WFWP Perspectives: June Webinars
Written by: Mion Tsuchiaka
On June 19, WFWPI conducted two webinars from the WFWPI Perspective series with translations in seven languages including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French and Thai.
At 10 a.m KST the WFWPI Webinar on DMZ as Future Peace Zone in Korea Peninsula was shown live through the Zoom with over 110 people participating. This webinar was held to introduce four professionals and researchers who have been continuously working to promote positive change through the works related to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The webinar started with the welcoming address from the moderator, Mme. Gloria Miranda Dantas, WFWP Sub-regional Director of South America, and special entertainment from Ms. Florencia Dantas, a young singer from Argentina, who presented a cover song “Send It On.”
The first guest speaker, Dr. Jongchun Woo, a Korean Forester and emeritus Professor at Kangwon National University in South Korea, said “DMZ is the only place in the world that shows the natural transitional process of ecology without human interference for 68 years. The DMZ needs to change its role so that it can contribute long-term to world peace.”
Dr. Seung-ho Lee, President of the DMZ Forum Inc., shared “The Korean DMZ, created in-between the two Koreas after the Korean War in 1953, can be reborn as a Peace Zone when we persuade North Korea as discussed and will play a pivotal role in rejuvenating ‘peace’ and ‘unification’ of the entire Korean peninsula.”
Dr. Chun-Fang Wu, Speaker from Taiwan and Adjunct Assistant Professor of National Quemoy University, explored how Kinmen Island repositions in cross-strait relations and play a role in maintaining exchanges from the perspective of cross-strait tourism exchange, and hopes to promote peace in East Asia and the whole world.
Lastly, Mme. Hiroko Oizumi, Counselor at Mitsui-Sumitomo Insurance Welfare Foundation in Japan, shared her thoughts on the role of women in conflict resolution by sharing her life experience as a Japanese who worked in the field of social policies and international activities by expressing hopes to ease tension in the Korean peninsula by providing correct education.
At 8 p.m KST the WFWPI Webinar on The Role of Women in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding was live-streamed on Zoom and Youtube with over 100 people participating. This webinar was held to introduce four speakers who presented their best practice success in the decision-making process that has contributed to effectively tackling the enormous crisis in their diverse areas of responsibility related to conflict zones across the world and conflict transformation.
The webinar started with the welcoming address from the moderator, Dr. Odete Costa, Founder and President of Movimento Lirio Azul. Dr. Karambu Ringera, Founder and President of the International Peace Initiatives in Kenya, shared about the role of women in peacebuilding with an emphasis on women’s experiences during the post-election violence that erupted in Kenya in 2008.
Professor Ilda Novo, Vice-President of CDS-PP Municipal Political Committee of Viana do Castelo in Portugal, said “Education is the foundation for the change of mentalities and attitudes in what concerns conflict resolutions and peacebuilding. It is mainly within the families, at school and through well informed, sensible and sensitive parents and teachers that understanding and tolerance, the acceptance of difference.”
Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Speaker from Indonesia and the first woman Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments in the Asia Pacific, shared about the mission of IULA and its activities by exploring the relationship between international cooperation of cities and local governments.
The last speaker, Dr. Lucia Husenicova, Professor at the Department of security studies of the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations at the Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, concluded that conflict resolution should be engaged in dialogue from individual to international levels and include women participants, especially scholars, politicians, experts.
The webinar continued with the Q&A session from the listeners. The “WFWP Perspective” series started in 2020 and conducted successful discussions with professionals and experts from various spheres to empower women and families to share experiences and ideas to bring about a peaceful world together.
WATCH WEBINAR SERIES 1: DMZ as Future Peace Zone in Korean Peninsula
WATCH WEBINAR SERIES 2 :The Role of Women in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding