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Tokyo Peacebuilders Symposium 2008
"Peacebuilding Experience and Knowledge from Asia to the World"
&
Outreach Event
"Peacebuilders Festival @ UNU Open Campus"

UN House, Tokyo, March 24-25, 2008
Co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and United Nations University (UNU)

Peacebuilding is one of the major challenges facing today's global community. Japan, in close cooperation with the ASEAN and other Asian countries, launched a pilot program to train civilian peacebuilders in Asia (Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center: HPC other site), with strong support from leading countries, international organizations and training institutions in this field. The program started in September 2007 in Hiroshima. The trainees completed their coursework at the end of October and undertook overseas practical training in conflict-affected countries before they graduated in March 2008.

Japan is committed to contributing to peacebuilding in the world. It has been serving as Chair of United Natoins Peacebuilding Commission since June 2007. In 2008, Japan will host the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICADIV) in May and the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in July to address pressing global issues including peacebuilding.

Prime Minister Fukuda stated in his policy speech in January this year that Japan would actively address global challenges and play a responsible role in the international community as a "Peace Fostering Nation" which contributes to peace and development in the world. He also stated that Japan aspires to become a hub of human resource development as well as making research and intellectual contributions to further promote cooperation in the field of peacebuilding.

The United Nations University other site has a strong record of research, publishing and capacity-building in various elements of peacebuilding: strengthening democratic institutions, ensuring security sector reform and balancing criminal justice with reconciliation. Its Peace and Governance Programme initiated a series of capacity building workshops in countries currently on the list of the Peacebuilding Commission.

It was against such background that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the United Nations University launched the "Tokyo Peacebuilders Symposium" to be held at UNU Headquarters on March 24-25, 2008, with the broad participation of peacebuilding practitioners and academics from Asia and other regions of the world, to feed into global peacebuilding efforts. We received various insights and suggestions from the participants of this symposium on contributing to peacebuilding from an Asian perspective and strengthening the regional and global networks in this field.

As an outreach event of the symposium, "Peacebuilders' Festival @ UNU Open Campus", widely open to anyone interested in peacebuilding, was also held.

1. Tokyo Peacebuilders Symposium 2008 "Peacebuilding Experience and Knowledge from Asia to the World" (March 24-25, 2008)

Monday, March 24 (Venue: Elizabeth Rose Hall, UN House)

Opening Remarks:
Mr. Masatoshi Shimbo, Deputy Director-General, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Opening Speech:
Ms. Akiko Yamanaka, Member of the House of Representatives, Member of the Advisory Council on Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding (Full Text: English [PDF], Video: English / Japanese)

Part 1: Peacebuilding Experience in Asia - Listening to Voices on the Ground

Session 1: Cambodia (Video: English / Japanese)

Presenters:
Mr. Ouch Borith, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia (Text [PDF])
Mr. Ok Serey Sopheak, Permanent Facilitator for Conflict Prevention in Cambodian Election (COPCEL) II, Cambodia Development Resource Center (CDRI) (Presentation material [PDF])
Mr. Motoo Noguchi, International Judge in the Supreme Court Chamber, Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) (Presentation material [PDF])
Commentators:
Mr. Michiya Kumaoka, Co-Representative, People's Forum on Cambodia, Japan (PEFOC, J) (presentation material (Japanese) [PDF])
Mr. Ngoun Sokveng, Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC) Program Associate (Cambodia), UNDP Office in Timor-Leste (Text [PDF])
Moderator:
Mr. Yasushi Akashi, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Cambodia

Session 2: Timor-Leste (Video: English / Japanese)

Presenters:
Mr. Jose Turquel de Jesus, President Adviser on International Relations, Presidential Office of Timor-Leste (Text [PDF])
Fr. Martinho Germano da Silva Gusmão, Spokesperson, National Electoral Commission of Timor-Leste (Text [PDF])
Mr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Member of the House of Councilors, Member of the Advisory Council on Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding (Text [PDF])
Commentators:
Mr. Katsuo Matsumoto, Director, 1st Division of Development Assistance Department, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) (Presentation material [PDF])
Ms. Ayako Higuchi, HPC Program Associate (Japan), UNDP Office in Timor-Leste (Text [PDF])
Moderator:
Dr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Timor-Leste

Message from Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste (Text [PDF])

Part 2: Asian Contribution to Peacebuilding - Sharing Best Practices in the Field

Session 3: State Building and Governance - Beyond Election (Video: English / Japanese)

Presenters:
Mr. Toshiro Ozawa, Director-General, Secretariat of the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters, Cabinet Office (Presentation material [PDF])
Mr. Hadar N. Gumay, Executive Director, Center for Electoral Reform (Indonesia)
Dr. Steven Rood, Country Representative for the Philippines and Pacific Island Nations / Regional Advisor for Local Governance, The Asia Foundation (Presentation material [PDF])
Commentators:
Mr. Toshiyuki Niwa, Former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF
Ms. Haruka Katarao, HPC Program Associate (Japan), International IDEA (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) Africa Regional Office (Pretoria) (Presentation material [PDF])
Moderator:
Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu-Lennartsson, Visiting Professor, Graduate School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University

Session 4: Community Development and Human Security - Addressing the Gaps (Video: English / Japanese)

Presenters:
Mr. Brunson McKinley, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM) (Text [PDF])
Dr. Mahabub Hossain, Executive Director of BRAC (Bangladesh) (Text [PDF])
Mr. Guiamel Alim, Chairperson, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (Philippines) (Text [PDF], Presentation material [PDF])
Commentators:
Mr. Kazuo Tase, Chief, Human Security Unit, Office of Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA)
Mr. Zainudin Malang, HPC Program Associate (Philippines), IOM Office in Aceh (Text [PDF])
Moderator:
Mr. Hiroshi Kato, Director-General, Institute for International Cooperation, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Keynote Speech:
Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (Full Text: English / Japanese, Video: English / Japanese)

Tuesday, March 25 (Venue: U Thant Hall)

Opening Remarks:
Professor Dr. Konrad Osterwalder, Rector, United Nations University (UNU) (Full Text: English [PDF], Video: English / Japanese)

Part 3: Promoting Asian Contribution to Global Peacebuilding

Session 5: Keynote Speeches (Video: English / Japanese)

Speakers:
Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEAN Secretariat
Mr. Kenzo Oshima, Senior Vice-President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Text [PDF])
MC:
Ms. Aiko Doden, Senior News Commentator, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK)

(Message from Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, Former Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Text [PDF]))

Session 6: Peacebuilding from Asia to the World - Next Steps (Video: English / Japanese)

Reporters:
Mr. Yasushi Akashi, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Cambodia
Dr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Timor-Leste
Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu-Lennartsson, Visiting Professor, Graduate School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University
Mr. Hiroshi Kato, Director-General, Institute for International Cooperation, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Presentation material [PDF])
Commentators:
Dr. Vesselin Popovski, Senior Academic Programme Officer, United Nations University (UNU)
Dr. Emile Rwamasirabo, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to Japan
Dr. Shazryll Zahiran, HPC Program Associate (Malaysia), UNDP Office in Laos
Ms. Eri Suzuki, HPC Program Associate (Japan), UNAMID (AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur)
Moderator:
Dr. Takashi Shiraishi, Vice-President and Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Closing Remarks:
Dr. Hideaki Shinoda, Director, Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC) (Full Text: English [PDF], Video: English / Japanese)

2. Outreach Event "Peacebuilders Festival @ UNU Open Cambus" (March 25, 2008)

▶ "Lectures" = Three symposia (Venue: U Thant Hall)

First Session "The United Nations and Peacebuilding" (Video: English / Japanese)

Moderators:
Mr. Shunichi Murata (UNDP Representative) and Ms. Kaori Nagao (NHK correspondent)
Presenters:
HPC program associates

Second Session "From the Field of Peacebuilding in South Sudan" (Video: English / Japanese)

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi (UNICEF Senior Programme Planning Specialist)
Moderator:
Prof. Yasuhide Nakamura (Osaka University)
Keynote Speech:
Ms. Yukie Osa (Co-Chairperson, Japan Platform)
Panelists:
NGOs operating in South Sudan, Prof. Eisei Kurimoto (Osaka University), Mr. Tatsuhiko Furumoto (HPC program associate), Mr. Kimiaki Jin (JICA Director of East Africa Division) etc.
Closing Remarks:
Mr. Saburo Takizawa (UNHCR Representative)

Third Session "Peacebuilding with Your Words and Deeds in 90 Seconds" (Video: English / Japanese, U Tube: Slide other site)

Moderators:
Mr. Hajime Kishimori (UNHCR Deputy Representative),
Ms. Kaoru Nemoto (Secretary General of Japan Association for UNHCR)

▶ "Student Activities" = Peace and Youth (Venue: Elizabeth Rose Hall)

Action Plan for Peace Building by the Youth

Participants:
JPF Student's Network, UNHCR Youth, SHRET, Euphoria, Keio UNESCO Club, UNSAJ, Boy/Girl scouts, Model G8 Youth Summit
Commentators:
Mr. Shinichi Hasegawa (ILO), Mr. Kazunori Hosoya (UNDP), Mr. Shinji Nagase (UNV), Mr. Kazuo Tase (UNOCHA Human Security Unit), Ms. Madoka Futamura (UNU), Ms. Shoko Hashimoto (ADRA Japan, JPF/NGO Unit and J-FUN Co-chairperson), Ms. Eri Komukai (JICA) etc.

Career Seminar:

Members from the following four groups conducted career consultations. (a) HPC, (b) UN agencies, (c)NGOs, and (d) JICA-JBIC

Exhibition booths - Peace building shopping lists (Committee Rooms 2-3)

▶ "Seminars" = Open Office (Venue: 6th-8th Floors)

6th Floor (UNHCR/Japan Association for UNHCR)
7th Floor (UNOPS - UNFPA)
8th Floor (ILO: Video conference with HQ in Geneva)

▶ "School Yard" = Feel Peace with Five Senses (at UNU Entrance)

Sending Out Your Peace Messages on T-shirts, supported by UNIQLO
Open Fair-Trade Café with Music Entertainment

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