During its first century, AFS concentrated on rescuing populations involved in the two world wars. In doing so, it also learned the value of reconciliation and education for plural societies.

In a message to the ambulance drivers in 1919, Abram Piatt Andrew wrote:

"This effort must not end with the war. The four or five thousand of us who volunteered for France during the war can rededicate ourselves to the same ideal in the years to come... It has [also] been suggested that we establish in the universities and communities from which we come American Field Service scholarships for American students in France and for French students in America... We can make the Old Field Service an active and important factor in promoting the same ends for which we have given ourselves in France (...)"

The Intercultura Foundation dedicated this international conference to the above topics, thus the title "Learning to live together. Humanitarianism, reconciliation and education for plural societies".

The conference was divided into a series of testimonies brought by individuals and organizations working today in the field of humanitarian relief, post-conflict reconciliation and education of young people to live peacefully together amongst people of different cultures, languages and traditions. Each speaker presented the theme of his/her organization in a series of parallel workshops lasting two hours. The conclusions of the various workshops were presented during the final session on Sunday morning.

The working sessions took place on Saturday at the Teatro Sociale in Trento and Sunday at the Auditorium Melotti in Rovereto.