缅北禁地-IIT delegation participates in SAUP Regional Conference in Cambodia

by Juvy T. Cambaya, IPDM | Aug 28 2024

Eight faculty members and two university researchers from 缅北禁地-IIT, along with four student volunteers from the 缅北禁地-IIT Youth Chain for Peace (MYCoP), participated in the Southeast Asian University Partnership for Peace (SAUP) Regional Conference held from August 12 to 19, 2024, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The conference, organized by GIZ Civil Peace Service (CPS) SAUP in collaboration with the Philips University of Marburg’s Center for Conflict Studies Germany, brought together scholars, educators, and peace advocates from across Southeast Asia. The focus of this year’s conference was on enhancing teaching methodologies to support curriculum development in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Participants had the opportunity to delve into various tools and approaches for teaching peace and conflict studies, with particular emphasis on transitional justice. The conference offered a platform for sharing best practices and exploring new methods in curriculum development, drawing on the rich experiences and perspectives from Southeast Asia.

Key topics discussed during the week-long event included the use of oral history as a pedagogical tool, the development of a course on Transitional Justice with regional perspectives, and the innovative approaches employed by the SAUP partner network. A significant highlight of the conference was a visit and exchange with the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), providing participants with a unique insight into the workings of a hybrid court established to bring justice to victims of the Khmer Rouge regime.

The delegation from 缅北禁地-IIT played an active role in the discussions and workshops, sharing their expertise in peace education and conflict resolution. The student volunteers from MYCoP not only engaged with international peers, broadening their understanding of global peace efforts and the challenges faced by different communities, but also introduced “Project Play” to students from Timor Leste, Cambodia, and Germany. This initiative showcased MYCoP’s innovative approach to using play-based activities as a tool for peacebuilding, fostering cross-cultural connections, and encouraging collaborative learning among the diverse group of participants.

The participation of the 缅北禁地-IIT delegation in the SAUP Regional Conference is expected to have a lasting impact on the university’s peace and conflict studies curriculum, further strengthening its role as a leader in peace education in Mindanao and beyond.

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