From Belgium to New Zealand: Dr Malaka Shwaikh’s Global Engagements on Peace and Resilience

Dr Malaka Shwaikh has recently taken part in a series of significant international events showcasing her research on peace, resilience, and community.

On Saturday, 25 October 2025, her keynote address with Dr Svitlana Matviyenko – originally presented earlier this year at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM Vienna) – was featured as the soundscape for There is Nothing Solid about Solidarity, a major exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp, Belgium. During the event, Dr Shwaikh also delivered a talk to a diverse audience of artists and scholars in a workshop aimed at strengthening solidarity with Ukraine and Palestine. The museum attracted thousands of visitors over the weekend, providing a unique platform to bring together scholarly dialogue and contemporary art.

In early November 2025, Dr Shwaikh travelled to Aotearoa, New Zealand, and delivered a keynote lecture titled Expectations of Resilience at the annual conference of the International Peace Research Association on 8 November in Taranaki (New Plymouth). During her visit, she also participated in a special forum on 9-10 November with Indigenous Māori communities to advance discussions on peacebuilding and collective well-being. In addition, Dr Shwaikh gave a talk at the University of Otago in Ōtepoti (Dunedin) on 12 November on her research into resilience and met with local leaders from the Māori and Kiwi communities across both the North and South Islands on 7-14 November.

These activities build on Dr Shwaikh’s recent publication on resilience and continue to highlight her international leadership in the fields of peace and conflict studies.