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Nilakshi Nimantha Liyanage
Sri Lanka
2nd year |
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Throughout the last century, the world has been suffering from peace crises in different times and places. From a historical standpoint, we observed that “peace” has been nurtured globally from the western viewpoint but the problem persists. Therefore, it’s time to think in new perspectives. Japan is a country encompassed by several disasters including world war. However, in the last several decades it has set a benchmark of being a peaceful country in the world. IUJ, situated in the heart of Asia, has been providing peace education in recent years from global and Asian perspectives in a true multicultural environment. By bringing diverse cultures and knowledge together in one place, it facilitates developing peace-building traits among students in a favorable environment. Understanding cultures and idea exchange are the underlying principles of establishing peace that have successfully been incorporated among future leaders by world class IUJ faculty and practical teaching methods. I would like to conclude that IUJ proves that “Great leaders are not born, they persevere”. It’s a production house of future global peace leaders.
By knowing the importance of learning peace studies for a future career in the international peace and development sectors, I enrolled in IPSP, a real international peace-teaching curriculum. The enriched course content, excellent faculty, diversity in campus culture, multicultural environment, practical teaching methods, and intensive faculty care are my discoveries at IUJ. Living in am environment so conducive to learning like IUJ creates avenues to enhance knowledge and peace building competence in international standards. It also enhances students’ practical capacity to deal with peace policy & development issues and social & human security issues. It shapes the students’ futures the way people want it to be. The bottom-line of choosing IPSP at IUJ lies in the sentence “Motivation is what gets you started”.
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Ann-Christin Winkler
Germany
2nd year |
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Living in IUJ is an extraordinary experience where I learn not only from my host country, Japan, but from students of over 30 countries; their customs, cultures and lives. I treasure my IUJ friends, who taught me so much and who have widened my horizons. This has also affected my studies: Professors at IUJ encourage you to think outside of the box and to acknowledge different perspectives to deal with a problem. I think this is a valuable skill for everyone who is studying International Peace Studies and IUJ gives me the opportunity to obtain my skills not only from the textbooks, but from everyday IUJ life.
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Stanley D. Currier
USA
2nd year |
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I chose the International Peace Studies Program at IUJ for its innovative and interesting curriculum. I am challenged, astounded and inspired every day by the diversity of viewpoints voiced by my professors and classmates. The IPSP program has made me think very critically about many of the problems faced by the world today, and what I can do beyond the doors of IUJ to find my own realistic role in addressing those issues. Whether it is in migration management or human rights work with an international NGO, or political affairs with the UN, I definitely feel that IPSP has provided me the tools and confidence to contribute to the world. And the best is...the future world leaders who will tackle so many issues common to humanity...are my neighbors and classmates here at IUJ today!
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Mar Lar Maw
Myanmar
class of 2009 |
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First, I would like to say that I am really honored to have a chance to comment in the 2009 GSIR pamphlet. I am currently an IPSP student from Myanmar, here through the generous support of the Japanese people. Before I came to Japan, I heard about IUJ and its newly initiated International Peace Studies Program. Peace study has, in fact, become a very popular and useful topic since the world is faced with many challenges such as terrorism, global warming and global epidemics like HIV/AIDS nowadays. In order to solve and control these challenges effectively, our only planet is in desperate need of people who are interested in the issues of peace and development in tandem, not in different versions. Peace keeping and peace building is essential in constructing a prosperous world.
When a domestic government tries to control a problem like civil war, that problem usually persists. It has to initiate a peace building process and later, follow with a peace keeping process. In my opinion, peace studies provide opportunities to analyze the information necessary to develop these processes. It is also useful in learning how to put subsequent pressure on the responsible authorities. This is a subject that can be of great service for the world. Moreover, I get valuable wisdom from my professors who are never reluctant share their valuable experience with their students.
When I graduate from IUJ with an IPSP degree, I plan to contribute to peace and development in Myanmar through working in the government. As you know, Myanmar is a developing country and it requires many educated and qualified people who can better serve the development fields. I would like to become an outstanding person by contributing the knowledge that I gained from the IPSP at IUJ. As we all are human beings, we have to serve to improve the world wherever we are from and whatever we do. Therefore, in my mind, the IPSP at IUJ is a very worthy life experience for me because I can share my feelings, culture, experience and knowledge with friends who come from various countries. Because of the IPSP, I am very happy and pleased to be an IUJ student. Finally, I would like to recommend all of you with my experience to come to IUJ to study in the IPSP.
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Thearith Leng
Cambodia
class of 2009 |
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Why did you choose to come to IUJ?
Welcome to IUJ. I chose to come to IUJ because of two reasons. First, this university provides me a very unique program called International Peace Studies which I cannot find at other universities in Japan. I believed that knowledge in this field would enrich my current experience in peace studies, and contribute to my future career as a diplomat. Further, with natural beauty surrounding the campus, scholars can concentrate on their studies.
What did you find most helpful in studying at IUJ?
IUJ furnishes me with peace theories necessary for analyzing problems systematically and logically. In the meantime, it is a place where students from different countries can also learn practical experiences related to peace, war, and security from each other. With both theoretical and practical knowledge, students will be able to set forth effective policies to contribute to building peace and development in their home countries as well as for the world at large.
What is your future plan and where does IUJ fit in your plans?
Currently, I am working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia. Knowledge in international affairs obtained from IUJ really fits the demands of my future career as a diplomat.
How do you feel to study at IUJ, etc
I am so excited to study at IUJ as I am not only able to absorb knowledge necessary for my future career, but also able to interact with people from many different countries and cultures. Therefore, IUJ is not only an academic institution but also a place for entertainment and for network connections.
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Aruna Pant
(Pandeya)
Nepal
class of 2008
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Why did you choose to come to IUJ?
First of all I have always admired Japan as a peaceful country. I admire the way people behave with each other and the way the country has preserved its culture. Secondly, I was very interested in the International Peace Studies Programme offered by IUJ. I had always wanted to learn more about how we could maintain peace and security in the world and prevent mankind from any kind of harm especially from human created harm. Hence the subject itself and the country attracted me to IUJ.
What did you find most helpful in studying at IUJ?
The main thing I found here was that it was a mini UN where one could discuss all kind of international problems together and find possible solutions. Moreover, getting a chance to learn more about common global problems that need to be addressed is a great opportunity for me. In spite of being in Japan, we have a totally international environment. Moreover since we have gathered under a single roof from many countries I consider this as a great opportunity for one to learn about the world its various cultures and cross-cultural communication in a natural way. I am sure this experience will add to our capability to work in a diverse environment once we go out from IUJ.
What is your future plan and where does IUJ fit in your plans?
My dream is to work for Women and Children, or let me say for the well being of humans. This was implanted within me at a very young age. I was searching for an opportunity to gain some theoretical knowledge in this field, which I have received at IUJ. I would like to work in an International Organization like I did in the past but in a better position with more responsibility. With the various subjects that I have taken so far and the many other courses that I plan to take in the future, I am quite confident in being able to achieve my goal after IUJ. IUJ has helped me shape my future the way I have always wanted it.
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Bernadette Victorio
Philippines
class of 2008
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Why did you choose to come to IUJ?
I chose IUJ for three reasons. First, because I was very interested in its new program, MA in International Peace Studies. Since the subject of peace has always been thought of as a "western idea", I thought that it would be very interesting to learn about it from an Asian perspective. Secondly, I think that Japan is currently at the turning point of its history as it opens up to global culture and takes its place as one of the world's economic leaders. For this reason, Japan proves to be a very strategic choice for achieving an international education with a very global perspective. Lastly, I chose IUJ because I wanted to get a good taste of Japanese culture, one which has always fascinated me because of its resilience and uniqueness.
What did you find most helpful in studying at IUJ?
Aside from the professional and very competent pool of professors we have here, I think that the multi-cultural nature of the student body at IUJ has been most helpful to me. Having been immersed to a world of cultures within IUJ not only increased my knowledge but helped broaden my perspective and build my skill and confidence in dealing with people from all walks of life. A broad cultural perspective, excellent people skills, and confidence to deal with people from different cultures are characteristics that are most crucial for people like me who aspire to work in multinational companies and international organizations IUJ provides us with a very good training ground to develop such traits.
What is your future plan and where does IUJ fit in your plans?
In the future, I hope to join an international organization that will be able to give me the opportunity to work in the areas of human rights, peace and development. Through my education here in IUJ, I hope to be trained well-enough and be fully equipped so that I may be able to give back to the global society as much as I have been given. I also hope that in the future, if opportunity allows, I will be able to collaborate with my peers here at IUJ to build a global network of professionals, so that together, we can positively impact the world.
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