Positive Peace Society Co-Facilitated a Positive Peace Workshop for Hiroshima University and University of Idaho Students - Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability

On 26 May 2026, NERPS core members Dr. Dahlia Simangan, Dr. Leticia dos Muchangos, and Dr. Raymond Andaya co-facilitated a positive peace workshop for students of the Mega Exchange Program for Nurturing Peace and Sustainability Leaders. The theme of the 2026 program was “Hiroshima Dialogues: Peace, Plate, and Planet,” with 32 students from the University of Idaho and 13 students from Hiroshima University. Positive Peace Society (PPS) members Engy Turk, Sota Uemura, Sagal Osman Abdi, and Patrick Muhirwa also served as co-facilitators alongside NERPS student fellow Riyaz Karki, 2024 Orizuru Fellow Julia Nishio, and program participant Rezky Maulana.

The workshop started with an activity called the Mural for Peace, in which participants shared the words they associate with peace, and whether these words are categorized under negative peace or positive peace. PPS president, Engy Turk, and vice-president, Sota Uemura, explained how they categorized the words, thereby providing a brief introduction to the concept of positive peace. This concept is then expounded upon in a lecture delivered by Dr. Simangan, using the Institute for Economics & Peace’s Positive Peace Framework. The lecture also introduced participants to the eight pillars of positive peace and how they mutually reinforce one another within a complex system.

“In the workshop, we discussed the connections among the eight pillars of positive peace and deepened our understanding of their importance. We also learned the value of collaborating with other organizations through problem-based learning. Through this experience, I want to value cooperation with diverse people and contribute to building a peaceful society.” – Hitomi Endo of Hiroshima University (School of Education Science, third-year student)

The lecture is immediately followed by a stamp rally, allowing participants to reflect on the issues and challenges faced by their respective social groups, communities, societies, or countries in an interactive manner. The co-facilitators, each assigned to a positive peace pillar, asked the participants questions for them to connect the social, political, and economic relevance of the pillars. Equipped with a deeper understanding of positive peace, participants are then requested to choose the pillar most relevant to their study, work, or advocacy for the Positive Peace Web activity. This activity emphasized the interconnectedness of the pillars and the importance of strengthening all of them for maintaining peaceful societies. The final activity was Pillar Island, in which participants role-played as community members of a diverse society with depleting natural resources. This simulation provided participants with an opportunity to exercise problem-solving, negotiation, and collaboration skills that they could apply to address real-world challenges.

“The Positive Peace Workshop helped me understand how peace works and is applied in our world. I learned that the pillars of peace are all connected and that they rely on one another to remain stable and functioning. Watching everyone work and learn together was truly special and inspiring, and the activities left a long-lasting impression on me.” – Ciena Salerno of the University of Idaho (Public Relations with a minor in Asian Studies, third-year student)

Since 2023, the Institute for Economics & Peace has been collaborating with NERPS in delivering positive peace workshops. After the launch of the PPS in 2024, its members have been building capacity to deliver similar workshops at Hiroshima University. This collaboration demonstrates IEP and NERPS’ shared commitment to supporting the education and leadership of students interested in contributing to the pursuits of peace and sustainability.

Report written by Dahlia Simangan and Raymond Andaya

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