Peacebuilding through education and culture
Young Leader Sam Mackay is enthusiastic about his “fantastic experience” attending the Japan East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme (JENESYS).
For two weeks in March 2010 19 people from 15 countries, including ASEAN nations, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand gathered in Japan to explore the potential of education and cultural initiatives in peace-building. “Along the way we explored our own preconceptions, understandings and misunderstandings and fostered unique relationships with fellow participants,” sums up Sam.
A graduate of Victoria University in 2005, Sam has since been working for the Ministry of Education,now employed in the Ministry’s International Division. His work has a special focus on Asia. Sam completed his Master’s in 2008 focusing on international law and conflict resolution, which he says fitted well with the peace-building focus of the JENESYS Programme.
In the course of the programme, which involved visits to Kyoto, Osaka and Okinawa, participants were introduced to two key concepts. Firstly, the notion of 'people on the periphery': there are people in countries removed from centres of political power that have limited ability to shape the political, social and economic forces that have an impact upon them. Secondly, the concept of 'hidden realities': the idea that the experience of these ‘peripheral peoples’ is often obscured and not sufficiently understood or reflected in mainstream society and culture.
“I think the best part of the programme was meeting all the other young leaders from so many different countries,” Sam says, “It was a real melting pot. We all had these amazing experiences, learnt so much from each other, and really struck up lifelong friendships. People came from very varied backgrounds; some were students, some were grassroots workers working directly with women who have been subject to domestic violence, or working in communities where they used theatre arts to try to resolve conflict.”
At the end of the programme the participants were split into groups and asked to produce a group paper overnight. “It was kind of like an Apprentice-style, working-though-the-night effort,” says Sam, “You had about five people in a group, all from different countries, different cultures, and with different ideas as to what we were to focus on for the paper. It was a real clash of ideas. It was a fantastic opportunity to produce something quickly which was really reflective of everyone.”
On the last formal day of the programme, participants had to present to members of the Japanese public on awhat had been done on the programme and what initiatives they recommended for the areas of Education and Research, Media, and Arts and Culture [within Japan].
The activities undertook during the programme provided inspiration for a range of possible initiatives to help build peace in our communities.
“For me it underscored the significant value in international discussions and collaboration, particularly in exploring varied responses to similar situations,” commented Sam. “The joint work we undertook to develop presentations and group papers when we returned to Tokyo at the end of the programme was the perfect example of the benefits and challenges in collaborating internationally to achieve common goals.
"My hope is that our group can continue to collaborate on initiatives both on- and off-line that provide a sustainable and enduring impact beyond the two weeks we spent in Japan.”
Photos from Sam's personal archive.
