for a special lecture on how to stop violent conflicts.

Dr. John Davies, based at the University of Maryland, helped form the basis of Lebanon's peace agreement in the 1980s and has conducted major studies throughout the Middle East.

Now he is giving a lecture at Bermuda College on Wednesday night.

And his message to Bermudians who feel discriminated against is: "You are not victims. You have the ability to change your situation.'' Dr. Davies, an expert in transcendental meditation, was brought to Bermuda by Dr. Brian Horsfield, of the Bermuda Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology.

Dr. Davies follows in the footsteps of previous lecturers Dr. Robert Ballard, who discovered the Titanic shipwreck, and Dr. Keith Campbell, the scientist who cloned Dolly the Sheep.

Dr. Davies said: "I encourage individuals to improve their relationships in whatever way they can.

"But some of the great conflict managers have written extensively about their capacity to make peace through transcendental meditation.'' And Dr. Horsfield said conflicts in Bermuda revolved around "social stress'', which results in rising crime and divorce rates.

"Between 1976 and 1995, crimes against the person rose in 15 out of the 19 years,'' he said. "Less than one in 1,000 people got divorced in Bermuda in 1943. Now the figure is about four.'' Dr. Davies said Bermudians could solve their racial differences and other disputes by following examples set by peacemakers in some of the world's biggest war zones.

"Conflict is everywhere and there are several ways of dealing with it,'' he said.

Dr. Davies will speak to Hamilton Rotarians today. His Bermuda College lecture tomorrow starts at 7.30 p.m. and admission is $5.