Ecopeace Open Cafe

Welcome to EcoPeace Open Cafe, your go-to platform for fostering open and meaningful discussions on a wide range of topics that matter most to our planet and its inhabitants. In this virtual haven of enlightenment, we invite individuals from all walks of life to come together, share their perspectives, and engage in conversations that inspire change. Whether you’re passionate about environmental conservation, social justice, sustainable living, or any other critical issue, our cafe is the place to be. Our aim is simple yet profound: to create a safe and inclusive space where ideas can flow freely, where solutions can be born, and where connections can be forged. So, grab a virtual seat at our table, sip on some knowledge, and let’s embark on a journey of discovery, collaboration, and positive action. Join us at EcoPeace Open Cafe, where every voice counts, and together, we can brew a brighter future for our planet.

Our special guest, Himanshu Pandey co-founded Dignity in Difference, a collective resisting online hate speech in South Asia through research, training, and advocacy. He is a digital anthropologist with a background in preventing violent extremism. He has worked with various not-for-profit organisations in South Asia, building structural interventions at the intersection of technology and human rights. Apart from leading the organisation’s research efforts, he represents it in global coalitions working closely with tech companies and governments on digital reforms focused on South Asia.

With over 18 years of experience, both in the US and internationally, in peacebuilding, as well as in multi-faith understanding and collaboration, Karen brings practical, academic and experiential expertise to her peacebuilding work. Her areas of concentration are in restorative/transformative justice, theological coexistence, theological responses to religious extremism, human rights in sacred texts, trauma informed responses to conflict/violence, as well as peacebuilding – locally and internationally. Her experiential educational opportunities in Varanasi and Mumbai, India, and in the Middle East, especially, benefit her work in this field immensely. Karen graduated with her Doctor of Ministry from Claremont School of Theology in 2021, where she designed a restorative justice component to interfaith peacebuilding for the United Religions Initiative for her Doctoral project. She also has a Master of Sacred Theology in Theology, Philosophy and Ethics with a focus in Religion and Conflict Transformation from Boston University School of Theology ’12, a Master of Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological School ’07, and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies from Wellesley College ’05. Karen also works as Programme Officer of Partnerships and Interreligious Education for Religions for Peace International.