On 22 April 2025, UNU will host “Sailing for Change: Civil Society Action to Build Peaceful and Inclusive Societies in the Asia-Pacific”, a BIG IDEAS Dialogue with Ms. Meri Joyce, International Coordinator of the Japan-based international organization Peace Boat. This online event will be held via Zoom webinar at 18:00 JST (UTC+9).
Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 16 underlines that peace, justice and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions are at the core of sustainable development. This is particularly relevant to the Asia-Pacific region today. Many countries in the region still face protracted armed conflict and violence, and far too many people struggle as a result of weak institutions and the lack of access to justice, information and other fundamental freedoms.
Young people are critical agents of change in thinking about potential breakthroughs to these impasses, as they experience first-hand many of the issues the SDGs seek to address and they are torchbearers for action.
Ms. Meri Joyce will join UNU Senior Vice-Rector Sawako Shirahase to examine case studies of civil society-led actions to build peaceful and inclusive societies in Japan and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The discussion will explore Peace Boat's educational endeavours to build cross-border networks and nurture future leaders who can promote social cohesion and human security as forces to build peaceful and inclusive societies.
Please note this event will be in English; Japanese interpretation will not be provided. Advance registration by 21 April is required. Registrants will receive an email on the day of the event with a link to attend via Zoom webinar.
About the speaker
Meri Joyce has been the International Coordinator of the Japan-based international organization Peace Boat since 2005. Peace Boat is the Regional Secretariat for the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in Northeast Asia, and Meri is Regional Liaison Officer for GPPAC in the region. In this capacity, she coordinates various peacebuilding, disarmament and conflict prevention-related programmes within Japan and North-East Asia, as well as education and advocacy programmes related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Meri also sits on the Steering Committee of the Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI), and is involved in various coordination work as part of Peace Boat's role as an International Steering Group member of the 2017 Nobel Peace Laureate, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. In addition, she is also active as a Japanese-English interpreter, including accompanying Nihon Hidankyo to receive their Nobel Peace Prize in 2024.
