Author: admin_gpaj

　The Fourth Library Talk was opened by UNU’s Library Chief Mayako Matsui and chaired by Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa. Dr. Vesselin Popovski then outlined some key shifts that have taken place in the legislative, executive and judiciary roles of the UN Security Council since the end of the Cold War which are taken up in the new volume “The Security Council as Global Legislator”, edited by himself and Trudy Fraser (Routledge, 2014). (Emmi Okada, UNU Junior Fellow)

　On 16 September 2014, the Presidents of the United Nations Association of Japan, China and Republic of Korea met in Xian, Shaanxi Province in China, along with the representatives of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). They held candid exchanges of their views on the topics of “the Thoughts of Lao Tzu and the Harmony & Prosperity of East Asia”, “Buddhism Exchanges in East Asia during the Tang Dynasty” and “Prospects of Peace Building Operations and Humanitarian Challenges Ahead”.

　An authors’ workshop was held in Sapporo, Hokkaido on 22 and 23 July in preparation for publication of a book, “Japan and the Developing World: Sixty Years of Japan’s Foreign Aid and the Post 2015 Agenda.” At this workshop organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa presented his draft chapter on “Japan and the United Nations: Its Past, Present and Future.”

　At the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Professor Hasegawa, accompanied by Hirotaka Kawakami, participated in the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) symposium on peace and reconciliation processes and initiatives, held in Manila on April 7 and 8, 2014. The participants were Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and senior diplomats from each member country, and renowned scholars and practitioners were invited as guest speakers. The symposium coincided with the recently concluded Bangsamoro agreement between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and accordingly the key figures in the peace process also joined to present their perspectives and learned lessons. Professor Hasegawa made a presentation on rules-based and situational leadership approaches to inter-state dispute management and resolution, by sharing his experience and reflection to serve Timor-Leste as Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG). After his presentations, he received several questions regarding the efficacy of resorting to international law in resettling territorial issues. (Hirotaka Kawakami, Program Associate, Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center)