialogue, trust, and action to bridge the divides
Sponsored by:
Common Bond Institute (CBI)
International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)
Supported by:
Michigan State University
Official Partner and Event of:
Charter For Compassion and Parliament of World’s Religions
Endorsed by:
An international list of over 100 organizations and universities
An interactive, working conference to:
- Address rising polarization and animosity in our society
- Advance a wider, inclusive public dialogue about toxic images of “Us and Them,”
- and Promote compassionate, collaborative remedies and healing in our relationship with a perceived “Other.”
Help support our life-saving services to refugee children and their families.
Make a tax deductible donation through our US Federal 501(c)3 nonprofit partner: