2nd International Peace Summit to focus on data governance, privacy

The second International Peace Summit will be held on 6 and 7 November at Notre Dame College in Dhaka, under the theme "Governing Data, Guarding Privacy, Guaranteeing Peace". The summit will bring students together for diplomatic simulations, academic discussions and policy-making competitions.

Organised by the Notre Dame International Peace and Harmony Club, the summit will focus on the growing links between technology, data governance, privacy, human security and international affairs, according to the press release.

The organisers said the event aims to encourage students to engage with contemporary policy questions surrounding data control, surveillance, digital rights and geopolitical challenges while developing skills in diplomacy, research, negotiation and problem-solving.

The second edition will feature segments covering diplomacy, legal advocacy, quizzes, policy development and creative presentations.

At the centre of the summit will be two flagship diplomacy events: the Oligarch's Conclave and the Peace Proposal Roundtable.

The Oligarch's Conclave will place participants in an immersive crisis simulation, where they will assess rapidly developing situations and make strategic decisions under pressure.

The Peace Proposal Roundtable will focus on a different aspect of diplomacy, requiring participants to develop practical, workable proposals to resolve conflict through discussion and negotiation.

Together, the two segments are designed to test participants' ability to respond to crises and develop considered policy solutions.

The Moot Court will allow participants to develop their legal reasoning, research, debate, and drafting skills.

Competitors will work with case materials, prepare legal arguments and take part in oral rounds before a panel, with the segment emphasising preparation, evidence and structured advocacy.

The IR Quiz and Quiz Blitz will test participants' knowledge of international relations, geopolitics, treaties, foreign policy and other global affairs topics through competitive quiz rounds.

Creative segments will offer alternative ways to explore questions related to peace, international affairs and global challenges.

Project Displays will allow students to develop and present models and other visual projects based on themes related to diplomacy and international understanding.

Documentary Showcases will allow participants to explore international affairs, conflict, peace and related issues through short films and visual storytelling.

Other summit activities combine knowledge-based competition with policy analysis, communication and creative expression, allowing students with different interests and skills to participate.

The organisers said the summit seeks to address a gap in conventional student diplomacy events by encouraging participants to examine not only borders, treaties and interstate relations but also increasingly important questions surrounding data governance, surveillance, privacy and digital rights.

They said technological change and human security can no longer be treated as separate policy issues, as decisions involving data and digital systems increasingly affect governance, individual rights and international relations.

Registration for the summit is currently open.

The registration fee is Tk300 for individual participants and Tk400 for teams.

Students can register through the summit's official website at ips.ndiphc.org.

Registration is also open for the summit's Campus Ambassador programme.

Under the programme, ambassadors who secure at least 15 referrals will qualify as official Campus Ambassadors, while those reaching 25 referrals will receive a refund of their summit registration fee.

Campus Ambassadors reaching 100 referrals will receive a special gift from the summit secretariat.

Registration for the Campus Ambassador programme is available through ips.ndiphc.org/ca.

The organisers said the two-day summit is intended to give young participants a platform to practise diplomacy, policy-making, legal reasoning, research, negotiation and creative communication while engaging with emerging global challenges.