For decades tensions in Northeast Asia surrounding history, territory, militaries, and nuclear weapons have peaked and dipped, due to the work of political actors both inside the region and beyond, who seek only their own nation’s gain. The “hot spot” of our region—the Korean Peninsula—is the only region of the world still divided by the otherwise longgone Cold War Era. However, the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang enabled a new wave of exchange, and we are now observing dramatic potential for change in the relationship between the two Koreas and other stakeholders.

Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI) will hold its 8th annual Summer Peacebuilding Training in Jeju Island, South Korea, from August 8-21, 2018. NARPI trainings have been held yearly since 2011, in rotating locations around Northeast Asia.

As people who work on peacebuilding in the region, we feel it is hopeful and timely that this year’s NARPI training will take place in Korea, on Jeju Island. We hope to contribute to the growth of this new wave of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region—a wave that is still quite weak, but that we aim to strengthen through our gathering.

The Interfaith Cooperation Forum has published their October 2017 issue of faith and peace. 

pdf Download the October 2017 issue of faith and peace here (1.08 MB) .

The October 2017 faith and peace newsletter includes the following articles:

• The Past, the Future, Reunite at the School of Peace
• Superpower Aspirations while 21 Percent of Children in India Waste Away
• State Infringement of Peoples’ Rights Allows Militancy in Pakistan to Continue Unabated
• Burma Must Act to Prevent Violence against Women in Conflict and Provide Justice for Victims
• Prosecute Wartime Cases in Sri Lanka without Ethnic Bias
• The Enemy

18 October 2017, Jakarta, Indonesia

(MPI Director Chris Vertucci participated in this forum)

We, 182 peacebuilders from twenty-one countries in Asia, Middle East, Canada and United States of America met in Jakarta, Indonesia for the 6th Action Asia Peacebuilders’ Forum on the 16th to 18th of October 2017 to gather as a community to discuss and explore solutions under the theme “Preventing Violent Extremism: A Peacebuilding Perspective”.

We declare our firm collective commitment:

We fervently uphold Action Asia’s shared vision of a world of justice and peace, where basic needs are met, and dignity and human rights are respected;

While we acknowledge the United Nation’s efforts mandating member states to create a National Plan of Action to prevent violent extremism, we believe that national and local governments, and local and international resource agencies should seriously consider a paradigm shift recognizing that the issue on violent extremism is not just a security and law enforcement concern, which underscores the necessity for inclusivity such as a consultative approach to all stakeholders most importantly to those directly affected by conflicts and by committing appropriate resources to achieve these goals;

The Interfaith Cooperation Forum has published their September 2017 issue of faith and peace. Two of the articles are reflections from two of the School of Peace (SOP) participants in the 2017 program.

  pdf Download the September 2017 issue of faith and peace here (1.84 MB) .

The September 2017 faith and peace newsletter includes the following articles:

• Formosa and Environmental Conservation
• Traditional Oarsmen and Development
• Interfaith Strengthening Culture
• Is a Clamor for Independence a Punishable Crime?
• Beirut Declaration on Faith for Rights