2. Events

Dr. Vanessa Abou-Khalil, the GPAJ member, discusses the historical evolution of the relationship between Japan and the Middle East during periods of conflict with the United States as part of the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS) Seminar.To access the full recorded discussion on 23 July 2023, please click on the link below: https://youtu.be/iUFQwLn6rdI?si=9SyFlxmEKRIOfNNS

Mr. TANIMOTO Masakuni delivered a special message from Mr. ETO Seishiro, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of the National Diet of Japan, at the Joint Japan-US Memorial Ceremony at Pearl Harbor on December 8, 2023. Please click here for details.

President Jose Ramos-Horta of the Republic of Timor-Leste spoke online to more than 1000 participants of the SDGs Global Governance Summit 2023 Tokyo held on 6 November 2023 in Shibuya City, Tokyo. Please click here for the video message.

On 12 October 2023, UNU will host “Peacebuilding in the Wake of Increasing Rivalry Among Major Powers,” a conversation with Dr. Kuniko INOGUCHI, Chairperson of the Research Committee on Foreign Affairs and National Security, the House of Councilors, the National Diet of Japan.

In his presentation of his book, entitled History Continues – Three Models of the Continuation of History, Ambassador Dr. Kicmari made a detailed assertion of the return of ideological competition in international relations. This hybrid discussion meeting was attended by 20 participants in person at the venue and about 10 persons online. The following is a summary of the presentation and the remarks made by the participants.

In the keynote speech at the International Day of Peace symposium, SHISHINO Fumio, Chairman of the World Federation Cultural Education Promotion Council and Chairman of the Japan Religious Federation, said that in the Shinto Fuso religion, Mt. Fuji is the fundamental dojo, and there are five trails to climb the mountain. These are the Kitaguchi Yoshida Pathway and the Funatsu Pathway in Yamanashi Prefecture, and the East Exit Subashiri Pathway, Fujinomiya Murayama Pathway, and Gotemba Pathway in Shizuoka Prefecture. Each of them is proud that their path is the best, but they all agree that their destination is one place. Although the paths are different, there is only one purpose, and although each teaching is different, it is explained that the goal is one. Mr. Shishino preached that wishing and praying for the happiness of all living beings is the same thing. Click here for the full text of the keynote speech in Japanese.

Father Toshiaki Koso, Pastor of St. Ignatius Church, made opening remarks at the memorial ceremony and symposium for the International Day of Peace adopted by the UN General Assembly, which were held on 21 September 2023 at the St. Ignatius Church and Sophia University, Tokyo.

Iranian scholars Reza Arab and Forough Jonghani made presentations on the need for change sparked by protests after the death of Mahsa Amini. Initiated by the ‘Woman Life Freedom’ movement, most Iranian citizens hope for a future with a government of the people and for the people, separation of church and state, prioritization of domestic needs over adverse foreign policy, inclusion of all citizens’ ethnicities and religions, increased global trade and revived tourism, a non-partisan view of other countries’ political and social systems and international alliances.