[Tokyo Peacebuilding Forum 2019] Peacebuilding and Global Governance in a Turbulent World (02/11/2019)

This is the second meeting of the Tokyo Peacebuilding Forum following its inauguration in 2018. It is organized by the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan (GPAJ) in cooperation with the ACUNS Tokyo Liaison Office. The purpose of the Tokyo Peacebuilding Forum is to enable the members of GPAJ and interested scholars and practitioners of UN peace operations to engage in dialogue concerning the relevance of theories, concepts, policies and practices. This year, the overall theme of the meeting is “Peacebuilding and Global Governance in a Turbulent Age.” The participants will have opportunities to present and comment on papers that are relevant to peacebuilding and global governance. The meeting will consist of a plenary session in the morning and several group discussion sessions in the afternoon. The subject matters for discussion are indicated in the program outline below. If there is a need for additional group discussions, it is possible to add one more discussion session in the afternoon as meetings rooms have been secured. The Tokyo Peacebuilding Forum is open to participation by interested persons from not only Japan but other countries in order to enable free exchange of divergent views. For this purpose, the plenary session in the morning and two of the group discussion sessions in the afternoon will be held in English. Summary records of the proceeding will be kept by the secretariat and posted on the website of the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan (http://www.gpaj.org/) and the ACUNS Tokyo Liaison Office (http://www.acuns.tokyo/). You are welcome to participate in the Tokyo Peacebuilding Forum. Please note that the participants are expected to meet themselves the costs of their travel and accommodation as GPAJ has no funds to make available for this purpose. If you are interested in participating in the meeting, please send your message to secretariat[@]gpaj.org. Your message will be sent to the organizers/moderators of respective sessions.

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UNDEF Deputy Executive Head Mikiko SAWANISHI stressed “democracy” is a universal value based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their political, economic, social and cultural systems as stated in the World Summit Outcome Document 2005. (01/11/2018)

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.

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At a forum organized by the Japan Institute of International Studies, President of the Japan Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan, Mr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, noted that, as stated clearly in the Constitution, Japan should pursue gaining an honorable position in the international community even though the chances of Japan becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council has decreased. (27/09/2018)

In a discussion moderated by Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae, Chairman of the Japan Institute of International Studies, the participants shared various viewpoints on the role and limitation of the United Nations in light of the dramatic global situation, the main issues before the UN General Assembly this year, and challenges Japan faces in the United Nations system On the issue of the United Nations, Professor Motohide Yoshikawa, former Ambassador of Japan to the United Nations and Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa, President of the International Peacebuilding Association of Japan shared their views and perspectives.

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Sen Genshitsu, 15th Grand Master of Urasenke and President of the UN Association of Japan, elucidated the relationship between an individual or a nation and the international community, and pointed out the necessity of understanding what the United Nations stood for. (10/09/2018)

At the same annual meeting of the heads of UN Associations of Japan, China and Korea held on August 27, 2018 at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Professor Ahn Byun-Jun of Korea gave a lecture on a theme entitled “Challenges to the Liberal International Order”.

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