For Immediate Release
July 18, 2016
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(BPRW) Cheyney-Organized International Conference to Kick Off in Nation's Capital

(Black PR Wire) CHEYNEY, PA – For the third time, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the Rwanda Governance Board, has organized the International Conference on Democratic Governance in the Developing World.

“Looking back to the First International Conference on Democratic Governance that took place in Philadelphia, it is worth acknowledging how scholars and practitioners from all over the world have resolved to conduct in-depth research of this multifaceted concept of international governance,” shares Dr. Gedeon Mudacumura, Professor of Public Administration in Cheyney University’s Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences.

The Third International Conference is keeping its tradition to bring together world-renowned governance researchers to share their scholarly and pragmatic insights on a timely theme: “Advancing Democratic Governance in the Developing World: The Role of Conflict, Complementarity, and Collaboration in Fostering Democratic Ideals, Practices, and Institutions.”

This two-day conference which begins Monday, July 18 will be held in Washington, DC at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) at 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW.

Although many developing countries have transitioned to some sort of democracy over the last several decades, a quick glance at the local and international media highlights on-going types of conflict which reportedly negatively impact democratic governance in developed as well as in developing countries. The conference participants will take away relevant insights on how such conflicts could be effectively managed while fostering sustainable democratic governance worldwide.

Dr. Robert M. Dixon, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Cheyney, will bring opening remarks at the start of the conference. Attendees will come from all over the U.S. and the world, including from Rwanda, Singapore, and Brazil. The conference is jointly organized and financially sponsored by the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC), an interdisciplinary research institute housed in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, Cheyney, and the Rwanda Governance Board.

In 2012, Mudacumura organized the first International Conference on Democratic Governance, held in Philadelphia, PA, under the theme: Challenges of Democratic Governance in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The second conference was held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2014.

Dr. Mudacumura has worked for the government of Rwanda (central Africa) on various development projects sponsored by the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development. His research interest in international development explores the key factors that inhibit sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A liberal arts university, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania hosts signature programs such as the Keystone Honors Academy, the Call Me MISTER teaching program, the Aquaculture Research and Teaching Laboratory and the accredited Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management program. Recognized as the first institution for higher learning for African Americans, Cheyney University has been educating students for 179 years. The University offers baccalaureate and graduate degree programs at two locations, Cheyney and Philadelphia, PA – Center City. For more information, please visit our website.