2018 Seminars and Events

Takakazu Ito, Senior Programme Officer, Department for Field Support, United Nations made a presentation “Triangular Partnership to strengthen UN Peacekeeping Operations” and Herman Salton, Associate Professor of ICU on “Dangerous Diplomacy: Bureaucracy, Power Politics, and the Role of the UN Secretariat in Rwanda.” (Reported by Maja Liechti)

Key points made during the discussion included the importance for UNDEF to sustain universal value, efficiency in execution of its programs and activities; to assist the institution building; to encourage local, national and regional ownership in democratization process. There was a consensus that Japan should support financially and technically the democratization process and sustaining democratic principles of governance.

Ambassador in charge of International Cooperation for Countering Terrorism and International Organized Crime, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Eiji YAMAMOTO, explained the incidents of international terrorism has reached its highest frequency in OECD countries, while it declined in Southeast Asia.

To participate, please contact GPAJ Secretary-Genral Masakuni TANIMOTO (tanimoto[@]gpaj.org).
[Date and time] Sunday, August 19, 1900 (Sun) 15: 00 ~ 17: 30
[Venue] Ichigaya JICA Research Institute Conference Room
[Organized by] Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan (GPAJ)

On July 16, five discussants, Professors Aigul Kulnazarova of Tama University, Yasushi KATSUMA of Waseda University, Zhang Guihong of Fudan University, Sijeong Lim, University of Amsterdam, and Colonel Amarsaikhan Serdari of the Mongolian Armed Forces as well as Icchiku Yamada of Tokyo University commented on the Implications of the Breaches of Humanitarian Law and discussed what East Asian countries can do.

Professor Hongsheng SHENG met with Director General Ambassador William Swing in Geneva during his participation in the Geneva Dialogue of East Asian Scholars with UN and International Organizations held on July 16 and 17, 2018.

Human Rights is NOT in Retreat insisted by Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore, while Importance of Universal Periodic Review emphasized by UPR Chief Mr. Gianni MAGAZZENI.

Three other speakers were: Robert Watkins, Former Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Operational Activities in Bangladesh, Delidji Eric Degila, Adjunct Professor of International Relations at Benin Ecole Nationale d’Administration, and Mark Downes, Assistant Director and Head of DCAF’s Operations Department contributed to the Geneva Dialogue with their insightful presentations.

Proposed NEA-NWFZ would contribute to enhance the normative consciousness of prohibiting nuclear weapons in the Northeast Asian region and signal the intention of a state under the “nuclear umbrella” to renounce its reliance on nuclear weapons.

From right to left on front row; Ms. Erika FREY, University of Teachers Education Zug; Ms. Reina MOTEGI of the University of Tokyo; Professor Misako TAKIZAWA of Oberlin University; Dr. Ai KIHARA-HUNT, Associate Professor, Graduate Program on Human Security, the University of Tokyo, Deputy Director, Research Center for Sustainable Peace, and Deputy Director, ACUNS Tokyo Office; Ryotaro Takehara of the University of Tokyo.


Second row from left to right: Colonel Amarsaikhan SERDARI, Chief of Special Plans Office of the Mongolian Armed Forces; Professor Takaaki MIZUNO of the Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS); Yasushi KATSUMA, Professor of Waseda University; Ms. Suzuka YAMADA of the University of Tokyo; Ms. Mizuki ARITA of the University of Tokyo; Ms. Moeka TAWADA of the University of Tokyo; Prof. SHENG Hongsheng of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law; Mr. Takashi KAMISHIRO, Head of Field Office Miravalle, UN Verification Mission in Colombia; Professor ZHANG Guihong, Director of the Center for UN Studies, Fudan University and Vice President & Secretary-General, Shanghai UN Research Association.


Third row from left to right: Professor Aygul KULNAZAROVA of Tama University; Ms. Kana YOKOYAMA of the University of Tokyo; Ms. Maja LIECHTI of the University of Tokyo; Mr. Yuki SAITO of the University of Tokyo; Mr. Eisuke KIMURA of the University of Tokyo; and Mr. Simon PANCHAUD of the University of Geneva.