A pioneering peace conference was held at the University of Bradford on Saturday to celebrate the work of the Rotary World Peace Scholars.

Rotarian representatives from about 30 nations met to celebrate and discuss the Rotary International funded World Peace Scholars course.

The University of Bradford's department of peace studies was selected from more than 100 institutions worldwide last year to become one of only seven centres providing the two-year graduate World Peace Scholars programme.

This year marks the completion of the first year of study for about 23 students at the University of Bradford on the course.

Rotary International President Jonathan Majiyagbe opened the conference attended by about 400 delegates. Keynote speakers included Professor Paul Rogers, of Bradford University's peace studies department, Rotary International director David Morgan, Rotary Foundation trustee John Kenny and conference chairman Allan Jagger.

The President of the Ketu Rotary Club in Nigeria, Michael Fonukan, pictured, said the event was a chance to learn more about encouraging peace and the work of the scholars.

He said: "This event is excellent. It is a chance for us to meet other Rotarians and see how the project it working."

Prof Rogers gave an address on world conflict issues. "In the wake of September 11, peace studies have been widely recognised and are very relevant to us today. Even now there are about 20 wars going on in different parts of the world," he said.

"Most aren't reported in the West but if you look across the world there are wars going on all the time for example in Nepal, Columbia and Nigeria. Since 1945, which people think of as the last big war, 25 million people have been killed and 75 million people injured in 120 wars. This impacts socially afterwards for a long time. The damage to health, education, food and the cost of the aftermath can take countries decades to recover from."

Prof Rogers said that Rotary International was excellent in helping people deal with the immediate affects of war but said he applauded the World Peace Scholars programme as a long-term approach to combat the causes of war.

Event chairman Mr Jagger said: "I believe the Rotary World Peace Scholars will make a difference after graduating from this educational programme, as they will have gained the knowledge to influence people in making our world a safer place to live."

As well as the World Peace Scholar scheme, Rotary International also helps to deal with the immediate aftermath of war, providing shelter boxes crammed full of the essentials for ten people to survive for a month, and an aqua box scheme providing equipment to purify and filter water .