A Conversation With the Women PeaceMakers

Learn from three changemakers building peace in their communities around the world at the annual Women PeaceMakers event, hosted by the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego. A reception with light refreshments and snacks will follow the main event.

This year's Women PeaceMakers include:

Dr. Bochra Laghssais is a Doctor of Philosophy in International Studies specializing in Peace, Conflict, and Development at Jaume I University in Spain. Her extensive research focuses on the adversities, vulnerabilities, agency, and empowerment of Amazigh Indigenous women in Morocco and in the diaspora, and she has collaborated with organizations such as the U.S. Peace Corps Morocco and Project Soar Morocco on girls' education and empowerment.

Dr. Mariia Levchenko is an esteemed peacebuilder and international affairs expert, recognized for her pivotal contributions with the 2023 Luxembourg Peace Prize. Currently serving as the Project Manager at the Berghof Foundation, she specializes in social cohesion work in Ukraine and peacebuilding in Ethiopia. Dr. Levchenko's work, spanning over a decade, focuses on dialogue facilitation, strategic planning, and empowering civil society across multiple continents.

Temi Mwale is evolving visions for racial equity, community healing and transformative justice. Rooted in the fight for liberation, her work as a community organiser, educator, and artist is an uncompromising commitment to abolition, reparations, and collective care. Temi is the founder of 4FRONT, a community-led youth organisation on a mission to heal communities by building peace, knowledge and power. For over a decade, Temi has driven grassroots change in her neighbourhood while connecting communities across the UK and globally. Her mission goes beyond dismantling oppressive systems; she strives to build a world that uplifts, empowers and heals those most affected. Her storytelling—through writing, poetry, documentaries, and public speaking— reveals the deep scars of systemic harm, urging people to confront injustice while inspiring hope and action for transformation. At the heart of her work is the commitment to defining what true justice, healing, and repair look like for the community.

This event is free and open to the public.

Check-in begins at 5:30 PM. Theater seating is general admission and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please factor in 15 minutes to walk or take the tram from the West Parking Structure to the theater.

Since 2002, the Women PeaceMakers Fellowship at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice has brought together peacebuilders from around the world. Together with partners, the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice develops and champions evidence-based, justice-centered solutions to ending cycles of violence.

Find directions and parking details below.

Questions? Accessibility needs? Email [email protected].

Host or Publisher Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice