5th Annual Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Conference: “Building Safer Communities: Reducing Community and School Violence”

Millersville University will host its 5th Annual Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Conference on Thursday, June 5, 2025, focusing on “Building Safer Communities: Reducing Community and School Violence.” This one-day conference will take place at The Ware Center in downtown Lancaster, PA from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, bringing together policymakers, community leaders and advocates, agency heads and staff, and educators to address one of today’s most pressing social challenges. Community violence remains a profound and urgent challenge impacting individuals and families across our region, the Commonwealth, and the nation. In Pennsylvania alone, community violence results in the injury or loss of 4,600 lives each year, according to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. While collaboration across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors has led to important progress, critical gaps remain. The conference aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue on innovative solutions, best practices, and resource sharing to promote peace, justice, and community safety in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The day-long event will feature: -Keynote addresses from regional experts on violence prevention and community resilience -Interactive workshops led by successful community and school safety innovators -Panel discussions with local and regional leaders -Networking opportunities for participants to build meaningful connections -Resource fair showcasing tools and programs for violence reduction Conference participants will explore various approaches to reducing violence, trauma-informed community building, successful school safety initiatives, and collaborative models that have shown measurable results in communities across the region and the Commonwealth. This event is hosted by the Office of Community Engagement, Governmental, and Economic Development (CEGED), the Millersville University School of Social Work, and the Office of Sustainability. CEUs will be offered for this event