A keynote address by Steven Stoltenberg, the U.S. State Department's foreign affairs analyst for Poland and the Baltic States, opened Ohio University's 2008 Baker Peace Conference Thursday night.

Hosted by the university's Contemporary History Institute, this year's conference takes an in-depth look at the impact truth and reconciliation commissions have had in Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.

Stoltenberg discussed how Poland is coming to terms with its tumultuous communist past and whether those approaches have been successful. Here, he describes the dilemma in bringing communist officials, informants and those coerced into cooperating with the government to justice in a fledgling democracy committed to observing the rule of law.

Held annually since 1984, the conference concludes today with panel discussions in the Baker University Center Ballroom.

The final panel of the day -- "Overview: Drawing Conclusions" from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. – is moderated by Contemporary History Institute CIA Officer in Residence David S. Black and features three Ohio University faculty members:

• T. David Curp, an expert on 20th century Poland, Soviet diplomacy, 20th century Catholicism and modern Ukrainian national movements
• Patrick Barr-Melej, who specializes in modern Latin America, with a focus on the political and cultural history of 20th century Chile
• Nicholas M. Creary, an expert in African history and a member of the African Studies Program Advisory Committee.