On August 10, 2020, the International Association for Reconciliation Studies (IARS) was founded in Jena, Germany, at the Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies. The foundation was a joint initiative of Prof. Dr. Martin Leiner (University of Jena), Prof. Dr. Toyomi Asano (Waseda University, Tokyo), and Prof. Dr. Karina Korostelina (George Mason University).

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Due to COVID-19 restrictions, most participants attended the founding conference online, which took place on August 9–10, 2020. The conference did not include an open call for papers; instead, it brought together invited, well-known speakers. Scholars and scholar-practitioners from diverse disciplines and all continents contributed short interventions on the conference theme.

 

The focus of the conference was the future of reconciliation studies and the role of IARS in supporting (particularly younger) researchers worldwide. Endorsement and welcoming messages were delivered by the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos.

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During the founding meeting, Prof. Dr. Martin Leiner was elected President of IARS, while Prof. Dr. Karina Korostelina and Prof. Dr. Toyomi Asano were elected as Vice Presidents of the IARS Board.

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The conference program is available above.