Seoul, Korea—The international chair of UPF was invited to be a panelist at an annual meeting of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS).
Dr. Thomas Walsh, the chair of Universal Peace Federation, was a panelist of the session titled “Peace: Actors, Issues and Strategies.” He spoke on “The UN Mission and the Growing and Evolving Relevance of Religion and Interreligious Dialogue in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.”
The 2017 annual meeting, held from June 12 to 15 at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, focused on the theme “Revitalizing the United Nations for Human Rights, Peace and Development.”
The other speakers on the panel were Otto Spijkers, university lecturer of public international law of Utrecht University, Netherlands; Gabriel Amvane and Jean Chaumien, both of Horizon Amitié, France; Dr. Adewale Bakare of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; and Dr. Soyoung Kwon and Dr. Roland Wilson, both professors at George Mason University, Korea.
Many Korean academics and experts participated in various panels, putting priority on the role of the UN in issues relating to the Korean Peninsula, East Asia, and the world.
Guest speakers were Hon. Hyun In-Taek, former South Korean minister of unification, and Dr. Han Sung-Joo, chair of the International Policy Studies Institute of Korea (IPSIKOR).
The Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) exists to stimulate, support and disseminate research and analysis on the United Nations, multilateralism and international organization. The 2017 annual meeting touched upon the complex challenges facing the new secretary-general. The meeting gave participants the chance to reflect on the UN system and its commitment to those who are most affected by conflict, poverty and lack of human rights.