The Palatinate and the world

The Palatinate and the world - contributions to peace and understanding

January 24 and 25, 2025, Protestant Education Center Butenschoen-Haus, Landau

Regionalism and cosmopolitanism are not opposites. Due to its rural character, the Palatinate is sometimes considered provincial. In a counter-movement, this historical conference focuses on the European and global relationships in which the Palatinate has always been involved - and on the role that churches and civil society organizations play in this. What contribution do citizens make to peace and understanding? How do non-governmental organizations complement state action? Are there religious or ideological factors that promote or hinder peace and understanding? How does the Palatinate benefit from the European and global networks of its citizens? And: Does the Palatinate benefit the world?

The conference offers approaches to motifs such as non-violence, democracy, migration and colonialism. Geographically speaking, the arc spans from the Netherlands to Bohemia, Piedmont, England, the United States of America, Greece, Alsace, Brazil and Korea. The result is a panorama of Palatine world references. In addition to historical questions, we will discuss the challenges of the present: in view of the return of geopolitics, the contributions of church and civil society networks to peace and understanding seem to be less in demand. Does this have to be the case?

The conference is part of the program for the 100th anniversary of the Association for Palatinate Church History.

The conference is being organized in cooperation with the Verein für Pfälzische Kirchengeschichte e.V., the Institute for Protestant Theology at RPTU and the Protestant Academy of the Palatinate. Sponsored by the Rhineland-Palatinate State Center for Political Education.

The program and information on registration can be found here.