Peacebuilding
center to present on work in Nigeria
CONWAY — Karuna Center for Peacebuilding Executive Director Polly Byers will speak about the center’s work in Nigeria during the panel, “Rising to the Challenge of Climate Change: How the Peacebuilding Community Can Help Fragile Societies Manage Coming Disruptions.”
The event, planned for today at 9:30 a.m., will be livestreamed by the U.S. Institute of Peace, as part of the Alliance for Peacebuilding’s annual conference (held virtually this year).
“Our team sees the impact of climate change firsthand in Nigeria’s rural areas, where frequent droughts and changing rainfall patterns are exacerbating existing conflicts between crop farmers and cattle herders,” Byers said in a press release. The Protecting Our Communities Initiative, which Karuna leads with the Nigeria-based Neem Foundation, supports communities at the front lines of climate stress to resolve local conflicts and advocate for common needs.
According to a Karuna Center for Peacebuilding press release, in 2021, these local peacebuilding systems resolved more than 100 incidents identified as having the potential to spark broader conflict. In addition, the initiative’s dialogues have brokered new agreements between associations of farmers and herders at the state level.
“We have a global responsibility to stop the climate emergency from getting worse — but we also have to support the communities who are already in the middle of it,” Byers said. “Experience teaches us that developing and lifting up locally rooted solutions creates the most sustainable path forward.”
For more information on the livestreamed event, visit usip.org/events/peacecon10.
SOUTH DEERFIELD — Firefighters from the Old Deerfield, South Deerfield, Sunderland and Whately fire departments will present safety information and programs available to seniors on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the center’s temporary location at the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church.
Topics will include cooking safety, escape plans and other related information.
DEERFIELD — The Deerfield Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association is partnering with Hillside Pizza for a gift card fundraiser.
For every $25 gift certificate for Hillside Pizza that is purchased, Deerfield Elementary will receive $7. Certificates can be paid for in cash or checks made out to the Deerfield Elementary PTA. Gift cards will be available for pickup Feb. 11 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the school.
Venmo purchases will also be accepted. For more information, contact ptadeerfield@gmail.com.