Contrary to the popular belief that conflict, violence, and war are biologically and intrinsically part of the human nature, history teaches us that at different times and places human beings, irrespective of their faith, ethnicity, race, ideology, social class, age and gender, have always created innovative ways of living together in peace and harmony both as individuals and as groups. While some of the approaches for peaceful coexistence are developed by individuals, a greater part is inspired by and collectively learned from the rich teachings inherent in the different domains of our social systems – family, culture, religion, education, and socio-political system.

The positive values embedded in the fabrics of our societies are not only learned by the members of the society, most importantly, they are commonly utilized to build bridges of peace and harmony, resulting in the prevention of conflict. When conflict emerges, however, individuals and groups with existing bridges of peace and harmony, prior healthy relationships, and a willingness to collaborate can deal with their conflict and find a mutually satisfactory solution to the issues in conflict through a collaborative, win-win, or integrative approach.

Similarly, and against the proposition that societies divided along ethnic, racial, religious or sectarian lines are inevitably prone to chaos and violent conflict, or that relationships involving people of different ethnicities, races, and faiths are susceptible to eternal conflict and failure, a careful study of these societies and relationships reveals, confirms and supports the scientific assertion about the magnetic force of attraction which states that  magnets are attracted by their opposite poles – the north (N) and south (S) poles – just as the positive (+) and negative (−) electrical charges attract each other to produce light.

However, most skeptics and pessimists who doubt the possibility of living together in peace and harmony in ethnically, racially, or religiously divided societies and countries may cite the numerous examples of cultural misunderstanding, discrimination, segregation, racism, bigotry, conflict, hate crime, violence, war, terrorism, mass murder, ethnic cleansing, and even genocide that have occurred in the past and are currently occurring in many polarized countries around the world. Thus, and in scientific terms, human beings have been regrettably presented with a false assumption that opposite poles repel each other and only like poles attract each other.

This assumption which is currently spreading in many countries around the world is dangerous. It leads to the dehumanization of the “other”. Therefore, it needs to be corrected immediately before it is too late.

The 4^th Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding seeks to inspire and coordinate a global effort to humanize humanity by providing a platform and an opportunity for a pluridisciplinary, scholarly, and meaningful discussion on how to live together in peace and harmony, especially in ethnically, racially, or religiously divided societies and countries. Through this pluridisciplinary scholarly encounter, the conference hopes to stimulate inquiries and research studies that draw on knowledge, expertise, methods, and findings from multiple disciplines to address a broad range of problems that inhibit the ability of humans to live together in peace and harmony in different societies and countries, and at different times and in different or similar situations.

Interested researchers, theorists, and practitioners from any fields of study, including the natural sciences, social sciences, behavioral sciences, applied sciences, health sciences, humanities and arts, and so on, are encouraged to submit abstracts and / or full papers for presentation at the conference.