• The Center for Peacemaking opened its new office
• Members of the Marquette and Milwaukee community attended the opening on Tuesday, Jan. 15
• The new office will be used to organize the center's activities and as a gathering space
• The next activity hosted by the Center for Peacemaking will be a "Pastoral Care for Returning Veterans" conference on Feb. 1

The Center for Peacemaking officially opened its doors Jan. 15, inviting students, faculty, staff and Milwaukee community members to join in celebrating.

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. people met, conversed, ate and explored the new Center, which is located in the Academic Support Facility at 735 N. 17th St.

Area religious leaders blessed the Center, including the Rev. James Flaherty, rector of the Jesuit Community, Director of University Ministry the Rev. Edward Mathie and the Rev. Marcus White, executive director of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee.

The Center for Peacemaking was established in September to promote nonviolent conflict resolution. Marquette Facility Services has been working to complete the center's office since November 2007.

The center includes two offices, a gathering room and a meditation room. Center for Peacemaking Director the Rev. Simon Harak said the building will be the headquarters for the center's operations. It will also be a meeting place for peacemaking groups and a place for reflection, support and sharing.

Harak said the opening was a day of community.

"It was a day punctuated by moments of beauty and reflection," Harak said. "The whole day was a day of real coming together and a day of real peace."

College of Arts & Sciences sophomore Theresa Lauer, who attended the opening, said a variety of people attended the open house.

"I thought there was a good mix of people from the community and people affiliated with the university," she said. "Everybody seemed happy to be there and for the center to be opened."

Lauer also felt the center will help nurture community.

"I think it will help build a community that's inclusive of people of all different backgrounds interested in peace and justice issues," Lauer said.

Harak said the office is a temporary space until a location can be found closer to the center of campus.

"What I would love is for this to be a place where people just come and hang out, so I'm hoping for it to someday be a little more accessible to students and faculty," Harak said.

College of Communication sophomore Brian Suerth said he thinks students will find the center to be a vital resource on campus.

"The center will continue to grow as a necessary resource to all Marquette students," Suerth said. "I think a lot of students will spend time there and as the center grows more and more students will recognize the value of the center."

The center's next event is to be a conference entitled "Pastoral Care for Returning Veterans" on Feb. 1 in the Alumni Memorial Union.