Students reflected on “peace and art” in light of Kyoto University of the Arts' performance of Kyogen at the United Nations University Headquarters in Tokyo. (28/4/2025)

In this class, we heard a talk by Prof. Sukehiro Hasegawa, who worked for a long time at the United Nations. The professor worked to create peace in the war-torn countries of Rwanda and East Timor, and now teaches “Art and Peace” at the university. What I thought about most was the “power of art. For example, in countries where war has ended, there are programs for ex-soldiers to return to society through theater. Also, traditional culture helps us understand each other, as in the case of the Kyogen performance at the ACUNS conference. I was impressed when the professor said, “Peace is not found in numbers, but in people's smiles and culture. From now on, I would like to learn more about how Japanese culture can be used for peace in the world. (Comment from a student) (28/4/2025)