The national 'Weaving Peace' Symposium held at CQU Rockhampton has been hailed as a success.

CQU hosted the one-day symposium on the intersections, divergences, tensions and contradictions in Western, Eastern and Indigenous beliefs about inner and outer peace, creaturely existence and reconciliation.

The event was planned to encourage critical reflection and focus on peace and reconciliation - not only among humans but also between humans and the larger ecology.

Presenters and participants travelled from around Australia to attend the inaugural event on Wednesday, October 11.

"The current level of violence in various parts of the world and the terrible realities of war, terrorism, genocide, brutality, crime and other hidden forms of violence, continue to raise concerns about the future of humanity and how to achieve peaceful co-existence," according to co-organiser Dr Jonathan Makuwira.

“This event was intended to critically examine how peace that glows from inside engenders a harmonious pattern of true reconciliation with self and other creatures on one hand, and enhances a harmonious pattern of responsible custodianship, on the other”.

Dr Makuwira, of CQU's Nulloo Yumbah (Indigenous Learning, Spirituality and Research Centre), said the dawn of the 21st century has witnessed a new kind of warfare and a search for the true meaning of peace.

Symposium themes included:.

1. Inner Peace (Fighting our own demons).

2. Power, Love and Creaturely Existence.

3. Peace and Reconciliation (Outer peace).

Details are available at http://www.cqu.edu.au/nullooyumbah/ocs.htm .

Photo (above from left): Basil Varghese, Associate Professor William Oates, Dr Anne Brown, Anna Halafoff, Mark Hurst and Rev Dr Jason John.

Photo (below from left): Student Michael Higgins, speaker Cheri Yavu-Kama-Harathunian and student David Arnold also took part in the event.