We came
from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Phillipeanes,
Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Myanmar, Japan, Lebanon, Nepal, Kashmir, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Malaysia and the U.S. We came in shades of white and brown, with a
rainbow of national dress, music and foods.
We spoke many languages, but
communicated with one heart; sharing dreams of freedom; dreams of peace and
justice and an end to violence.
Many participants are already translating
their dreams into action; working as Human Rights Lawyers or Social Workers,
working in NGO’s that support and assist refugees, orphans or juveniles who
attempted suicide bombings. Some are working towards Gender Rights, many work with youth. Others work with UNICEF or
work in development sectors. Together
the participants and resource staff represented over 160 years of experience in
Peace and Human Rights Activism and related activities.
IIPS
arranged an impressive series of presentations for this group of educated and
experienced young professionals. Presentations by Thai, South Korean, Japanese and
U.S. scholars covered topics of Ethnicity, Gender and Power, Structural
Violence and Ghandi’s Theories and Practices on Non-Violence. There were talks and experiential exercises
addressing Deep Listening, Indigenous Wisdom, Conflict in Contemporary
Thailand, Global Governance, Peace and Human Security, Approaches to Analyzing
Conflict and Approaches to Conflict Transformation as well as new information
on the experience of Fukishima and movements towards Asian Democratization. Visits
to Buddhist Temples, Mosques and Christian Churches were part of the curriculum
along with time at rural, self-sustaining
inter-faith communities outside Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
Everyone
was both teacher and student at IIPS, discovering commonalities, exploring differences
and celebrating diversity. Late night
discussions covered everything under the sun.
At IIPS, PEACE is not just a word or a
theory. It’s translated into action - sharing a room with 1 or 2 “strangers”
who become friends; eating and working on presentations together, laughing and
dancing and listening to the details of one another’s daily life. And lots of
open minded discussions of history, religion and politics, even if it occasionally
took us to uncomfortable places.
Perhaps most profoundly, each of us was
offered an opportunity to leave our “comfort zone” and step into new, slightly riskier
spaces, where old ideas, historic grievances and suffering, mistrust and
misinformation could be heard and received. In those spaces minds and hearts could break
open, forever expanded and transformed.
These words of Father Nipot Thianviham,
from the Center for Religion and Community Culture near Chiang Mai Thailand,
will remain with me as touchstones for creating a world of peace and justice,
“Allow a conversion of your heart. Search for the essence, the source of life
within each person’s story” and “Walk Humbly, Work Justly, Love tenderly.”
Many thanks to AMAN, ARF and IIPS for
their vision, hospitality,
thoughtfulness and commitment in providing a life-changing experience and depth
of learning for everyone at the 2014 IIPS
Peace Studies Course in Thailand..
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