On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, the Northeast Asia Peace Biolding Insitute(NARPI) was held in Ulaaanbaatar and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park in Mongolia.

 

NARPI is a peace-building learning experience held annually in August somewhere in Asia. This year, the first face-toface meeting in three years after the Corona Vortex, about 70 participants from Mongolia,Korea,China,Taiwan,the Phillippines,Myanmar,Cambodia,Spain,Canada,the United States,Japan,and other countries gathered at the venue,Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.

From TUFS,Dr.Aya Kasai participated as a facilitator.I interviewed Dr.Kasai who participated in the program.

 

What kind of program is NAPRI?

Participants from all over the world spend two weeks together through fieldwork and workshops, learning knowledge and skills useful for experiential peacebuilding.

The Northeast Asian region has been experiencing tensions over historical,territorial,military,and nuclear issues,and militarization in many Asian countries.Transforming a culture of hostility and military priorities into a culture of peace and reconciliation requires the knowledge and skills to do so.

Participants can choose to receive training on conflict transformation,restorative justice and mediation,gender,climate change,trauma care,and more.

During filedwork,participants learn about the local historical culture and the various challenges currently faced by the peaple of the region.

For example,this time,fieldwork at an environmental NPO that deals with climate change and desertification causec by mineral extraction and a child support NPO that reals with child poverty were interesting and made me realize that the problems of one region are connected to the problems of the entire planet.

Also,during our two weeks together, we were able to bulid relationships with peaple from various regions while understanding each other’s similarities and differences.

 

How did you come to join NARPI from MIU?

I was originally involved in a project to engage in dialogue on how peaple in Asia can inherit and share the memory of war.

I wanted to participate in a forum where people from different regions and countries could engage in dialogue,and NARPI was started.

Transactional”settlements”or”solutions”made between governments can leave people’s hearts behind.That left behind mind may become the source of the next conflict. As a specialist in psychology and creatibe arts, I’m interested in how to deal with that mind.

 

Can MIU students participate?

Since I started participating as a NARPI instructor in 2016,students have also been invited to participate.

Students at MIU are used to English classes, especially 3rd and 4th year students,and of course 1st and 2nd year students can also participate,which can be a bit frustrating at first, but if you use the maximum vocabulary you have, you can communicate well enough. Above all, it expands your world.

 

What did you do in your free time?

We had a venue in the middle of the steppe, so we went horseback riding and hiking,and at the culture night,we wore our traditional costumes and performed dancing and music.

I have fond memories of learning songs and traditional dances that have recently become popular in Mongolia, abd singing local lullabies together. I realized how nice it is to be able to get together face-to face.

 

Where will the event be held next year?

We are planning to hold the conference in Kyushu in August 2024.

As a member of the host country, I will participate in the inspection to choose the venue in October.

There are also internships involved in program manegement,so this is an opportunity for MIU students to play an active role in guiding participants arriving from all over the world and supporting the international staff!

 

Thank you very much. Next August,the program will finally be held in Kyushu. We’re looking forward to it.