2nd Peace Summit 2022

BROUGHT TO YOU BY HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS ASIA

UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE CENTRE, BANGKOK FEBRUARY 5 TO 7, 2020

OVERVIEW

Threats to world peace have previously included armed conflicts, the marginalisation of ethnic communities and acts of violence. Yet in a rapidly changing world, the notion of peace amongst citizens and from country-tocountry is constantly shifting. In the face of new threats there has never been a more important time to ensure that peace prevails.

This is where the 2nd Edition of the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders, held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand transpired.

The event, organised by Humanitarian Affairs Asia from February 5 to 7, 2020, unified 507 young leaders from 55 countries, offering unique insights to the vitally important subject of sustainable peace.

Peace is possible if we all work together. Through the summit, delegates made long-lasting connections with like-minded youths who are ready to bring about peace in their communities and the wider world.

PURPOSE

The 2020 Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders was designed to bring together inspiring speakers, networking opportunities, and team-building activities to empower aspiring delegates to become a champion of peace.

507 delegates emerged as Humanitarian Affairs Peace Ambassadors with the knowledge to enact peacebuilding initiatives around the world.

For at least one year, delegates will actively participate in leading peace initiatives of their own

and to encourage other youths to engage in peace efforts.

Peace Ambassadors will play a vital role in the promotion and achievement of sustainable peace, in support of UN SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

STORYTELLING IS A WAY TO ACHIEVE PEACE

H.E. Poramase Ngampiches, Vice Minister of Culture in the Kingdom of Thailand warmly welcomes the delegates to Thailand. He believes that, “The Peace Summit provides the tool to spread the message and to find how you can spread peace.”

Speaking of peace, he said, “We need to come together for peace, now more than ever.”

“We need more emerging young leaders to bring about change in the name of peace and for that to occur dialogue needs to happen.”

Historically, stories have moulded and impacted perception throughout time. In the opinion of Poramase,

“Storytelling is a way to achieve peace.”

“Stories can impact how we think about the world…” he added, before encouraging the delegates to open their hearts and minds as, “The stories over the next three days will inspire you.”

He emphasised that, “When people engage in conversations, cultural awareness can happen,” and reminded the delegates that, “Diversity can be our greatest strength but can also be our greatest weakness if we allow it to divide us.”

“I feel proud at how many young people are involved,” he said, “just like the song heal the world, when we come together, we can heal the world, each and every one of us can heal our community.”

His speech was light-hearted yet

simultaneously an erudite discourse, not bypassing the fact that, “There’s more that can be done to achieve peace - many issues like climate change, war, conflict, social issues, inequality, and injustice remain.”

The Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders 2020 was opened with that in mind, as for the delegates to remain aware of and to embody solutions for real and current problems as Peace Ambassadors. Poramase shared how, “We can’t only refer to the past to understand peace, not in our rapidly changing world.”

“Significant problems will require a new generation of thinkers, young people stepping outside of their comfort zone.”

Naturally, “There will be times when you can’t see the results of your hard work but don’t give up, it’s part of your journey to be at a cross roads.”

“It may seem daunting but choose courage - just look around at the people sitting next to you to know that there’s people ready to serve courageously,” he continued.

Poramase concluded his speech with a request for the delegates, “Start peace projects in your community because if all of us can make even a small difference, the world will be a better place.”

“There’s more than monetary donations…” he said, “Helping others can come in various forms.”

Most importantly though, “When you go home, share what you’ve learned.”

DO IT WITH GREAT LOVE

Where were you during 9/11? A distinct question that most, regardless of demographics, can answer almost immediately with unequivocal recollection. For the Founder of Humanitarian Affairs, he was on his way to a conference at the United Nations Headquarters in New York when suddenly smoke started shrouding the surrounding buildings. Kim instinctively volunteered to help those in ground zero. Whilst assisting rescue workers, a third tower collapsed. The fireman at his side said the unforgettable, “This is like a Hollywood production but the casualties are real”.

After experiencing 9/11 first-hand, Kim promised himself he would do something and indeed, that something has now impacted the lives of thousands of youngsters from around the world; and these youngsters have impacted countless communities-in-need globally.

By sharing his experience at ground zero, he reminded the delegates not to allow fear control their lives. He emphasised the importance of promoting peace across borders.

Seemingly, peace is a feeling and an experience that starts with the self. If the internal self is without peace, the external self will project that. So, in turn, advocating for peace entails advocating for the understanding of the internal world as to understand the external world without hatred or judgement.

Regardless of your definition of peace, start now, start wherever you are, start with whatever you have but most notably, start with great love. In fact, Kim believes that, “Whatever you, do it with great love.”

MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

There are 7.8 billion people inhabiting Earth –understandably, some of these people feel that their actions barely create an impact but changing the world requires believes; especially believe in yourself and your capabilities.

The United Nations continuously redefines the definition of peace over time and it’s because, according to Felipe Queipo, “The concept of sustainable peace is very unique.”

“It’s impossible to have societal peace without individual peace,” he said, “We have the right to peace of mind.”

“Let me invite you not to use the concept of tolerance,” Felipe then added, “We want to build a society that’s inviting, not tolerant.”

He reflected how, “We learn how to be racist; we learn how to discriminate, we learn how to be selfish…” So, to repeat, don’t tolerate racism, discrimination, or anything similar. “Educate those around you,” he recommended.

Generalising between the work of the UN and the impact of the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders, he told the delegates,

“You’re not the future of the world –you’re the present, you’re the reality of our leadership and without you it would be impossible to have all this and it’s because of you also that we hope that we can continue for generations to make life for everyone better.”

He ended by thanking the delegates for their attendance and, of course, by saying, “Thank you for committing to make the world a better place.”

H.E Dr. Meir Shlomo, the ambassador of Israel to Thailand and considering the atrocities the Jewish community has suffered, it seemed fitting for Shlomo to remind the delegates of the past. The reason is simple and in his words, is as follows, “You should know the history before you try to create the future.”

Prior to diving into the sordid details of the Jewish genocide, he took a moment to directly address the delegates, “I’d like to thank all of you for taking your time to be part of this important conference.”

Shlomo then recounted a pivotal moment for the Jewish population: the holocaust. For those unaware, 75 years ago a concentration camp in Poland opened its doors to migrating Jewish people. Known as Auschwitz, the concentration camp was headed by Adolf Hitler, the staunch leader of the Nazi Party in Germany during the Second World War. During his reign, Hitler aimed to remove non-Germans from Germany for various reasons.

After the end of the Second World War, the extent of his actions against non-Germans were revealed to the public. More than 1.1 million Jewish people were murdered in Auschwitz. To Shlomo, “The very soul of humanity was raped and desecrated in Auschwitz.”

ACT OF INHUMANITY

Soon after, it was revealed that within the span of just six years, Hitler annihilated more than six million Jewish people; that equates to two-thirds of the Jewish population. Regardless of the ethno-religious group massacred, the actions of Hitler, “…Brought the human race face to face to the extent of men’s capacity for inhumanity to its fellow men.”

“It revealed the potential to pervert ideology, technology, culture, and philosophy,” Shlomo continued.

He then added, “The Nazi perpetrators carry the blame but so do all those who knew and did nothing.”

Considering everything that transpired during the Second World War, if the current and future generation choose to remain voiceless about momentous matters then, “There are no hopeless situations only hopeless people.”

So, Shlomo summarised his speech by returning to his initial statement: that the young generation need to apply the lessons of the past. Instead of being hopeless, find hope and, as counselled by the ambassador, “Fight hate and discrimination.”

FIGHT HATE AND DISCRIMATION

The regional director of Humanitarian Affairs Asia began her speech by divulging details of a book she had read discussing paradigm shifts. Before sharing what she had learned, Janice Leong probed, “How many times have you been in public places and witnessed questionable behaviour? How many times have you judged that behaviour?”

Well, there’s always a story behind every action, a reason that the person has opted for that reaction. Quoting the book, the tale occurs in the American metro system – the ride was calm until calamity suddenly entered the carriage: a father and his unruly children. Yet, the father was oblivious to the fact that his children were literally disturbing the other passengers.

As if suddenly stirred, he realised their wrongdoings and explained to the person besides him how their mother, and his wife, just passed away an hour ago. After detailing this anecdote to the delegates, she said, “Don’t be too quick to jump to conclusions - be calm, be slow.”

“Paradigms, incorrect or correct, are sources of our attitudes and behaviours and relationships with others.”

In turn, the first step into the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders 2020 requires a change of paradigm, especially in regards to the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality. “As an individual, we may not change much but together we can definitely achieve peace.”

THE SEQUOIA TREE

Janice honed in on unity by describing the giant sequoia tree. Unbeknown to most, it’s the largest living organism on earth, spanning 25 stories in height and requiring around 20 adults holding hands to circle its base. Considering those facts, it’s unsurprising to know that the sequoia tree can live for two to three thousand years. What is surprising, though, is how it survives. Instead of a shallow root system, it’s entirely entangled with the surrounding trees. As an analogy, the sequoia tree is a reminder to support each other as we survive because of each other.

She continued by asking the delegates, “How can you support and learn from each other?”

The answer is easier than expected: simply by listening to others with an open heart. Considering the agenda of the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders 2020, Janice emphasised how, “Many may feel emotionally strained at atrocities talked about by the speakers or by whatever personal stories spurred your participation.”

However, these stories proof that, “Whatever obstacle is in the way, you’re going to get around it.”

In fact, Jancie believes that, “All journeys are filled with potholes but only by approaching them can you move around them.”

She then added, “Embark on this journey with kindness and warmness.”

A STORY OF CHOICE

Does

your childhood determine your future?

If you were to ask Zak Ebrahim, his answer would be a firm no.

He was raised in America as a pious Muslim, regularly attending Friday prayers with his father. During the sermons, the main message was to live in harmony with others. After one of these sermons, Zak decided to ask his father how he became a good Muslim. He replied, “When I came to America and saw everything wrong with it.”

Considering his young age, Zak didn’t quite grasp the implications of that conversation. He wasn’t suspicious either when his father told him he started practicing how to shoot guns. Quite on the contrary, he even joined his father at the Long Island Shooting Rage.

Soon after, his father was incriminated in a terrorist attack. Not just any terrorist attack but the bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York in 1993.

Finally, he understood that he was raised to believe in a narrow idea of good and that those who didn’t fit into that idea were quite literally an enemy. So basically, to judge others based on their race, gender, religion, and sexuality. Although that’s how Zak was raised, he stressed how, “My story is not that of a vast majority of Muslims and I’m here to dispel stereotypes.”

RADICAL EXTREMISM

In his opinion, “It’s foolish to believe that radical extremism is only for Muslims,”

“Every population has a small amount of people that want people to live as they do,” he added.

After all, the sermons at the mosque differed from what his father taught him. After the arrest of his father, his family initially maintained contact but his mother ultimately decided to severe the ties; thus, uprooting the family. Due to moving numerous times, Zak was perpetually the new kid in school and in turn, perpetually subjected to bullying. This made him, “...

feel like I could hold a degree in loneliness.”

Rarely, he would share his story with friends, especially not after an attempted assassination by someone he thought he could trust. “He said he’d be doing America a service by killing me,” Zak reminisced.

As he aged, he started interacting with communities he normally wouldn’t as a child, such as the LGBTQI community. He slowly began unlearning what he was taught when he was younger through first-hand experience. He told his mum how his world view was changing and she just responded with, “I’m tired of hating people.”

CHANGE IS POSSIBLE

During the 2000s presidential election, Zak joined a group talking about youth violence. There, he had the opportunity to listen to a young man talking about his life story, which mirrored Zak’. The words that impacted him the most were, “Things don’t always have to be this way – change is possible… You’re never alone.”

With that being said, Zak addressed the delegates directly and said, “You are not alone in this room or at home.”

“Seek others like you and not like you – maybe you won’t have the same experiences but others feel as you feel,” he continued, “Show others that it’s ok…”

Moving onto ideologies and its side effects, Zak acknowledged how, “It’s not only Islam that’s poisoned the mind, it’s the public perception of women that men have, and it’s the quickness to judge others.”

“Don’t accept fundamental truths…” he then said, “… Understand the motivations in your life and where they come from.”

In his eyes, “Hatred creates more hatred but those cycles don’t have to continue forever.”

Speaking from knowledge, Zak observed that, “The most effective way to change someone’s mind is to change their perspective through a new experience.”

Then, he remarked, “Violence isn’t inherited and forgiveness isn’t for someone else, it’s for yourself.”

“Practice self-love in your own mind and make a purposeful effort to be kind to yourself,” he suggested, “…A long term effort is required, it can’t just be today at this event.”

In conclusion, Zak thinks that, “Your struggle is what make you unique.”

AN UNFORGOTTEN WAR

What’s your definition of a normal day-to-day routine? For Derek Schwartz, his definition certainly was different from the average American citizen. For 12 years, his normal was war – literally.

Deployed as a Marine, he was stationed in Haiti, Iraq, and Afghanistan during its climax.

It was whilst in in Haiti that he saw a dead body for the first time but considering the constant fighting, it wasn’t his last time. As a first-hand witness to death, many would assume soldiers become desensitised to violence but for Schwartz, “It’s more traumatic seeing a child get hurt than a fellow soldier.”

He lamented how, “In Haiti, a child got shot in the head and had their clothes stolen immediately but I couldn’t do anything as we weren’t shot at.”

As soldiers, there were many rules to navigate, especially during ambushes. For example, in Iraq, Schwartz and his team were in place for an ambush when a car suddenly appeared, placing a box of explosives on the ground. Knowing the protocol for explosives by heart, Schwartz immediately shot at the wheels of the car as to disarm the men inside. As the car refused to stop, he continued shooting. Then, a bloodied man exited the vehicle and Derek realised that he had killed his partner.

In his words, “It didn’t feel good, especially as I didn’t mean to kill him.”

To his team, though, he was considered a hero and was rewarded with a phone call. He dialled his father and broke down for the first time, “I didn’t wanna do it, I didn’t mean to do it, but I had to.”

All his father could say was, “You’re doing your job.”

STRESS DISORDER

Derek then disclosed how that incident has led to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how his, “… Feeling of guilt continues until today.”

The reality of war is that soldiers are prepared for the field but are not taught how to return home. Despite his internal world crumbling, war was his normalcy and he even said, “It was my happy place because I didn’t know what else to do.”

So, after briefly returning from Iraq, he chose to be deployed again – this time in Afghanistan. There, the war was different as he was fighting for those marginalised by the Taliban, an extremist political group. Derek and his team helped local villages during mission; essentially providing humanitarian aid by sharing medicine and digging wells or dykes so locals could access water.

After he came home to America, his mum got cancer and passed away shortly after. Filled with personal grief and surrounded by the grief of other veterans, Derek decided to go back to Afghanistan but as a civilian contractor. He was advising and training the locals on how to retaliate against the Taliban. When the contract ended, his wife inspired him to attend university.

He met her before his last adventure in Afghanistan and his mother even managed to attend their wedding. From the beginning, she pushed him to heal from his PTSD. Unfortunately, some of his friends weren’t as lucky – many succumbed to depression and suicide. In fact, from 2008 to 2017, the number of veterans that committed suicide exceeded 6,000 per year.

Despite everything, Derek is a testament to starting over – that things don’t need to stay the same. To him, “… If you stay in the past you can’t move forward.”

SECTION

Killing

Fields

Ponheary Ly was awarded the prestigious title of ‘CNN Hero’ in 2010 for her work in educating children around Cambodia.

To her, school is the answer – always. In a country with rampant poverty, education can break the cycle and change not only one life but the livelihood of an entire family.

Ly was raised to believe in the power of education as her father was a teacher by profession in Siem Reap, Cambodia. As a survivor of the Cambodian genocide, her story is, “Not for sympathy but to proof what’s possible with an education.”

Her story starts in 1997, when the Americans withdrew from Vietnam and departed from Cambodia. The citizens of Cambodia were initially jubilant but then a political party known as the Khmer Rouge seized power. Its leader was Pol Pot, which stood for Political Potential.

Literally everybody was forcefully removed from their homes and made to walk to a labour camp; Ly recounted how her and her family had to walk for two weeks until they finally reached

their destination. At the camp, everyone was required to work like animals. There were more than 300 people but there would be just 1 kilogram of rice to share.

THE STARVATION

Many died of starvation and others, of torture inflicted by the Khmer Rouge soldiers. The bodies of those tortured would be burned alive and used as fertiliser for the rice fields. Ly described how she would eat worms, crickets, and even frogs due to desperation. Then, she narrated how a young boy caught a frog to devour but instead, was caught by the Khmer Rouge. For some reason, the soldiers’ despised people eating anything other than the rice provided and would treat anybody caught without mercy. In the case of the young boy, he was burned alive for his actions and eaten by the soldiers. Cannibalism amongst the Khmer Rouge was normal and the aforementioned incident wasn’t the only act of cannibalism that Ly witnessed.

At one point, she was made to dig her own grave but due to exhaustion, she fainted during the digging. The soldiers assumed she had died so she managed to sneak back to the camp without dire consequences. The amount of horror those in the labour camp were exposed to is endless and even though Pol Pot reigned for just three years, his actions have forever affected Cambodia and its people.

After the Khmer Rouge retreated, the new government asked those with any type of knowledge to share what they knew with others. As her father was massacred along with every other teacher in Cambodia, Ly applied to be trained as a teacher – she was only educated until the age of seven but for healing Cambodia, that was more education than most were exposed to.

“Go forward with purpose and use your intellect to improve the conditions of others because the world is full of problems and we need the youngsters to lead us into a brighter future,” Ly concluded.

ESCAPE FROM TALIBAN

Rahila Haidary started her session by saying, “It takes a lot to make the choice to be a leader.”

“Leaders are born but you lead when you choose to lead,” she continued, before saying, “I’m proud of everyone that is here.”

Rahila used her time at the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders to raise awareness on refugees, especially refugees in Australia – not only because the summit welcomed a large number of Australians but also because she’s a refugee in Australia.

“Leaders are born but you lead when you choose to lead”

One of the reasons Australia is now her home is because when Rahila was six, she secretly attended school. Originally from Afghanistan, her family lived in a mountainous village terrorised by the Taliban, an extremist political group. To make matters worse, her family has Hazara roots which is an ethnic minority that’s been subjected to abuse and torture for several decades now. As the values of Hazaras differ greatly from the values of the Taliban, her family was constantly targeted.

The Taliban genuinely believe that women don’t need an education so when members of the party heard about a Hazara girl dressing up as a boy just to attend school, there was an uproar. Rahila, just a young girl, was unaware of the consequences of her actions but upon returning home that day,

she could sense the tension as nobody in her family was talking to her. The next morning, her father explained that the Taliban said, “If she’s seen in this village again, she’ll be killed.”

Holding Rahila tightly in his arms, he ran towards the Pakistani border as shots were fired at them. The majority of Hazaras lived nearby the border of Pakistan, as did her grandparents, who cared for her whilst there. However, the living conditions there were just as awful. Rahila explained how cars would be filled with explosives then left nearby a school or a popular area as to murder as many Hazaras as possible. She told the delegates how when she was seven, “I was walking to school and there was a huge explosion… I saw a field of dead bodies.”

THE UNEXPECTED CALL ASYLUM SEEKER

In 2009, when conditions in Afghanistan worsened, her family joined her in Pakistan. Her father, however, wanted to stop being a target so he disappeared with men that promised him a new life. Rahila and her family anxiously waited for news from him for months. Finally, the phone rang. Smiling as she told the story, Rahila said, “The phone was broken so I had to use my teeth to answer the call.”

Her father was calling from Christmas Island, Australia, which he reached via a cramped boat that traversed the tumultuous sea for 12 days from Indonesia. After explaining his conditions, Australia rehomed him and his family. Rahila finally felt a sense of peace.

As she navigated a new culture, she learned that even though people don’t see her as a Hazara anymore, they now see her as a Muslim which sometimes has negative connotations. Instead of feeling defeated, though, she decided to start working for advocacy and activism, eventually becoming a UNICEF Ambassador.

Through her work, she’s discovered that 70.8 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide. Addressing the Australians in attendance, she said, “That’s about three times the population of Australia.”

Rahila then took a moment to explain what an asylum seeker is. An asylum seeker is someone who is outside of their own country and that can’t safely return because of conflict or persecution based on:

Race

Religion

Nationality

Membership to a group

Political opinion

An asylum seeker has made an application to be recognised as a refugee and is waiting for their claim to be processed. The average waiting period in a refugee camp is 15 years. Rahila asked, “Would you want that for yourself or for your kids?”

‘Why aren’t more countries hosting refugees?” she probed, “Take that question back to your country, do your research, and find out more.”

Rahila noted how, “Groups of young people sit here asking how can we make a difference…”

“Well, just because someone belongs to a certain religion or ethnicity doesn’t justify being treated a certain way,” she said, “Racism stops with you and that’s what I want each of you to tell yourself.”

She openly questioned why extremism is used mainly in the context of Islam, “Why can’t extremism just be extremism – I was never taught that hurting someone is part of my religion.”

Rahila then requested for the delegates to take a pledge with her. “I’m making a pledge to not include a group of people when talking about one person’s actions and I want you to make this pledge, too.”

PEACE, COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS

A survivor of the Holocaust, Eva Kor, said, “I forgive not because they deserve it but because I deserve it.”

This sentiment is shared by Marina Cantacuzino, a journalist from the United Kingdom. For more than 17 years now, her mantra has been: forgiveness, compassion, and peace. According to her, “Forgiveness is more about the behaviour than the words – it’s not a one-off thing, it’s a lifelong practice…”

Yet, many people struggle to forgive and even cultures struggle as painful stories are often passed down through generations, such as the

retelling of the Holocaust. On the other hand, painful stories can also heal generations, like how Eva Kor used her story to forgive. Through her work, Marina understood the impact of stories.

In fact, she vehemently agrees with Maya Angelou, who said that, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

THE FORGIVENESS PROJECT

So, in 2003, whilst on assignment in Baghdad, she felt compelled to search for real stories amidst the bombings – to find evidence that retribution was not the answer. Thus, The Forgiveness Project was founded. Soon after, Marina realised that forgiveness was a provocative subject and that The Forgiveness Project had, “… tapped into a public need for something humane in a world full of pain.”

In 2004, The F Word was launched in London, an exhibition detailing personal stories of forgiveness after tragedies and injustices. Since then, The F Word has been displayed in over 300 venues around the world, creating a platform for voices from South Africa, Israel, Palestine, Northern England, and more.

In 2006, Marina initiated a program for prisons aptly known as ‘restore’. The intention of ‘restore’ is to help prison in-mates change the narratives of their lives. “For some, forgiveness is an apology and for some it’s an act of self-healing,” she said.

Regardless of the type of forgiveness preferred, one study showed how a forgiving attitude could increase the life span by three years so quite literally, forgiving has healing benefits. Another scientific paper indicated that people who forgive score higher in psychology tests whereas those that don’t forgive show higher rates of anger.

SKILLS TO LIVE IN PEACE

CURIOSITY: Marina believes, “It’s not about pity or blame but understanding what conditions might lead to whatever happened.”

PERSPECTIVE: curiosity develops a larger perspective and, “People who forgive are less black and white with expectations of how others should behave.”

EMPATHY: instead of using only the brain, Marina advises to move into the heart as to stand in the shoes of another without judgement but instead, with empathy.

LETTING GO OF HATRED AND RESENTMENT: victimhood can be inevitable but, “Make sure you’re not trapped or imprisoned by the pain of the past.”

As the years progressed, and the number of stories increased, Marina discerned overlapping themes. Luckily for the delegates in attendance, she shared how to let go, concisely condensed into five skills necessary to live in peace: 01 02 03 04 05

MAKING MEANING: use adversities to your advantage and remember that after understanding the motive you can reconnect with humanity.

Marina recapped how, “It’s not about excusing the action but about letting go of the pain.”

She then highlighted a quote by Jude Whyte, “Most people don’t ever forgive because they see it as stampeding on the memory of their loved ones.”

Sometimes, though, “The only possible redemption is to forgive, to turn the page when nothing else can,” Marina said.

WORLD PEACE STARTS WITH ME

Thunderous claps reverberated through the conference room shortly after Ruchi Singh stepped on stage. Instead of clapping for her, the delegates were clapping for each other. Ruchi had asked the representatives of every country in attendance to momentarily stand as to receive an ovation from the other countries. Then, she reconnected the Peace Ambassadors to their breath, with a breathing exercise known to induce relaxation.

“All of us, when we’re happy our energies respond in the same manner… No matter where we’re from” she said, referencing the shared support moments before, “We are all human and this realisation leads to world peace.”

Yet, “What we identify with makes us happy but also divides us,”

It’s not just nationalism but the idea of happiness

equating a better job or a bigger car that also divides us through competition and envy. Technologically speaking, our world has never been in a better place but statistically speaking, the World Health Organisation states that more than 300 million people have depression and more than 800,000 die from suicide every year.

Quite the opposite of world peace, despite the fact that we’re all human. There’s a moral to the story, though, and in the words of Ruchi, “Nobody has complete control of the external world but all of us have the choice to choose how we react.”

“Lasting peace and happiness can only be found within us,” she continued, “World peace starts with individuals being at peace.”

Granted, it’s easier said than done as Ruchi understands, “Being peaceful takes immense courage and demands a lot.”

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

To backtrack, she was in an abusive marriage for four years. Every day, she was subjected to physical and emotional abuse. One day, her husband returned drunk and attempted to kill her with a butcher’s knife. Luckily, he changed his mind. The scarring situation made Ruchi comprehend that, “Whenever we face adversity in our lives, we have two key emotions – fear and courage.”

She chose courage and refused to be a statistic of domestic violence. By talking about her time with her ex-husband, she found that, “When you’re voiceless, few people come forward to be your voice but when you start voicing it, people feel uncomfortable.”

As she’s from India, where domestic violence is unfortunately a norm, she faced backlash. An infamous comment from others

would be, “Who will marry you if you talk about domestic violence?”

Still, Ruchi believed that, “When we take a stand for what is right we make it easy for others,” and that, “The only way we add value to our life is by adding value to others.”

She began focusing on fostering internal peace, with the assistance of ancient practices such as yoga and pranayama (known in English as breathwork). As she deepened her practice, her perspective changed, “Instead of being the victim to your feelings be the master of your feelings.

INTERNAL PEACE

As a Peace Activist that personally knows the impact of internal peace, Ruchi provided the delegates with four techniques to help their personal and professional life:

Understand the Power of Your Thoughts: Ruchi not only quoted science to underline her point but simultaneously exposed the delegates to the power of their thoughts via an experiment. She asked the delegates to think about a happy memory then a sad memory; while giving the delegates’ time to really feel, she noticed a few people tearing up while thinking about a sad memory which she mentioned to drive her point home.

Pranayama: means life force while ayama means control so pranayama means controlling your life force. This can be achieved through various breathing techniques, such as Bhastrika. Singh taught the delegates how to perform Bhastrika, which reduces the level of carbon dioxide in the blood and in turn, relaxes and removes toxins from the body.

Nada Yoga: means the flow of sound and yoga means union so Nada Yoga means union through sound; again, Ruchi used science to her advantage by mentioning how science has proven that everything is made of vibrations so by utilising specific vibrations, we can change how we feel and tap into that feeling of unity

Meditation: Referring to a paper published by Harvard, Ruchi informed the delegates that just eight weeks of meditation can positively impact grey matter in the brain; this change in brain structure can influence decision making and how connected we feel to others while also ingraining a general sense of mindfulness towards everything external. 01 02 03 04

Ruchi finished her session by telling the delegates to, “Let your greatness blossom.”

WHAT PEACE MEANS

From the start, Heidrun Fritze clearly outlined how, “The goal of the session is to define what peace means to you.”

Heidrun from the United Nations (UN) Asia Pacific Group on Youth, Peace, and Security, explained how she wants the delegates to, “Understand the UN peace and security agenda – how you can be part of it, how you can be a young peace builder, and a peace educator.”

Before divulging further details, she briefly stated how there are more young people alive today, aged 10 to 24, than ever before. Sadly, at least 1 in 4 of these young people are affected by violence or armed conflicts. So, in December of 2015, the UN Security Council mutually agreed on a landmark resolution for recognition of the positive role that young people play. Labelled as SCR 2250, Heidrun elucidated how, “The security council replaced its conservative international law and now recognises and listens to the voice of the youth.”

She believes that, “Long lasting peace cannot be done without engaging young people.”

PILLARS FOR ACTION

SCR 2250 simultaneously aims to identify how global conflicts affect people’s life and what can be done to mitigate the effects. It revolves around five key pillars for action:

1. Participation

2. Protection

3. Prevention

4. Partnerships

5. Disengagement and Reintegration

Besides that, SCR 2250 urges Member States to include their youth while making decisions at the local, national, regional, and international level. Granted, many youth may feel that, “It’s just a piece of paper and doesn’t really mean anything…”

However, Heidrun clarified that the UN Security Council is serious about SCR 2250 and revisited the matter in 2018. A progress study was even conducted with more than 4,000 global participants. A key take-away from the study would be how youth participation can come in different forms.

Heidrun noted that, “It’s such a diverse crowd learning from each other.”

Then, she pressed the delegates to continue learning not only from each other but also from other youth around the world through the hashtag #2250. “Spread the message,” she said.

SECTION PEACE BUILDING CHALLENGE

In 1991, the United Nations (UN) founded the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, simply known as OCHA. The aim of OCHA is to strengthen the international response to natural disasters and complex emergencies, such as inter-state conflicts. Chan Yuan-Kwan is the head of the Asia-Pacific office of the UN ReliefWeb which is the ideal tool for budding humanitarians.

ReliefWeb contains more than 700,000

reports, maps, info-graphics, and job listings from around the world. In fact, its home to more than 30,000 reports tagged under peace-keeping and peace-building. Besides providing important information and invaluable volunteering opportunities, ReliefWeb also conducts blended learning activities, online and on-site. During the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders 2020, ReliefWeb simulated an international emergency requiring team effort for peace building.

THE PURPOSE

The purpose of this Peace Challenge was to enable the delegates to comprehend the varied roles that different international or foreign agencies can play during negotiations. Not only that but the Peace Challenge was created so that the delegates could grow their collaborative skills, especially in relation to coming together to resolve issues related to the sovereign rights of countries.

By participating in the Peace Challenge, the delegates also experienced what it would be like to actually have to create peace policies. To ensure that the Peace Challenge was as realistic as possible, ReliefWeb set a strict timer. During an actual crisis, immediate action is necessary meaning those involved aren’t allowed the luxury to dawdle. In short, the Peace Challenge was a glimpse into the future for the delegate’s intent on pursuing the path of Peace.

THE SCENARIO

The scenario created by ReliefWeb was as follows: In 2040, the South China Sea welcomes a new island known as Gary Island. Naturally, surrounding and even non-surrounding countries are eyeing the land – some vying for control, in fact. To add to that, 12 stakeholders are hoping to influence the countries; these stakeholders range from private sector companies to intergovernmental organisations and even non-profits. As happens in situations like these, the countries and stakeholders gather at the United Nations to discuss how to proceed.

Of course, nearby Southeast Asian neighbours insist on their right to territorial claim and multi-national companies persist with their agendas which will supposedly make Gary Island flourish.

The delegates were assigned into teams, divided into country or stakeholder. Then, they were given a short period of time to form their proposals. These proposals were not only meant to be convincing but beneficial economically and ecologically. After brainstorming, every country and stakeholder had to present their pitch for only two minutes. The effectiveness of

their proposal was evaluated by judges and winners were chosen via popular vote.

The Peace Challenge, despite its element of competitiveness, really created an infectious energy within the hall. At every corner, teams were huddled together creating and connecting. During the presentations, instead of dismissal, everyone cheered each other on. The Peace Challenge truly strengthened the bonds that were forming over the days of the summit.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS ASIA