Bio:

Arthur Romano is an Associate Professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and The Elise Boulding Scholar Practitioner for the National Peace Academy. He is the founder of the Program on Urban Peacebuilding at the Carter School and has over 25 years of experience creating innovative and participatory education models with communities affected by conflict and violence. His research interests include peacebuilding in urban settings, nonviolent social movements, grassroots truth-telling processes, restorative justice, and experiential education. His recent book, Racial Justice and Nonviolence Education: Building the Beloved Community, One Block at a Time, examines the role that community-based educators in violence-affected cities play in building capacity to disrupt and transform cycles of violence.

Dr. Romano regularly consults and collaborates with diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, youth, activists, and artists, to co-create knowledge through action research. He has also served as a founding advisor and established long-term partnerships with organizations working on urban peacebuilding and violence prevention, such as the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence (CTCN) and the Truthtelling Project (TTP). CTCN offers high impact community-led educational programs in violence-affected neighborhoods in the state of Connecticut.  TTP supports community members who experience police violence and was recognized as a pioneering national organization for its racial justice and reparations work.

Dr. Romano’s international work focuses on peace education and citizen diplomacy. He has developed conflict resolution workshops for hip hop artists from around the world through the U.S. State Department-funded Next Level Program. He has facilitated nonviolence trainings for former rebel fighters from the Niger Delta as part of the Nigerian Presidential Amnesty Program. In East Asia, he has published on peace education in Hiroshima, Japan and contributed to problem-solving workshops in South Korea with North Korean defectors, national and international organizations interested in people-to-people peacebuilding. Dr. Romano co-leads the Peacelearner website with his colleague Daryn Cambridge which offers free resources on peace education to visitors from over 100 countries.

College Programs:

Civility and Difference: Sustaining Conversations that Matter on Campus
Is it possible to have passionate and contentious conversations on campus without resorting to negativity, nastiness and name calling? How can we be honest and not sugar coat things while also respecting others? This lecture explores the critical role that meaningful dialogue can play in addressing issues of difference on campus.

Martin Luther King’s Radical Vision for Saving the Planet

When Dr. King is put on a pedestal as a saint, with little explanation of how he developed his militant approach to social change we erase the analysis that drove him to champion radical social change to challenge white supremacy, militarism, and economic exploitation, and how he developed courage over time and handled the violent resistance that he and others faced at every turn.

In this interactive program, Dr. Romano introduces the key principles and deeper ideas that are often missed in celebrations of King. Drawing on his extensive study of nonviolence under the guidance of Civil Right Legend Bernard Lafayette and his time studying nonviolence in India, he breaks down those ideas in ways that can help us think about taking action today.

To get a better sense of Dr. Romano’s thinking on this topic check out: https://wagingnonviolence.org/2021/01/martin-luther-king-world-house/

Book Launch: Building the Beloved Community, One Block at a Time. 

Check out this exclusive offer by Conscious Campus to have a personal book reading and social justice workshops at your school. This will include signed copies of the new book by Dr. Romano as we well as personalized program for your students aimed at supporting them in stepping into their leadership as future peacebuilders.

Call To Conscience: Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
International peace-worker Arthur Romano honors the legacy and struggle of Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by bringing his teachings to life and demonstrating how King’s message is inspiring a new generation of peace-builders around the world today.

Corporate Program:

Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times

In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable business environment, courageous leadership is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Yet, when we think of courage, we often picture high-profile figures or charismatic executives, overlooking the everyday leadership required to make tough decisions, navigate conflict, and lead teams through uncertainty.

The truth is, courage isn’t an innate trait—it’s a skill that can be developed and strengthened within the right environment. Successful leaders aren’t fearless; they’re supported, strategic, and grounded in values that guide bold action when it matters most.

In this engaging and timely program, Dr. Arthur Romano helps professionals across industries explore what it truly means to lead with courage. Drawing on global research and lessons from leaders who have faced extreme challenges—from social movements to crisis response—Dr. Romano introduces practical frameworks grounded in the principles of nonviolence and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Participants will examine their own leadership styles, understand how to work through conflict constructively, and learn how to build resilient, values-driven organizations capable of thriving in the face of rapid change and disruption. This is a powerful opportunity for teams and executives looking to sharpen their leadership edge, foster deeper collaboration, and cultivate a culture of strategic courage.