Hiroshima University successfully concluded the Peace Study Tour 2026, held from July 28 to August 6, 2026. Organized with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) and Columbia University (CU), and supported by the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), the fourth Joint Summer Program drew a diverse international cohort of 29 students and faculties from around the world. Over 10 days, students engaged in lectures, workshops, fieldwork, and cultural experiences.
Program Highlights
The Peace Study Tour 2026 began on July 28 at Hiroshima University’s Higashihiroshima Campus with an orientation session and an Opening Ceremony featuring welcoming remarks from Dr. Shinji Kaneko (Hiroshima University), Mr. Nobuyuki Konishi (SPF), and Dr. Joshua Fisher (Columbia University). The morning included academic presentations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and interdisciplinary peace studies, led by Dr. Joshua Fisher, Dr. Raymond Andaya (Hiroshima University), and Dr. Katherine Alfredo (University of Southern Florida). In the afternoon, students joined an interactive icebreaker led by Ms. Laurel Zaima-Sheehy (Columbia University) and took part in Japanese cultural exchange activities. They introduced themselves, wore traditional yukata, and practiced origami and calligraphy. The first day ended with a welcoming party that fostered early cross-cultural friendships among the international cohort.
Positive Peace Workshop
The second day of the tour focused on the theoretical foundations of peacebuilding. Students participated in a full-day interactive Positive Peace workshop facilitated by the Positive Peace Society (PPS), guided by Hiroshima University faculty members Dr. Dahlia Simangan, Dr. Raymond Andaya, and Dr. Leticia Sarmento dos Muchangos. The workshop engaged students in exercises that translated the eight pillars of Positive Peace into tangible personal and collective actions. To wrap up the day’s discussions, Dr. Katherine Alfredo and Dr. Joshua Fisher led a debriefing session and introduced participants to the historical and ecological context of Etajima Island to prepare them for the upcoming fieldwork.
On the third day, the curriculum shifted from theory to practical application and historical context. The morning began with fieldwork preparation sessions led by Dr. Katherine Alfredo, equipping students with data collection and interview strategies. The afternoon featured lectures linking regional postwar recovery to global peacebuilding. Dr. Luli Van der Does (Hiroshima University) delivered an insightful lecture on Hiroshima’s remarkable post-World War II reconstruction, while Dr. Yuji Uesugi (Waseda University) addressed the complex, real-world dynamics of peacebuilding and mediation. These sessions provided the crucial historical grounding students needed to understand how collaborative efforts drive sustainable development.
The fourth day highlighted the critical links among ecological health, sustainable urban infrastructure, and historical memory. The morning began with a lecture by Dr. Kazuhiko Koike (Hiroshima University) on the relationships between forest systems and marine biodiversity. Afterward, the students traveled to Hiroshima City to tour the state-of-the-art Naka Incineration Plant, where they learned about sustainable urban waste management. The day ended with a reflective visit to the Peace Memorial Museum, where participants confronted the human cost of nuclear conflict and reflected on Hiroshima’s legacy.
On the fifth day, the students traveled to Etajima Island for fieldwork, engaging directly with local sustainable industries and ecological conservation. Divided into three groups, they explored community-based environmental practices. Group 1 examined eco-tourism and local policymaking at Etajimaso with Mr. Naoki Abe. Group 2 learned olive cultivation and pressing at the Olive Lab with Mr. Ryohei Mineo. Group 3 focused on olive oil production and marketing at the Olive Factory with Mr. Akihiro Hamada. In the afternoon, the cohort gathered at the Satoumi Science Museum. Museum director Dr. Naohisa Nishihara delivered a lecture on marine biodiversity governance and led students through mudflat observations, showing how community-based ecological conservation fosters positive peace.
The following day offered a refreshing break in the program as participants set out on a cultural adventure to historic Miyajima Island. They immersed themselves in the island’s famous cultural landmarks, including the iconic floating torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine and the hiking trail to Mt. Misen.
On the seventh day, the students began processing their hands-on fieldwork experiences through group collaboration and data analysis. Working closely in teams, they analyzed observations and environmental data collected on Etajima Island. They translated their findings into actionable resource management concepts and prepared sustainability proposals for the upcoming stakeholder negotiation simulation.
The eighth day tested the cohort’s ability to apply principles of conflict resolution, diplomacy, and sustainability. A morning negotiation simulation prepared participants to present online proposals for sustainable natural resource management to local stakeholders in the afternoon. Students received real-world feedback from officials of Etajima City’s Department of Industry, including Division Chief Mr. Shinichiro Nakada, Deputy Director Katsuki Okumura, and Commerce and Exchange Section Chief Mr. Yuki Chiba. They also heard from Mr. Weralugampalage Sameera Kumara Wealugampala of the city’s Community Revitalization Cooperation. To highlight the power of collaborative problem-solving in natural resource management, faculty members ended the day with a reflection session, allowing students to shared their learning and insights throughout the program.
As the program drew to a close, students reflected, engaged in dialogue, and celebrated on the ninth day. The morning began with an inspiring discussion on peacebuilding and state resilience led by Mr. Ryutaro Murotani from JICA. In the afternoon, the group met Ms. Keiko Ogura, a hibakusha who shared a powerful story of survival and resilience. The academic program ended with a formal Certificate Ceremony honoring students as Hiroshima Orizuru Fellows. The day concluded with a farewell party featuring student cultural performances that celebrated newfound international friendships and shared learning.
The Peace Study Tour 2026 officially concluded on August 6 with a solemn day of remembrance. The newly named Orizuru Fellows attended the official Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing. Underlining their commitment to peace, many fellow joined the evening Lantern Floating Ceremony on the Motoyasu River, releasing glowing lanterns with messages of peace, an act of solidarity that will resonate throughout their future journeys.
Ultimately, the Peace Study Tour 2026 showed that solving global sustainability crises is not just a technical challenge in natural resource management but a deeply human effort of cooperative peacebuilding. The ten-day curriculum was structured as a deliberate progression from scientific inquiry and negotiation to the living memory of Hiroshima. This approach enabled participants to ground empirical policy in profound empathy. The journey culminated on the final day with the solemn quiet of the 81st Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. It transformed a diverse international cohort into a dedicated network of Orizuru Fellows uniquely equipped to champion the integration of environmental stewardship and positive peace in communities worldwide.
Report written by Martin Millette, NERPS Student Fellow
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