The Italian Network of Universities for Peace

The University of Padua is part of RUniPace, the Network of Italian Universities for Peace promoted by the Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities.
Public and private universities that inspire their action by the fundamental principles of the Constitution, the Charter of the United Nations, the founding treaties of the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe can join it.

RUniPace orients its actions in observance of some fundamental shared principles: the repudiation of war, dialogue and international cooperation; respect for and promotion of fundamental human rights, the dignity and worth of the human person; the fight against poverty and inequality as a prerequisite for peace among peoples; the promotion of social, cultural and environmental justice.

The objectives that RUniPace aims to achieve, both inside and outside the university community, are many. The first and most important is to promote reflection on the social responsibility of all disciplines and attention to peacebuilding as a constitutive vocation of the Academy and as a pivot of research, training and social sharing of knowledge. A further objective is to support and develop teachingand research for Peace, an interdisciplinary and transformative key to reality, and to promote education programs for peace, human rights, nonviolence, non-discrimination and global citizenship.

RUniPace is also committed to promoting research aimed at the civil reconversion of the war industry and to promoting nonviolence and mediation as approaches to conflict resolution, to build a culture of dialogue, respect, equity, inclusion and solidarity, in implementation of the constitutional principles of dignity of the person, freedom, justice and democracy.

The objectives of RUniPace also include those aimed at enhancing the role of women in peace processes at all levels, contributing to the creation of favorable conditions for the leadership of the younger generations in peace processes.

The bodies of RUniPace are the Assembly, composed of the 67 representatives of the member universities, the Coordinator, and the Coordination Committee. The latter is made up of the people responsible for the working groups and has the important task of developing, together with the Coordinator, the programme and the annual strategic guidelines.

The working groups activated are: Doctorate on peace studies; Didactics for peace in universities; Migrations; Building peaceful cities; Military spending and disarmament; Science and Technology for Peace; Mediation; Women and Peace; Environment, climate change and peace; Environmental conflicts/Environmental justice.

In September 2022, Enza Pellecchia, of the University of Pisa, and Marco Mascia, of the University of Padua, were elected coordinator and coordinator of the Italian Network of Universities for Peace, respectively.