Steps toward Peace Archives - Page 33 of 39

Peace studies : ‘United Nations and the Art of Peace’

I’m studying Peace

What was your major in college? Me? I majored in ‘peace’. …? Department of Peace? Is there such a thing? To be exact, It’s name is the department of ‘United Nations and the art of peace’. UNITAR(The United Nations Institute for Training and Research), WFUNA(World Federation of United Nations Associations) and Kyunghee University worked together to develop this master´s degree. “Fostering experts and hands-on workers in the field of Peace studies” is why it was created. Oh Joon, Ambassador to the U.N, is appointed by a full-time professor.

If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known. – George C. Marshall

Why Peace studies?

Civil war and terrorism were surging since 2000. 500,000 people were killed every year. One day? 1,300! It is estimated that 90 % of the casualties caused by war is the civilian. Almost all of them are women and children. Longing for peace is more growing in the nervous international community. So World’s leading universities offer the course of peace studies. This is why. Actually it is very hard to achieve peace. Because it can’t achieve by one man. It is a problem of culture and level of consciousness. I guess Spinoza want to say something to you. “Peace is not the absence of war, but a virtue based on strength of character.” It is hard but we can do it! United Nations and the art of peace!

I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace. – HelenKeller

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Little Peace girl : [Card Story] Go one step further

Little Peace girl : Go your one step further!

A STEP TOWARDS PEACE Little Peace girl : [Card Story] Go one step further Little peace girl Action

Little girl : Do you dislike getting hurt?

I : Sure

Little girl : You… don’t want to make your family or friends hurt, right?

I : Of course it is

Little girl : Do you want peace..?

I : You bet, who doesn’t like? Cute little girl, why do you ask?

Little girl : Boo hoo… I can’t find my sister Did you see?

I : Where did you lose your sister?

Little girl : Companies, bars and amusement park..

I : Oh god… All places are where there are many people. Why do those people don’t help to find?

Little girl : They are busy doing their work to do, busy getting drunk and busy dating girlfriends

I : What a pity! Is there anything that I can do for you?

Little girl : That’s right.

I : Eh? Say what?

Little peace girl : That’s the answer. My sister’s name is ‘Action’.

I : Ah.. that is why you ask…

Little peace girl : Now, you never forget my sister, Is it right?

Peace is up to you :0 Go one step further!

2017 World Youth Festival “Youth Do It”

Youth Do IT and Youth well done

Do you have any something stuffy? But you don’t know how to release, don’t you? Radiate your youthfulness! Youth imagine Youth challenge Youth act and Youth well done! It is a slogan of 2017 World Youth Festival. It takes place in Gwangju, Korea from Aug. 4 to Aug. 6. Originally I went to Australia to study abroad. In summer vacation, I came to my hometown. I’ll show you things I actually taken. You might be surprised by their energy.

DJ Party : 2017 World Youth Festival

Who created this festival? Who participated in this festival? Youth! But It is not made to eat and just play. I think this festival want to say somethiing. As I see it, it want to make ‘new culture’. “Youth can do it! Not only just do, but also do very well!” There are many lethargic young man who lose their will. They think “What can I do? It is nothing.” I was like that at one time. But now, this is no time to keep still. There are many young people our age in all over the world. What do they think? It may be different. Can you hear?

There is a someone who worry for a living, who are afraid of crimes and who are angry at enemy that kill my comrade. But we are one! We should help each other. This is why Youth cry out Peace! The war must be done away. Politics seem to start most wars. But Politician don’t go to war. Who go to? It is Youth! Youth kill each other. Who died? It is Youth! Not Politician. Why do we fight? For country…? Can you say it is for country? Ask to your conscience. We want to achieve PEACE! We Are One!

(more info : it’s home page https://www.wyouthfestival.com/eng)

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Dialogue with Korean Independence activist

Great cause : For our country!

I want our nation to become the most beautiful nation in the world. I do not want our nation to become the richest and powerful nation in the world. It is sufficient that our wealth is such that it makes our lives abundant and our military such that it is able to repel others’ invasion.

The only thing that K desire in infinite quantity is the power of a highly-developed culture.

This is because the power of culture both makes ourselves happy and gives happiness to others.

-「My Desires」, ‘The Nation That I Desire’ Kim Gu-

Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 until 1945. What do we need to think? As I was a child, I’m very angry with Japan. Why? They raped, killed and pillaged innocent village people. How could you do that! What did I do wrong? Korea was weak. Is it a sin? Nope. But after I got older, I realized that I’m in a temper callowly. The target of anger was wrong. Also, it is the most important to know how to get angry. And people are naturally mature. I’m really like someone who is awake. For example, I admire ‘Korean Independence activist’.

Korean Independence activist

What should I do to understand that situation? There are many movies and writings. If you see and hear a lot of things, can you know their mind? Even if you don’t know their heart, you read nothing. If you can’t feel their breath, emotion and spirit, you see nothing. Actually, I want to try more to feel. If they now were born, it would be the same age with us. But how about us? What are we living for? College students these days, including me, study for a living. Even I don’t know who is my enemy. Why am I living? Why didn’t I do like ‘Korean Independence activist’? Why were’t I passionate like them? What is my cause? I have a lot of thinking.

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

World Peace Quotes : Peace is not just calm

How was your day?

I actually can’t sing a song well. So, I don’t know how to relieve stress. Many things happened in the world. There is a cold wanton murder! The resentment festered in victim’s mind. Her family was really more painful. Because they can’t understand anything. That murderer said “I don’t know. Just I’m very angry.” There is a thought offender, not only a personal crime. Ideology and religion can make people to give their life for cause. I know that ‘thinking’ is really important. So I find ‘World Peace Quotes‘ to change the world.

Peace is not just calm : Do something

A STEP TOWARDS PEACE World Peace Quotes : Peace is not just calm World Peace Quotes Pope Francis Mother teresa Margaret Deland Mahatma Gandhi Kurt Cobain Anton Chekhov

Though the sun is gone, I have a light. – Kurt Cobain
- One must desire something to be alive. – Margaret Deland
You must be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. – Mother teresa

You need to keep moving : Solution!
“Peace involves work, it is not about staying calm and doing nothing. No! True peace means working so that everyone has a solution to the problems, to the needs, that they have in their land, in their homeland, in their family, in their society.’ – Pope Francis May 12, 2015

“We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds” – Anton Chekhov

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

A Aleppo boy unveiled ‘Nightmare of Syrian jail’

Why Peace?

What do you think is the most terrible thing in the world? Snake? Ghost? I think it’s a ‘Syrian jail’. Do you know ‘Sednaya Prison‘? It is a military prison near Damascus in Syria. A Aleppo boy(15 years old) was imprisoned for 10 months two years back. The awful thing is that Sednaya Prison is called killing field. Recently, this boy sent ‘a record of Syrian prison’ to the Guardian, British daily.

His Voice in the Syrian jail

“Today is the UN’s International Day for Support of Victims of Torture. Unfortunately in Syria, there is no shortage of victims of torture. Tens of thousands of us have been thrown in Assad’s prisons and tortured beyond what our bodies and minds can take.”

“When I was first arrested, I was taken to security branch headquarters near Damascus, where I was tortured during sessions of interrogation for 58 days straight. After 58 days of this treatment, I had no choice but to sign false confessions that the interrogator himself wrote. I put my name to offences I had never committed, and confessions about people I had never met. I was even forced to sign a document that accused my brother of being an armed rebel.”

Saydnaya is where you go to die

“I was held in that branch for four-and-a-half months, then moved to the political security administration at Fayha’ in Damascus. Here I was tortured in even more ways. I was given electric shocks on sensitive parts of my body; suspended from the ceiling; tortured using brutal methods known as “wind carpet”, “the wheel”, and “the bed”. This went on for another three months.”

“This is when I was transferred to Saydnaya military prison. The Living Persons’ Graveyard. The Human Slaughterhouse. These are names that describe Saydnaya.”

“We survived on scraps of rubbish for food. We became so starved that our bodies stopped looking human. And we were whipped, beaten, starved, given electric shocks. We saw people taken to be hanged en masse. There are stories of prisoners being forced to rape each other, or of guards raping prisoners. There are stories of guards forcing prisoners to kill their own friends and family, or be tortured and executed. Saydnaya is hell on Earth.”

“In October 2015, after 10 months of detention, I won my freedom. But my mind will never be free. I’ve been taken hostage by the cries of my fellow prisoners”

This is why we need peace

This video is not related with Aleppo boy. But I insert it because of your understanding.

More info about truth : Amnesty homepage

Peace is up to you 🙂 Good luck!

Run into the rain of bullets to save children

How do you act in moments of crisis?

Fight?, evade? or do it moderately? The true character of a man is revealed in moments of crisis. But people can’t throw everything. Why? People have something to protect. We have our family. So we have no choice but to avoid crisis. In fact, I sometimes feel guilty. Likewise, I don’t blame you for it. But bravery is really praiseworthy. Here is one man running into the rain of bullets. Why? TO SAVE Children! What’s more surprising? Near the battlefield, there were his wife and his three children. (16, 14, 11 year-old) Oh my god!

A former US Special Forces

David Eubank, 56, was running into the rain of bullets to save one children with a pink ribbon. He said, “If I die doing this, my wife and kids would understand”(in Los Angeles Times) What?!?!?! I can’t understand. If his daughter listen his words, she maybe burst into tears. Maybe she said “He’s the worst dad! I don’t want a hero. I want my next to father!!!” But he returned as a superhero. She is a really proud of her father. Finally, I will introduce his really cool words to you! Listen!

He said ‘I believe God sent me here, and I don’t think about security… but I always ask myself if I’m doing it out of pride.‘(Times)

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

‘Filial piety’ : Devoted Shimcheong & Jesus Christ

Filial piety : East vs West

Do you know ‘Filial piety’ in Asian culture? In the 20th century, great scholar Arnold Joseph Toynbee, CH said, ‘Korean filial piety is the most necessary thought for humanity’ and asked Korea to spread it. Do you have heard of something similar? In Confucian philosophy, filial piety(Chinese: 孝) is a virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders and ancestors. Filial piety is central to Confucian role ethics.(by wiki)

In Western culture, they respect their individual boundary. But in Asia, there is no boundary at times. Westerner can feel resistance and can’t understand ‘Why should you do?’ But from my point of view, It is a very moving story. I can understand very well. Filial piety has no limits. So, it can be really powerful. Maybe you can see it is fanatic. Let’s see.

Devoted daughter, 심청(Eng: Shimcheong)

It is a Korean traditional fairy tale. Her father is blind. Then one day, 300 sacks of rice that were offered to Buddha can give a sight to her father. So, she threw herself into the Indangsoo sea. She said, “I beg of you. O gods of heaven and earth!!” She was a scapegoat of the Dragon King. Everyone thought she was dead. In palace of sea kings, the king heard about 심청‘s story and his heart was touched. So 심청 can back home in the lotus flower. She reunited with her father and her father regained his vision. They lived happily ever after.

How do you act now?

Devoted son, Jesus Christ

You already know. He endured pain of the crucifix for his father’s will. In Gethsemane, he was in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.(Luke 22:44) But also Jesus was sold by 30 silver coins. Everyone thought he was dead. But three days later, he was brought back to life from the dead. For what? He wanted to give a sight to ours who was blind. We don’t know we are blind. But It’s true. Jesus Christ is really devoted son. I appreciate his devotion.

Everything is up to you!

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Jewish nurse breastfeed Palestinian baby boy : We Are One

Long struggle between Jews and Palestinians dies down in front of a hungry baby.

Mahatma Gandhi “Hate the sin, love the sinner”

A baby was crying alone

On June 8, there was a car accident. One Palestinian family was rushed to the emergency room. Also there was a baby who was a 9-month-old baby, Yaman Abu Ramila. He was breathing? He kept quiet motionlessly. Suddenly he burst into crying! His father and mother were still unconscious. One Jewish nurse, Ula Ostrowski-Zak, tried to feed powdered milk, but the baby absolutely didn’t eat anything. She can’t help but to breastfeed the Palestinian baby.

I can’t believe it!

Relatives of Yaman were really surprised. They can’t believe ‘Jewish breastfeed Palestinian baby boy’. But Jewish nurse said “Not only me, any mother will do so”. She breastfed at 5 times and Yaman‘s aunt hugged her and said thank you.

More surprisingly, she found someone who want to breastfeed Yaman in online. Only for two hours, many people wanted to do it. It’s the power of mother’s heart I guess.

Love of mother, it‘s a powerful thing, young friend.

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

[Phan Thi Kim Phuc] Vietnam Napalm Girl For a Peaceful Future!

Vietnam Napalm girl in 1973

Do you remember this picture? You might have seen this Vietnam Napalm girl picture. It earned a Pulitzer Prize and was chosen as the World Press Photo of the Year for 1973. In the picture, a nine years old girl was running naked. AP photographer Nick Ut took a photograph, and took Injured children to hospital. Can she be treated? That hospital determined that her burns were so severe that she probably would not survive.

After being an adult

In an interview many years later, she recalled she was yelling, Nóng quá, nóng quá (“too hot, too hot”) in the picture. The whole world paid great attention to her. So, she could stay a 14-month in hospital and undergo 17 surgical operations. Vietnam and the United States must have to save her. How does she live after she became an adult? She majored in medicine in Vietnam. But she have to stop studying. She was used as a propaganda symbol by the communist government. In 1992, she married in 29 years old. In 1996, the Napalm girl met the surgeons who had saved her life. The following year, she passed the Canadian Citizenship Test with a perfect score and became a Canadian citizen.

Be a hero

In 1994, Kim Phúc was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. In 1996, Kim Phúc gave a speech at U.S Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day. She said, “One cannot change the past, but everyone can work together for a peaceful future.” In 1997 she established the first Kim Phúc Foundation in the U.S. What do you think its aim? It is providing medical and psychological assistance to child victims of war. She started a new life, constantly speaking about the War.

Forgiveness made me free from hatred. I still have many scars on my body and severe pain most days but my heart is cleansed. Napalm is very powerful, but faith, forgiveness, and love are much more powerful. We would not have war at all if everyone could learn how to live with true love, hope, and forgiveness. If that little girl in the picture can do it, ask yourself: Can you?

Kim Phúc, NPR in 2008

How tough

The scar of a burn filled her body with pain chronically. Occasionally the puberty girl must endure intolerable situation like people’s attention. I can’t imagine how hard it is for her. But she didn’t despair. Her determination never wavered. She didn’t blame anyone. Isn’t it really cool? There is nothing to make person mature as much pain. So she is much more valuable. Likewise your hardship is valuable, too.

Are you tough now?

What does not kill you only makes you stronger – Friedrich Nietzsche

I’m studying Peace

Why Peace studies?

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Little Peace girl : Go your one step further!

Peace is up to you :0 Go one step further!

Youth Do IT and Youth well done

DJ Party : 2017 World Youth Festival

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Great cause : For our country!

Korean Independence activist

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

How was your day?

Peace is not just calm : Do something

You need to keep moving : Solution!

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Why Peace?

His Voice in the Syrian jail

Saydnaya is where you go to die

This is why we need peace

Peace is up to you 🙂 Good luck!

How do you act in moments of crisis?

A former US Special Forces

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Filial piety : East vs West

Devoted daughter, 심청(Eng: Shimcheong)

How do you act now?

Devoted son, Jesus Christ

Everything is up to you!

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Long struggle between Jews and Palestinians dies down in front of a hungry baby.

Mahatma Gandhi “Hate the sin, love the sinner”

A baby was crying alone

I can’t believe it!

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!

Vietnam Napalm girl in 1973

After being an adult

Be a hero

Kim Phúc, NPR in 2008

How tough

Are you tough now?

Peace is up to you 🙂 Good luck!