Megumi's Peace

Bangladesh Report back

2010-04-23T15:14:00.007+09:00

Our World 2.0 recently published the videos I co-produced while in Bangladesh. Here they are the accompanying article:

Original article http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/resilient-bangladesh-fishermen-cope-with-rough-seas/

Both inland and by the shore, today’s changing climate is impacting the daily lives of the people of Bangladesh. Out of necessity, Bangladeshis are beginning to adapt by implementing traditional knowledge and practices, through self innovation and with the help of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations.

Worldwide, to varying degrees, we are all in the process of learning how to adapt to environmental changes. The front-line experience of Bangladesh will provide useful insight into the many challenges that will affect more and more places in the future.

This week, in honour of Bangladesh National Day (March 26), we bring to you a series of three video briefs that showcase the resilient Bangladeshi spirit in coping with these potentially devastating changes. These stories also provide a glimpse of how the United Nations University is working with NGOs to create a platform of knowledge sharing for climate change adaptation.

At-risk Bangladesh

On our warming planet, Bangladesh is considered to be one of the 12 highest climate-risk countries in the world. It regularly faces all of the five main identified threats that arise from climate change: droughts, floods, storms, rising sea levels, and greater uncertainty in agriculture. In particular, Bangladesh tops the list in flood disasters because it is situated in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River Delta that is formed by the confluence of three rivers and their respective tributaries, which include run-offs from the melting Himalayan glaciers.

Bangladesh — and many of the other countries on the high-risk list — are increasingly facing such hazards, despite the fact that their contribution to the world’s carbon emissions is minuscule, even in comparison to many developing nations.

On top of these climate impacts, Bangladesh is one of the most population dense countries in the world and ranks 147 out of 179 on the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index (PDF). The list assesses a country’s achievement in terms of human development in areas like health, education and gender equality, and not just GDP growth.

The effects of climate change are exacerbating Bangladesh’s existing problems — health, poverty, land erosion and natural disasters. At sea, the waters are getting rougher and the frequency of tropical cyclones is increasing. On land, the rain patterns are erratic, day and night temperatures fluctuate dramatically, and the country is plagued by both drought and flood.

While 80% of Bangladeshis live in rural areas and 54% work in agriculture, more and more farmers can no longer make ends meet and have begun to migrate to the bigger cities and other countries in search of a better life.

However, the Bangladeshis are not resigned to climate change doom, but instead have become active leaders in adaptation. In 2008, the national government published a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (PDF).

The country has already begun to prepare for the inevitable and irreplaceable effects of climate change. In some communities, education and awareness-raising has begun in schools. For those who live along the coast, homes are built to withstand 100 km typhoon winds and sit upon raised foundations to stave off rising waters during flooding. In addition, farmers are planting saline resistant crops that can withstand the salt water floods that plague their lands.

Ultimately, adaptation is not the longer-term solution for climate change. It has its limitations. A focus on reducing our green house gas emissions must be prioritized. In the mean time, as we’ll see in this video brief series, the people of Bangladesh are doing all they can to adapt.

Coping with rougher seas

In our first video brief, embedded at top of this page, fishermen in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River Delta are suffering some of the consequences of global climate change. For hundreds of years their traditional boats have been strong enough to fish in the Bay of Bengal.

However, today, this is no longer true. Fishermen are increasingly faced with stronger storms and rougher seas. Every time they set out to the sea to fish, they gamble with their own lives.

We met with Mohammed Illias, who has fished the waters of Magna River since he was 12. To better support his family, he saved money to purchase his own boat. However, in 2008, he and 10 other fishermen were caught in a terrible storm. The boat was badly damaged and began to sink. Luckily, all of the fisherman on-board survived.

With the help of local and international NGOs, Mohammed was able to restore his boat. By reinforcing the foundation with steel bars, his boat was made stronger. He feels confident that his boat will now be able to withstand the rough waves. As an added result, the boat now allows him travel further out into the sea and increase his catch.

In this, the second of our special three-part series in honour of Bangladesh National Day, we track how Bangladeshis are struggling to tackle local problems, such as increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns.

The changing climate is making it difficult for peasants in Bangladesh to harvest enough food from their land. Based on traditional knowledge, Bangladeshis used to be able to accurately predict when the rains would fall. They could then sow seeds in accordance to these patterns in order to yield the crops upon which they relied for survival. But rains are no longer following such a predictable schedule and the people must do their best to adjust to this new climate reality.

United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace Researcher Chun Knee Tan has been working with the International Union on the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to address the growing challenges the region faces and empower local people to deal with the changes in their environment.

In partnership the two organizations have created a project designed to involve the people affected into the machinations of Multilateral Environmental Agreements, such as the Convention of Biological Diversity and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This Community-based Implementation and Compliance of Multilateral Environment Agreements project aims to better communicate to communities on the issues surrounding such agreements and get their input and help in implementing relevant national strategies and action plans.

Kohinor, the woman in this video brief, and her husband have suffered the consequences of the unpredictable climate. The number of fish, once abundant in their water beel (wetland or pond), has dropped significantly. Due to the extreme temperature fluctuations, friends and family are catching colds more frequently and there have also been outbreaks of pests that affect their fruit and vegetables.

Through the CICMEA project, IUCN organizes community workshops like the one for the women from Fullbaria village that is shown in the video. Kohinor participated in this workshop at which she and her fellow participants mapped out the landscape of their ward, noting the changes in the area over the past 20 years and listing the resources the community possesses that can help to deal with their challenges. Through this process the group was able to determine what support they will ultimately need to receive from the government and NGOs.

In the third and final video brief of this special series on climate change in Bangladesh, we find out how school children are beginning to learn about the changes they are experiencing in their environment.

Not only are they learning about what is already happening, they are also acquiring the knowledge and skills to deal with these changes.

As part of one educational project, 14-year-old Titu Illias, who attends Obaidulla Memorial High School in Noahkali, participated in an awareness-raising play. Entitled “Let’s Hear Rana Bhai” (or “Let’s Hear from Brother Frog” in English), the play teaches children and adults some of the ways they can cope in certain climate change related situations.

For example, the children are told that when a cyclone is approaching, they should listen for the cyclone warning signal and go to the cyclone shelter immediately; or, that farmers should plant saline resilient seeds so that their crops will survive even if flooding occurs.

Titu, known for his exceptional voice, is one of the lead performers in this play, which has been a huge success and has travelled to other school districts. Titu is now keenly aware of the consequences of climate change and that we all have responsibilities in addressing it.

“I hope that my message will be conveyed to children all over the world and people will come together to help each other and reduce the climate change,” he says.

Indigenous Voices of Climate Change Film Festival @ COP15

2009-12-06T20:50:00.005+09:00

Goddag! I am writing to you from Copenhagen, Denmark--home to the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference- which begins tomorrow. I'm here to support my colleague Citt Williams who for the past year has been tirelessly making films in some of the most remote parts of the world for the Indigenous Voices on Climate Change film festival which we have organized at the National Museum of Denmark.

The film festival which kicks off on Wednesday is a collection of not only UNU Media Studio produced documentaries, but stories form around the world on how local and indigenous people's are feeling the effects of changing climate. A short version of my most recently produced documentary on climate change adaptation strategies taking place in Bangladesh will be screened at this film festival.

Here are the basic details of the film festival or you can go straight to the Our World site for more info.

Indigenous voices on Climate Change Film Festival

National Museum of Denmark,Copenhagen

9th – 13th Dec

16.00 – 18.00

Free Admission

Fifteen of the films screened at the festival can be viewed in the customized youtube play-list below. Use the button second from the left to scroll through the films.

If you happen to catch this post and are in Copehagen, please do stop by and check out the films. Otherwise, follow my twitter feed for more regular posts on COP15 and the film festival.

A step backwards for marriage

2009-11-01T17:34:00.009+09:00

One particular subject that I have not blogged upon thus far is something that is actually quite dear to me. It is the right for same-sex marriage.

The reason why it's important to me is because it is an issue that affects some of my dearest friends.

My best friend once told me that as a little girl she envisioned herself walking down the aisle to marry the love of her life. Today, that person waiting for her at the alter happens to be of the same sex. When I hear that people are willing to deny her that happiness, as Maine did this past Wednesday, it breaks my heart to no end.

While it is a great disappointment and it shows the many challenges the movement still faces, it was even more shocking to learn on October 15 that a Louisianan Justice of the Peace denied a marriage license to an interracial couple.

As I've blogged about before, the right for interracial marriage was won in 1967 with Loving vs. Virgina case. So it's alarming that in a day in age where we are fighting for the next level of civil rights that such an incident occurred.

Luckily, this justice of the peace resigned -sending a clear signal that he overstepped the law in favor for his personal opinion/ignorance.

For me, much of the ignorance and the arguments against same-sex marriage today are the same arguments that were used against interracial marriage back in the day.

I produced the 2009 Loving Day Flagship Celebration video partly in celebration of my own multi-racial/cultural heritage but also in part to show how such an injustice can be overcome and to give hope to the challenges we are facing now. Please watch the video and pass it on to your friends.

Off to Bangladesh!

2009-10-19T15:11:00.001+09:00

On Monday, I'm headed to Bangladesh for two weeks to do a story about how the local people are affected by climate change. On our warming planet, Bangladesh is considered to be one of the 12 highest climate-risk countries. It has all of the five main threats that arise from climate change: droughts, floods, storms, rising sea levels, and greater uncertainty in agriculture. (World Bank) In particular, Bangladesh will lead in flood disasters due to its geography: ie. situated between Himalayan glaciers which are melting and the sea of Bengal.

It's sad to hear that Bangladesh, and many of the other countries on the high-risk list, is increasingly facing such threats when its contribution to the world wide carbon emissions is miniscule. On top of these climate impacts, Bangladesh is one of the most population dense countries in the world and ranks 147 out of 179 on UNDP's Human Development Index. A list which asses a countries achievement in terms of human development, ie. prosperity.

The Bangladeshis, however, have not resigned to climate change doom but have become an active leader in trying to make adaptations both at home and abroad. In 2008, the Government of Bangladesh published the "Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan"

I have to admit that while it's very exciting to be going on this mission, I'm also a bit nervous about what I'm about to experience. Seeing and documenting the diminishing drift-ice in Hokkaido (see bottom video) is starting to feel small in comparison to meeting the men and women of Bangladesh who's homes have washed away and livelihoods destroyed to crop salination. While there, we will be working with UNU Researcher Tan Chun Knee and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature,

to document some of the efforts to create awareness and to help Bangladeshis adapt to the increasing environmental changes.

Anyways, looking forward to my return to Tokyo and sharing my experiences with you. 'Till then.~<3

"The Cove" @ Tokyo International Film Festival

2009-10-12T22:21:00.005+09:00

October certainly seems like the month of film festivals. With the always excellent UNHCR refugee film festival out of the way, Tokyoites now have the Tokyo International Film Festival to look forward to. Last year TIFF went eco-friendly: laying out a green carpet, using green energy for screenings, and holding a symposium on environmental issues. Adding on to that, this year, TIFF has started the Green Carpet Club, of which you can become a member:

I'll be away for most the entire duration of the film festival :( but I have one particularly film that I want to encourage you wholeheartedly to see- "The Cove."

While I feel this trailer speaks for itself, I have to say of all the amazing films I have seen recently (Burma VJ, Heart of Jenin, Age of Stupid) this by far trumps them all.

"The Cove" is an inspirational story about an individual giving everything in order to bring awareness to not only the plight of this dolphin slaughter but the many issues related, such as mercury poisoning and the selling dolphin meat disguised as whale. Ric O'Barry, once the dolphin trainer of the beloved American TV show Flipper, now sees it as his mission to curb the ever expanding dolphin industry.

While protecting dolphins is not necessarily my number one priority, the shear passion that Ric O'Barry emits is earth-shatteringly inspiring. I was shaking when I had the opportunity to meet him after the screening of the film at the Foreign Correspondent's Press Club in Tokyo.

The screening of the film at TIFF is on Wendesday the 21st at 10:50am. Pre-sale tickets are already sold out but if you line up early ( I would get there by 8, but Im just a film freak) I'm sure you can get a chance to catch this controversial yet well produced and incredibly moving story.

2009 UNHCR Refugee Film Festival

2009-09-23T13:45:00.006+09:00

I apologize for the lateness of this post but the 2009 UNHCR Refugee Film Festival is underway. Please visit the home page for the line up.

I feel this year's selection is particularly outstanding and the festival organizers purposely choose to only screen 2o films this year, allowing them to bring the many of the filmmakers over for Q & A sessions.

Of the films selected, I have already had the great pleasure of watching two of them. The highly anticipated Burma VJ which tells the stories of the courageous Burmese video journalists who risked everything to share the stories of the 2007 Saffron Revolution. Through clever and well placed reenactments, the raw footage is woven together to give one a very real picture of the incidents that occurred that Fall.

The second film Heart of Jenin, tells the incredible journey of a Palestinian father makes a remarkable decision when his 11 year old son Ahmed is shot by Israeli soldiers. Ismahel (the father) decides to offer his son's organs to 6 israelis, giving a second chance to children while challenging the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on a personal level for some of the families.

The film festival is on until this Friday.

Hafu Japanese project

2009-08-12T13:41:00.006+09:00

Since returning to Japan nearly three years ago, I've been re-exploring my Japanese and "hafu" identity. This has manifested in my collaboration with the Loving Day project and now with a projected called the Hafu/Half Japanese project by Marcia Yumi Lise and Natalie Willier.

The Hafu Japanese project examines both the physical features and identities of individuals who are of mixed Japanese decent. Thus far Marcia and Natalie (also hafus) have been photographing and interviewing hafus living in both the UK and in Japan.

Next Saturday evening, (September 19th) Marcia will be leading a talk event in which she will present her project and explore the many facets of what it means to be a hafu living in Japan.

Venue: Las Chicas in Aoyama (http://vision.jp)
Nearest station: Omotesando Exit B2 (5 mins walk)
Date: 19th of September 2009, Saturday
Time: Talk event 6pm ~, Networking Party 8pm~

6pm- Talk and In Conversation

Marcia Yumi Lise (Co-founder of the Hafu Project)
An increasing number of people are migrating between countries, which is intrinsically related to the process of globalisation. It is safe to say that most of the so called "Hafus" are the offspring of such a process. The event deals with the ways in which Hafus see the world in modern-day world, and explore their position in society using data and some theoretical framework. Inviting two guest speakers including Kota and Henry we will discuss topics related to nation, nationality, race, culture and gender.

Kota (Special guest speaker and music performance)
Kota is a musician, writer and a sports commentator. Being a transgender, "kuota" (quarter Japanese) and brought up outside of Japan, Kota has been making enquiries into her identity and gives public talks extensively. Check out her blog and professional profile.

Henry McDonald (Guest speaker)
Henry was born between a Japanese mother and a British father. Having graduated an international school in Japan, he decided to study at Birmingham University in the UK. Currently a graduate student at Hitotsubashi University.

8pm- Networking party
A special music performance by Kota and DJ performance by DJ No'n.

Public talk & Party
3000 yen (3500 yen at door)

Party only
2000 yen (2500 yen at door)

Youtube launches Video Volunteers

2009-06-30T10:03:00.007+09:00

Wow, I just discovered Youtube's latest initiative Video Volunteers.

Youtube has launched this new channel which connects non-profit orgs with its hundreds and thousands of videomakers to produce videos for worthy causes. It has built the widget below (sorry just an image, I'm having trouble imbedding it in my blog) that lists videomaking volunteer opportunities from idealist.org, serve.gov, and volunteer match.

First thoughts: Incredible. I look forward to following this and seeing the videos that are produced from this new partnership.

However, browsing quickly through the comments it seems that many Youtubers are unsure exactly in what ways they can help and it looks like it will take a rather sophisticated video maker to do the job...

Hmm something to definitely watch and see how it grows...

Latest videos from Our World 2.0

2009-05-27T16:01:00.001+09:00

Here are my latest videos from Our World 2.0.

Drop me a comment and let me know what you think.

Plastic to Oil Fantastic!

Plastic to Oil Fantastic from UNUChannel on Vimeo.

The Japanese company Blest has developed one of the smallest and safest oil-to-plastic conversion machines out on the market today. It's founder and CEO, Akinori Ito is passionate about using this machine to change the way people around the world think about their plastic trash. From solving our landfill and garbage disposal issues to reducing our oil dependancy on the Middle East, his machine may one day be in every household across Japan.
While holding up a bag of trash, he states, "It's a waste to throw away, isn't it? This is a treasure."

Read the article:
http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/2009/04/14/plastic-to-oil-fantastic/

The Case of the Diminishing Drift Ice

The Case of the Diminishing Drift Ice from UNUChannel on Vimeo.

The Sea of Okhotsk has long been the southernmost spot in the Northern Hemisphere where polar sea ice is found. After spreading southward out of the Arctic each winter and along the eastern edge of Sakhalin Island, the ice typically arrives in Hokkaido in mid to late January. The best time to see it is the latter half of February but it stays until late March or early April. However, over the past twenty years the drift ice has been slowly diminishing. Some say this is the result of global warming. The people of Abashiri have come together to take action.

To read more about this http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/2009/05/26/tourism-meltdown/

Come celebrate interracial marraige at the Loving Day celebrations!

2009-05-23T01:35:00.006+09:00

I came across Loving Day less than a year ago while searching through hapa (Hawaiian-term for mixed race) based websites. As someone who feels that my life path has been directly influenced by my multiracial and multicultural background, it is especially important for me to honor the day that interracial marriage was legalized.

Personally, I can't remember when I first learned that there was a time in US history (just forty some years ago) when interracial marriage was illegal in many states. But nonetheless it baffled me that this had been a recent reality. I believe that much of the same ignorance and prejudice that existed against interracial and intercultural marriage persists today with new issues. As someone who champions for civil and human right, its only natural to honor the battles that we have already won.

So come on out, let's celebrate!

Event Details
Hosted By: Loving Day and World Up
RSVP: requested via email
Email: lovingdayparty@gmail.com
Link: http://www.lovingday.org/
Loving Day proudly presents the 6th annual
LOVING DAY FLAGSHIP CELEBRATION
in New York City

FREE BBQ: all day long
FREE BEER: for the first hour
GET IN FREE: rain or shine
MULTICULTURAL: family friendly

Featuring:
DJ DHUNDEE, Sugarcuts Music (http://www.djdhundee.blogspot.com)
DJ TYLER ASKEW, Rude/MFT (http://www.rudemovements.net/)

Sunday, June 7th from 3-7pm at Solar 1
East River at 23rd St. in Manhattan

Come celebrate the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court case that legalized interracial marriage in the US.

Directions:
SUBWAY: 6 train to 23rd, then M23 bus or walk e. past Ave C & FDR. Look for Gulf gas station. Or, L train to 1st Ave: walk N. to 23rd
BY CARr: from south, FDR to 20-23 St. exit. Right on Ave C, right on 23rd almost to Gulf gas station, then service road to Solar 1

RSVP YOUR SPOT: lovingdayparty@gmail.com
LEARN MORE ONLINE: http://www.lovingday.org

Seeking interracial couple for documentary on Loving Day

2009-05-03T21:08:00.003+09:00

Hi- I'm currently planning to shoot a short documentary while I'm in New York in June. I'm looking for a interracial couple to follow as they celebrate Loving day- the day the Loving vs. Virgina Supreme Court case legalized interracial marriage. Anyways, here's my call:

Documentary filmmaker seeks an interracial couple to film at the Loving Day celebrations on June 7th, 2009 in NYC.
The Loving Day Campaign (http://www.lovingday.org) commemorates the legalization of interracial marriage by organizing an afternoon of festivities the Solar 1 pier
in New York City.

Ideally, we are looking for an interracial couple who is:
-passionate about overcoming racial prejudice
-who is either married or considering it in the future
-interested in volunteering at the Loving Day celebrations (optional)
-be willing to have a camera follow them on the day and be interviewed about how you met etc. (on possibly another day)

If interested please contact the filmmaker
Megumi Nishikura
meguminishikura@yahoo.com
http://www.meguminishikura.com

About the filmmaker:
Megumi is a documentary filmmaker of mix heritage.
Her desire to create films about our common humanity stems from her own multicultural and interracial background.
Past documentary work includes films for the United Nations, Associated Press and various NGOs and foundations.

Please feel free to repost and share with anyone who might be interested.

Global Media Forum - June 3-5, 2009

2009-03-23T15:58:00.000+09:00

While I have yet to make it to a conference that addresses the media's role in peace (they seem to get canceled a lot), the Global Media Forum is one I'm hoping to attend. It's main objective is to examine how new media technology (hello my thesis!!) can aid in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

In their first conference (2008) they addressed the following questions:
What is the relation between the media and violent conflict? Do the media have a responsibility to prevent the outbreak of violence? Moreover, can they contribute to peace-building activities? And if so: how?

Here's a video from last year's conference:

This years follow up conference will be held from June 3-5th in Bonn, Germany.
Taking a look through their website and their lineup of talks, it's clear that they are aware of how these new medias- Youtube, blogging, and social networking- are changing the face of not only traditional media but its outreach to newer audiences.

Out of the questions/issues that this conference aims to address these are the following that particularly interest me:
• Do the changes in technology and user profiles influence the way in which the media report on conflicts – or do they directly influence the way in which a war is fought?
• What about the impact on peace-building processes and conflict-prevention strategies?
• What are the main challenges for the international media during this technological revolution?
• How have the expectations of viewers, listeners and users changed, and what is the best way to reach them in the digital age?
• The multimedia revolution and its impact on conventional media YouTube & Co.: Generating new audiences or excluding even more people?
• Blogging for peace or hate as a way to bypass censorship?

I hope that this conference will prove to be an opportunity to learn in greater detail from those already working in this field of how both content and the way it is served can reach the largest amount of individuals and have the greatest impact possible.

Hometown Baghdad on the Sundance Channel this Thursday night

2009-03-18T20:57:00.002+09:00

Hometown Baghdad, the web-based documentary series that I wrote my thesis on, will be making its debut on the Sundance Channel on Thursday March 19 at 11:30pm. It's airing coincides with an important date--the 6th anniversary of the war in Iraq. Let's take this opportunity to re-reflect on the costs of war. For international viewers, look for it listed on the National Geographic International channel. I hope to catch it there!

From Chat the Planet's email blast:
"Hometown Baghdad follows three Iraqi college students based in Baghdad as they try to maintain a semblance of normal existence amidst the escalating violence and chaos around them. The online version of Hometown Baghdad drew over 3 million viewers worldwide when it launched in March 2007. The series won three 2008 Webby Awards, and in the categories News and Politics Series, Public Service and Activism, and Reality. In an article about the online series for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, pop culture critic Cary Darling wrote that the series' scenes of ordinary lives "offer a glimpse into a society few knew existed: young Iraqis who are clinging to a global, middle-class identity while the world around them crumbles into chaos."

My First OW2.0 Video: Will you eco-marry me?

2009-03-17T17:00:00.000+09:00

My first Our World 2.0 story is up on the ourworld hompage. To read the article that goes a long with the article click here. Please visit the website and leave your comments there! Thank you!

Will you eco-marry me? from UNUChannel on Vimeo.

"Tokyo couple Shigeru Komori and Tomoko Hoshino embraced the chance to create a beautiful wedding day without leaving behind a huge environmental footprint. Both of them are passionate about the environment and so practicing their eco-philosophy on their wedding day was a true reflection of who they are and what is important to them."

Up sleeve number two

2009-03-07T14:35:00.006+09:00

I apologize for this much overdue entry, as I have certainly been busy for the past month and half. After returning from Australia and successfully producing the Associated Press story about the Hibakusha Peace Boat voyage, I was offered a short-term contract position working for the United Nations University Media Studio. So for the past few weeks, I have been producing short six-minute documentaries for a webmagazine called Our World2.0.

The web magazine and documentaries focus on solutions to our global issues, with an emphasis on oil scarcity, alternative energy, and food security. So far the stories that I have been working on have been about how the diminishing drift-ice in the Okhotsk sea is affecting tourism in Hokkaido, how one couple planned an eco-wedding, and a machine that converts our plastic waste back into oil. As these stories go up online, I'll be posting the links here as well. Check it out when you get a chance.

Up sleeve number one (as promised in my previous entry)

2008-12-26T09:28:00.006+09:00

As this message posts, I will be onboard a plane to Sydney, Australia. I'm headed there to do a freelance video report for Associated Press. The topic of the five minute video for AP's Horizons programming is on the current Peace Boat voyage in which 102 atomic bomb survivors share their anti-nuclear testimonies as they travel around the world. What an incredible journey they must be having as they connect with locals in 20 plus countries. It's a story that is much needed to be documented and shared with as many people as possible--as for some of the hibakusha this may be their last chance to share their story.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Nervous about my continual push to challenge myself as a storyteller, to meet AP standards, and to handle all the technical aspects of this shoot. Excited to be going to Australia (a first for me!), to meet with the Hibakusha and tell their story as best as I can. I hope that this will be first of many experiences like this in my lifetime. Wish me luck and see you back in Tokyo on the 8th!

(photo credit: Peace Boat)

Goodbye Providence, Hello Japan for now

2008-11-28T09:43:00.005+09:00

My time in Providence is coming to an end. I haven't been as active blogging or involved in local peace activities as I would have liked but my life here has seemed to have taken its own course. As my first foray into doing more commercial work, I have to say that I have enjoyed it immensely. I don't know when I turned away from looking (or if I ever considered) working in the narrative storytelling side of this industry but the four months on this job has given me a greater appreciation for the talent, artistry and care that goes into producing what some might consider "fluff."

When I haven't been jaunting off to New York on the weekends, I've been traveling to New Hampshire. Swing-state New Hampshire that chose John McCain over GW Bush in the 2000 primaries. The New Hampshire that preferred Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in 2008 primaries. My friends and I have knocked on hundreds of doors, talking to locals about a much needed change in the white house, in America and in the world. And while it was my nerves that kept me up on the night of the 3rd, it was excitement of all the possibilities that kept me up on the 4th. I cannot express with enough eloquence what I believe Obama means to history and to what we all know is possible in our hearts for a better world. I also know that while he can be a great catalyst, he cannot single-handedly change the world. Each and everyone of us, regardless of our citizenship, has a chance to participate in fulfilling our true potential. I look forward to what the next eight years bring.

So I have a few things up my sleeves as I jump on a plane back to Japan. For several of them, it's still too early to post here (and I'm very excited for when I do) but I can share that my short film Peace Begins with Me and You will be at the Artivist film festival in Tokyo, Japan on Dec 12th. Here's the event link of FB. More details to come but here's a good start:

Artivist Film Festival Tokyo ・アーティビスト映画祭 in 東京

Japanese premieres of 13 amazing short and feature films from around the world.

Friday, Dec. 12th at 7 P.M.
Saturday, Dec. 13th at 7 P.M.
Sunday, Dec. 14th All Day - 11 A.M. to 9 P.M.

12月12日（金）、19:00〜21:00
12月13日（土）、19:00〜21:00
12月14日（日）、11:00〜21:00

Detailed programming schedule to come.
プログラムはまもなく決定します。

Admission is FREE! Arrive early for good seats.

"ARTIVIST" is the only international Film Festival dedicated to raising awareness for the interdependence between Humanity, Animals, and the Environment. Since 2004, Artivist has screened more than 300 international films and has reached more than 25 Million People with its Public Relations Campaigns. Merging Art & Advocacy for Global Consciousness is our Mission. Artivist is a Charitable Organization endorsed by the UNITED NATIONS and the International NOBEL PRIZE.

「アーティビスト国際映画祭」は、人権・子供の権利・動物の権利・環境保護への社会意識を高めることを目的とした初の映画祭で、今年で5周年をむかえます。2004年より通算2500万人以上に300 本以上の映画を紹介してきました。本映画祭の使命は、地球規模の問題への社会意識を高める一方で、国際的に活躍するアーティスト兼活動家（アクティビスト）＝「アーティビスト」達の声を高めることです。アーティビストは、国連とノーベル平和賞からも支持を得る非営利団体です。

This year's films making Japanese premieres include:

One Water
They Turned Our Desert Into Water
Zeitgeist Addendum
Stolen Childhoods
Tibet: Beyond Fear
& many more

Map: http://tokio.cervantes.es/es/donde_esta_instituto_cervantes.htm

アクセス： http://tokio.cervantes.es/jp/microsite/mapa.htm

Poem by Hafiz

2008-10-02T22:39:00.003+09:00

My mother recently forwarded me this poem by Hafiz. I feel this poem encapsulates what I feel is true for my own life.

I have come into this world to see this:
the sword drop from men's hands even at the height
of their arc of anger
because we have finally realized there is just one flesh to wound
and it is His - the Christ's, our
Beloved's.

I have come into this world to see this: all creatures hold hands as
we pass through this miraculous existence we share on the way
to even a greater being of soul,
a being of just ecstatic light, forever entwined and at play
with Him.

I have come into this world to hear this:
every song the earth has sung since it was conceived in
the Divine's womb and began spinning from
His wish,

every song by wing and fin and hoof,
every song by hill and field and tree and woman and child,
every song of stream and rock,

every song of tool and lyre and flute,
every song of gold and emerald
and fire,

every song the heart should cry with magnificent dignity
to know itself as
God:
for all other knowledge will leave us again in want and aching -
only imbibing the glorious Sun
will complete us.

I have come into this world to experience this:
men so true to love
they would rather die before speaking
an unkind
word,
men so true their lives are His covenant -
the promise of
hope.

I have come into this world to see this:
the sword drop from men's hands
even at the height of
their arc of
rage
because we have finally realized
there is just one flesh
we can wound.

--Hafiz

NYC: Barefoot Workshop Event on Sun 28th.

2008-09-24T04:10:00.004+09:00

Back when I was exploring different organizations to write my thesis on, I came across Barefoot Workshops which trains video production skills to youth and women in developing countries. This upcoming Sunday, the 28th, BW will be holding a seminar at B & H.

I'm going do my best to make and hopefully will be writing a follow report. love, M

Details:

Sunday, September 28, 2008

B & H Photo

34th & 9th Ave
Media Empowerment & The Developing World Presented by Barefoot Workshops
Speaker: Chandler Griffin
Event Type: Video
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Barefoot Workshops is a New York City and Los Angeles based not-for-profit, founded by Chandler Griffin in 2004, that offers short, intensive workshops around the world in narrative and documentary filmmaking. In this two-hour session, Chandler Griffin will provide an overview of Barefoot’s role in using media in the developing world to help Civil Society Organizations, Non-Governmental & Governmental Organizations, and individuals make change where it is needed the most. Chandler will discuss the media tools and formats used on the ground, how to conceptualize a workshop and ways to get involved. The goal of this session is to demystify the “how can I do this?” and give individuals a chance to learn how Barefoot Workshops does it, ask all the questions and get involved. You will learn that through Barefoot’s international workshops, they offer field placements for international students to assist organizations on the ground with media projects that help them to address challenges in their communities. These “hybrid” workshops result in dynamic learning environments, and open the way for international students to gain valuable field experience, and to learn about issues firsthand. If you are interested in discovering how you can change the world through the power of digital media, come find out how Barefoot can train anyone from vastly different backgrounds and skill levels, how to blend the technical and artistic aspects of storytelling, beginning with the basics of image-making all the way through to post-production to create a “symphony” of images and sound. Barefoot Workshops hopes that by sharing “how they do it”, they will mobilize individuals to get involved and help make a difference with media.

Waterfire and the Providence SDS

2008-08-26T02:09:00.006+09:00

Last Saturday on the way home from watching Iron Man at the $2 theater, we drove through Providence's acclaimed summer weekend activity: Waterfire.
Waterfire, created by Barnaby Evans, lines Providence's rivers with bonfire sculptures that are lit as a symbol of its renaissance. Held every other weekend, the event brings out tourists and locals alike to enjoy a summer evening downtown.
While we were walking through the city streets looking for somewhere to eat, we met with 20 or so people dancing in the middle of Kennedy Plaza. From a distance, it looked as if a impromptu rave was taking place, but on second glance they were dancing to a homemade speaker sitting in a shopping cart while holding up protest signs. A dancer approached me and handed me a flyer: "Tonight's Waterfire is brought to you by Textron:Your neighborhood Cluster Bomb Manufacturer." It turns out, Textron's headquarters are located a block away from Kennedy Plaza.
The dancers were from the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) which has been active in the Providence area since the summer of 2007. Sadly, my phone ran out batteries so I wasn't able to get a picture of them but it surely warmed my heart to see a youth peace movement in action. Having just come from seeing Iron Man, where a pre-transformed Tony Stark naively believes his multi-billion dollar weapons manufacturing company only equips the "good guys," the "Funk the War" dance protest very clearly brought home that weapons manufacturing is not just an issue for the big screen but an every-day reality for even the people of Providence.

photo credit: hlkljgk

I'm boycotting Victory Day

2008-08-12T00:18:00.003+09:00

Today is Victory Day in the state of Rhode Island. It is a state holiday and many Rhode Islanders have the day off. Why you may ask? to celebrate their victory over Japan 63 years ago. I just learned about this holiday a week ago and I'm none too please to hear that RI is the only state left in the US that celebrates this day. The last state to remove this holiday was Arkansas back in 1975. For as liberal a state as RI supposedly is, any attempts to remove this holiday has been met with strong reactions from WWII veterans. Even attempts to change the name to World Peace Day (which I would still have a huge problem with), Remembrance Day( much better) or RI Veterans Day have been met with opposition.
While I know that August 15th is a controversial date for many around the world, choosing to celebrate it as a victory over another country is what I have a problem with. Korea commemorates this day as their liberation day- this is understandable to me. People have a right to celebrate their liberation, their freedom from oppression. However, to glorify the defeat of another country, especially to glorify a day that came just a few days after one of the greatest crime against humanity- the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki-- must be questioned.
Of course, the average Rhode Islander most likely is just enjoying the day off from work and doesn't think twice about the meaning behind the day. Well, at least its cold and gloomy today, so people can't enjoy it that much. Hrmph!

Peace happs in Providence

2008-08-06T06:33:00.003+09:00

(photo: jk5854)

What can I say? I'm a event junkie. A peace event junkie that's for sure. I've in Providence for all of a week and half and I have already found events to attend and communities to participate in.

First off tomorrow, Wednesday August 6th, is a forum on Iran put on by the Rhode Island Mobilization Committee to Stop War and Occupation (no website available). The event will feature Dr. Jo-Anne Hart, Dr. Kaveh Afrasibi and Abas Maliki to discuss not only the history and politics of the region but the possible consequences of any attack on Iran. To find out more about this event click here.

The Global Media Project at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies- this initiative was started to explore the significance of media on international issues. They offer a class called "Global Media in War and Peace: History, Theory and Production". And it's not all academic, they also produce "documentary media for human rights, cultural understanding, sustainable development, and global security."No mention yet on their website as to when the class is in the Fall. Wonder if I can snag a guest lecture spot like I did at Temple University last month...

Okay that's all for now. xoxo

July: Personal Update

2008-07-25T10:10:00.000+09:00

Oh what a month July has been. I remember graduating from undergrad some six years ago, ready to start working in the real world and living the grown-up life. It took me a whole two months that summer before I landed a job. In hind-sight, two months seems like such an insignificant amount of time in waiting to start one's career, but I remember those two months to be excruciatingly painful from my 22year-old perspective.
Now here I am, graduated from graduate school, and I have arrived in that same space of uncertainty. Luckily, as it's my second time around, I'm a little less panicked, a little more trusting that my experiences and polished skills have only made me more employable and that it is just a matter of time. Yet every now and then, a goblin called impatience climbs on my back and annoys the hell out of me. I swat him off, and he disappears for a few days or even a week at time and I enjoy the present moment. However, recently he has been making more frequent calls.

So many things have fallen away and come to be in the past months since I turned in my thesis. The Power of Peace forum to be held at the University of Waterloo has been canceled. My proposal to make a film about the Rotary Peace Fellow's Applied Field Experience this summer was dropped. While obviously, this is something to be sad about, I'm taking things in stride and trusting that there is something more waiting for me.
I have been keeping myself busy. One aspect of my career that I really want to grow is to start a production company that produces videos for non-profit and non-governmental orgs. I am in the process of building a website for this, but I fret a lot over what exactly I want to say. I know this won't be a money making business, but I see it as a much needed service. How can I use my video skills to help organizations make a difference, communicate better, create awareness, promote their cause? by producing videos for them.
So for the past month I have been making two videos. One for the Institute of Culture Affairs Japan and their upcoming conference in November. The other project is for my friend Emilie and her org Parties 4 Peace. While there's still work to do on the video, here's the first cut of what I have assembled.

Now on to my next step. I have been offered a four month gig on a national cable tv drama in the US starting next week. Yes, nothing to do with peace or documentaries but it is something to get my started back into the industry. It's also paying! After the past two years of what seems like a million volunteer jobs, it will be nice to see the dollar amount in my bank account increase instead of its opposite.
But most importantly this is what I have learnt over the past two years: that there is yet so much I have to learn. If I really want to make a difference, if I really want my media to have an impact, create awareness, and reach as many people as possible then I have a lot of work to do. I have for the past several years focused on improving my production value- working as a one woman production team. Each production, I feel I have produced better and better videos, learning from my mistakes and pushing my boundaries. However, production is only half of the equation of using media for impact. Without distribution, without connections, if the video is only seen by a few hundred or thousands of people (and most likely many of those who are already in the "choir") I have not done enough, I have not really been of service. There is so much professional experience and contacts that I need to make in the industry. So much groundwork to lay down, but I know that I am capable of doing it. I also am more committed than ever.
Some how over the years I have turned my nose up at mainstream media (maybe this was a result of not getting hired at a major network straight out of college.) I realize now that this is foolish. These issues, these causes, these solutions must reach level of mainstream media to have the impact, that's at least what I want to see happen. And so here begins the next leg of my journey: straddling the path between the alternative issues and mainstream outlets. I don't know exactly what it will look like, but don't worry, I won't get lost.

DOP's first republican co-sponsor

2008-07-17T08:21:00.006+09:00

The Department of Peace campaign- which got me started on my peace a career- has just had a major success!

Maryland's Congressional District 1 succeed in getting the support of Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, a Republican cosponsor! This is huge for the DOP campaign!

Since beginning in 2003, the DOP has had growing support from congress members in the house as well as supportive voices in the senate, but to date all of them have been democrats.

Having been involved in this campaign since its inception, one argument I've often heard is that unless we have a republican cosponsor this bill HR 808 ain't going no where. So, congrats to all the volunteers and staff of the Peace Alliance for making this happen.

This is the first step to many more republican cosponsors!

To read more click here.

Freeze to prevent a war?

2008-07-10T12:07:00.005+09:00

By now many of us have seen the Grand Central Freeze put on by Improv Everywhere in New York City. If you haven't yet check the video below:

We have even gotten around to doing a freeze in Tokyo:

So now United for Peace and Justice, a New York based peace organization, is taking this same tactic to say no to a potential war with Iran. One of my favorite things about protests and demonstrations is the creative expressions people come up with to get their messages across. If the traditional march no longer has the impact that it once did, alternative thought-provoking and visually-grabbing approaches must be explored.

I'm thoroughly curious to see how this Freeze will go over and if other any other remarks other than the t-shirts will state their message against the war. Looking forward to seeing the video.

If you are in New York and want to participate here are the details:

FREEZE in Grand Central Terminal

Calling for No War on Iran

FREEZE THE THREAT OF WAR ON IRAN!
THURSDAY, JULY 10
MEET AT LEXINGTON AND 42ND ST. AT 5:00
ACTION STARTS AT 5:30

150 people have signed up so far! We would love to bring that up to at least 200! Let us know you are coming (or you can also just show up).

Join us to say "No Attack on Iraq!" The American public needs to know that there are many voices calling for real diplomacy and negotiations with Iran. Former Ambassador to the UN, Thomas Pickering, among others, supports talks with Iran without preconditions. We also need to put a human face on the people of Iran - teachers, school children, mothers, doctors, farmers, engineers, artists. These are the people of Iran whose lives would be at risk if the U.S. or Israel attacks Iran.

We will have "Peace with Iran" t-shirts for $15 and signs that you can pin to your shirts. At 5:30, we will enter the terminal, mill about and then all freeze at 5:40 for 5 minutes. We march, we lobby, we call our congresspeople, we vigil, we commit acts of civil disobedience. This is another creative, simple, visual action that will get the message out to thousands of commuters. We hope you can join us.

PBWMY accepted to the International Museum of Women

2008-07-02T08:02:00.007+09:00

Yay! just got the news this morning. My short film, which I have endlessly plugged on this blog, Peace Begins with Me and You is now part of the International Museum of Womens' July exhibit which ties Religion, Spirituality and Politics together. Have a take a look at my film here. The exhibit provides a platform for conversation to talk about important world issues, so check my film out, check out other films/art and leave comments!

I particularly like my highlighted quote: "Practicing Buddhism and Hinduism, I discovered that meditation and mindfulness are the seeds of inner-peace. Grounded in my spirituality, I started volunteering, holding my elected officials accountable and raising my voice in protest. I have come to believe that women, empowered and supported by their spirituality, can bring about remarkable change."

This is what they wrote about me in their summary of the exhibit:
"Japanese-American peace activist Megumi Nishikura began a spiritual journey that led her to the path of political action. Her short film, Peace Begins with Me and You combines documentary, animation and personal narrative into a message to all women."

Wow, better than I could ever say it!

New York: 2008 HMF International Film/Media Festival & Conference

2008-06-18T10:23:00.003+09:00

Hey looks like a great conference and festival that I full intend on attending and presenting at!
2008 HMF International Film/Media Festival & Conference

10 to 14 December 2008
New York City, United States

SNAPSHOT:

The 2008 Festival & Conference will act as a conduit through
which media (web, print, television, and photojournalism),
narrative and documentary film, NGO's, and international policy
may meet to discuss issues of humanitarian importance.

The deadline for abstracts/proposals is 01 August 2008.

________

Call for Papers for the 2008 HMF International Film/Media
Festival & Conference

The 2008 HMF International Film/Media Conference will be
taking place concurrently with the 2008 HMF International Film
Festival and the associated 2008 HMF International Art/Photo
Exhibition.

The 2008 HMF International Film/Media Conference will be an
integral part of the overall Festival & Conference, and will
include Panels, Conference Papers, Debates, and Discussions
relevant to the Media's Role in issues of international
humanitarian importance.

Issues which the Conference will cover:

1) The media's role in humanitarian histories, events, issues and
crises – past and present - in the context of examples of such
coverage, including as a lesson for what should – or in certain
select cases - should not be done;

2) The role that the media has played and perhaps should play in
the work of the UN, NGO's and other agencies who help to
support populations in need and are affected by certain issues
or crises;

3) The future role of the media with the advent of new
technologies, the possibilities inherent in the web, among other
means of information and media dissemination, and how these
new possibilities can be utilized by those seeking to bring
further attention to the public sphere regarding issues of
humanitarian importance;

4) The role of the artistic media (film, art, photogrpahy, music)
in revealing the nuances of issues of humanitarian importance
and the significance of "celebrity" involvement in such media
and issues of humanitarian importance;

5) The role of print, television, web, and photojournalism and its
importance in the humanitarian sphere – including issues of the
bias of coverage, the preeminence or lack of coverage, the role
journalists do or should play, and the responsibilities of
journalism in humanitarian crises even despite the profit motive
of for-profit corporate parents, such as in the United States, of
news agencies, networks, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Other subjects are welcome, provided they merge the idea of
the media—in any form—and issues and subject matter of
humanitarian importance.

SPECIAL SECTION:

A special section, which also may be chosen, will be called
"Never Again" : The Media's Role in Past, Present, and Future
Humanitarian Crises with a Focus on Genocide. This will also
take place concurrently with a focused Sidebar series during the
Film Festival portion of the 2008 HMF International Festival &
Conference.

For further information, please contact us at
pr@humanitarianmedia.org.

SUBMISSIONS FOR PRESENTATION CONSIDERATION

Abstract Deadline: August 1, 2008;
Submit to
conferencepaper@humanitarianmedia.org.

Submit a 200-word abstract. Early submissions are greatly
appreciated. All submissions must be in Acrobat PDF format.

Please include the following information on the first page of the
document:

1. Name(s) of author(s)
2. Address / Phone number
3. E-mail address
4. Institution or Organization
5. Title of Abstract/Paper

By submitting an abstract, and subsequently a paper for the
Conference, you are agreeing that all submitted ideas and work
are your own, and materials which may be used, if not in the
public domain or are under permissable purpose allowances,
shall have all necessary clearances provided to the HMF prior to
the Paper being presented.

The HMF may disqualify any paper from presentation or
publication for any reason, at its sole descretion. At no time will
the HMF be held liable for any difficulties presented by the
authorship, subject(s), and presentation of the Paper at the
Conference.

The author(s), by virtue of submitting his/her abstract(s) and
paper(s), agree that he/she will be solely responsible for the
content of such abstract(s) and paper(s), the substance involved,
and all necessary references necessary for the content
submitted.

You will receive an email containing an acceptance or rejection
letter by August 31, 2008. The letter will contain a submission
number that you should include in all further correspondences.
Directions will be provided for submitting your paper to the
conference proceedings and for award consideration along with
your acceptance letter.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE:

The HMF provides the academic community with an opportunity
to share their research, ideas, and discuss administrative issues.
it also offers a great opportunity for networking and placement.

- To publish an abstract of your paper in our refereed
conference proceedings online (via
http://www.humanitarianmedia.org and associated HMF
websites);

- To present your research at an international conference;

- To receive feedback on your research;

- To compete for the Conference Award;

- To have your paper considered for publication in a peer
reviewed journal, or in book form, with all presented papers
being eligible for publication in a book of conference papers via
the Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF) and its partner
publishing house;

- To network with potential employers and employees.

SHARE THIS
CALL

We would warmly welcome you sharing this Call for Papers, and
otherwise the Call for Entries in film (beginning June 25, 2008),
or the Call for Entries in Art/Photography (began May 25, 2008)
with your colleagues.

Further information on each may be found at
http://www.humanitarianmedia.org.

To subscribe to our mailing list, please send an email to
pr@humanitarianmedia.org with “Subscribe” in the subject
header, or sign up via the form on the HMF home page.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

- Call for Papers begins June 16, 2008
- Deadline for Abstracts: August 1, 2008
- Deadline for Accepted Papers, with any A/V requirements:
November 1, 2008
- Deadline for all Conference sign-ups: December 1, 2008
- Event dates December 10-14, 2008


CONFERENCE FEES:

Deadline: December 1, 2008 Conference registration is US$420
(early registration is $350) with the
authors of accepted papers
not being required to submit a fee. The registration fee for full-
time students is $295 (documentation of full-time student
status is required, sent via .pdf to pr@humanitarianmedia.org).

Conference fees may be paid via secured server via this link:

http://2008hmfconference.eventbrite.com/

Summer plans 2008

2008-06-02T10:00:00.000+09:00

Is it possible? Have I completed a 100 page thesis on media and peace? Have I defended my thesis in front a panel of professors? Am I graduating with an MA in peace and conflict studies at the end of June? Is my Rotary World Peace Fellowship coming to an end?

What's next, what's on the horizon, what are you plans? you ask.

Here are some concrete and not so concrete plans for the summer of 2008:

June 7th- Annual Seminar
Each year at the beginning of June, the graduating class of Rotary World Peace Fellows at ICU presents their research over the past two years to the Rotarians. What's exciting about this is 1) for many moons we fellows have all respectively locked ourselves to our computers and have not seen the light of day, so it will be nice to all be together again. 2) While all of us are in the business of peace our interests are far and wide, so I am looking forward to hearing the details of our various research.

June 25- Refusenik, the documentary film I worked on while living in LA, will be making its Japan premier at Refugee Film Festival. I will be speaking at the Q & A after the screening.

June 30th- graduation. I didn't go to my undergraduate and I'm not so keen on making it to my graduate graduation... I don't know why I get so anti- about these sorts of things... My mom still feels guilty about not going to my undergrad, so I may be posting photos from it a month from now.

Month of July- It is still unconfirmed but I am tentatively shooting footage for Rotary International over the summer. The footage will show Rotary World Peace Fellows in action in Geneva, Israel and East Timor. If this happens, this will be an exciting opportunity to further challenge myself as a filmmaker. I never really thought of myself as a camera woman before last year, but I am quickly falling in love with trying to capture the best image possible. Last year, Rotary sent me to Cambodia to film the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Field Study Trip to Cambodia.

August- I intend on attending the Power of Peace Network forum at the University of Waterloo this summer. I blogged about it here.

Regardless if the two last points happen, this summer I plan to keep myself busy by working on my reel, build a website through drupal, and making a short documentary on Article 9. Then by the fall I will most likely be moving back to the US. While looking for work, I hope to volunteer for the democratic national campaign.

June 25: Refusenik at the Refugee Film Festival

2008-05-29T07:04:00.007+09:00

The schedule for the Refugee Film festival has been announced! The documentary film that I worked on Refusenik will be screened on the 25th of June at the Instituto Cervantes de Tokio at 7:30 pm. I will be speaking in the Q&A after the screening, so please come and support me and this amazing documentary about a people's movement that spanned thirty years to bring freedom to the Soviet Jews. Also let me not forget to mention this screening and all other films as part of the Refugee Film fest is absolutely FREE!

Just to represent this information in easily retainable way:

What: Refusenik
When: Wed, June 25, 2008 at 19:30
How much: FREE!!!
Where: Instituto Cervantes de Tokio
2-9, Rokubancho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0085
Phone: 03 5210-1800
Directions: Nearest Station: Koujimachi Station. Subway Yurakcho Line
(3 minutes walk from Exit B5 towards Ichigaya)
Other stations: Ichigaya Station. JR Sobu Line, Subway Yurakcho Line, Namboku Line, Shinjuku Line (6 minute walk) Yotsuya Station. JR Chuo Line, JR Sobu Line, Subway Namboku Line, Shinjuku Line (7 minute walk)

There are also some other great films that I am really keen on seeing such as War/Dance, New Year Baby, NKBA Palestine 1984 and many others, so check out the schedule below.

Also, since this entire film festival is a free and open to the public, there will be a fundraiser pre-party at Seco Lounge on the 18th of June.
Refugee Film festival PreParty

Date: June 18th [Wed]

Time: 7pm to 11pm

Place: Seco Lounge, 03-6418-8141
http://www.secobar.jp/cat13/

Price: ¥1500 [does not include drink]

Live: Chaos Theory
Superfunktion
Rhythm Droid
West African performers to be announced

Painting: Amadou Tounkara (Senegal)

Visuals: M.M.M

Come, come, come!! xox

Thesis Summary: How new media contributes to peacebuilding

2008-05-26T10:53:00.005+09:00

For those of you who have expressed an interest in reading my thesis, instead of making you suffer through 111 pages, I suggest reading this summary:

New Media Technology: The Next Platform in Peacebuildling Dialgoue

ニュ－メディア・テクノロジー：平和構築における次の対話のプラットフォーム

Nishikura, Megumi
西倉めぐみ

In today's modern industrialized world, it is nearly impossible for one to go through the day with out watching television, hearing the radio, or getting an email with latest viral video attached from a friend. Media is pervasive; people today live in a society where they are plugged and receiving information seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. With the development of global news media giants such as CNN over the last twenty years, news reports are up to the minute and can be delivered to your latest mobile device. Since the development of the Internet, more and more people are tuning to it for their sources of information. With the click of a button one has thousands of sources of information on the same topic. The Internet also allows anyone to participate in public discourse on issues and influence policies and political decisions.

Media is ultimately a tool that conveys information. It can be used both for good and for ill. It can fan the flames of the conflict or aid in conflict prevention and resolution. Radio transmitters and television stations have been used to induce conflict. The most famous example of this is the “Hate Radio” in Rwanda in 1994. Radio Mille Collines ignited the Rwanda Genocide- nearly a million people were killed in the span of 100 days. However, media has been used to bring people together instead of dividing them. In the 1980's a new form of communication emerged. It brought people together from across the globe and allowed them to exchange their feelings, concerns and thoughts. This technology was the satellite television exchange called Spacebridges. During the height of the Cold War, Spacebridges brought everyday Americans and Soviets together, bypassing their heads of state, to have a conversation with the "other" side.

Today's technology, the Internet and the increasingly ease of posting videos on-line is allowing for a new break through in communication. The social networking aspect of web 2.0 is allowing more people to interact and dialogue with each other than ever before. Add peacebuilding media that addresses some of humanity's most pressing global issues, and people gain knowledge, begin to question and dialogue—the basis of any significant social change. The growth of Internet has also allowed for alternative media to contribute and increase the diversity and perspectives of information.

Media for conflict resolution and peacebuilding is a relatively new field. Much of the research that has been done thus far has focused on media democracy, information communication technology, peace journalism, and peace-building media in developing nations. The focus of my thesis is a case study on a media organization that is taking advantage of this new media technology to dialogue between people from opposite sides of a conflict.

Chat the Planet, a New York based media organization, has being using media as tool to bring young people from around the world together. The programs Chat the Planet produces connects young people to talk about “everything from politics, prejudices and war to sex, music and life in general” (Chattheplanet.com, 2008). Since its beginning in 2002, Chat has evolved along with new media technology to provide the latest cutting-edge way of communication and dialogue between youth beyond the borders of nations, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. Using satellite and ISDN video link-up technology, Chat the Planet connected groups of young people in studio settings from opposite sides of the world to have conversations with each other.

Their latest project, Hometown Baghdad is a documentary web-series which follows the lives of three 20-some-year-old Iraqis, capturing their every day lives intimately as they live under the US occupation in Baghdad, Iraq. Originally, Chat the Planet aimed to have the Hometown Baghdad air as a television program and approached the major networks for funding and distribution. However, they were turned down time and time again. The networks reasoned that the American public was over-saturated with news from Iraq and that audiences would find the show boring. With limited budget and time constraints, Chat the Planet began uploading the documentary videos to YouTube on the fourth anniversary of the War on Iraq.

Hometown Baghdad succeeded in building bridges between youth of the opposite sides of the US- Iraq war by providing a virtual space where they could dialogue, debate and build friendships with each other. Chat the Planet choose upper-middle class English speaking non-devout Muslims to resonate with US viewers. The participants selected for Hometown Baghdad were Adel, an aspiring rock star, Ausama, a 20 year old medical student, and Saif, a 23 year old recent college graduate in dentistry. The stories of these three young men were told through webisodes-short vignettes of about two to three minutes.

Chat the Planet's objectives for Hometown Baghdad were to: Humanize the people of Iraq for a global young adult audience ages 18-34, thereby changing attitudes and stereotypes of negativity and fear; educate through storytelling of what young people are all about in Iraq; demonstrate through storytelling that we all have far more in common than different; leverage media and technology to foster dialogue amongst young adults around the world, showcasing the topic of everyday life in a war zone. The videos were uploaded three times a week to Youtube.com and various other video-sharing sites. Chat discovered that by creating weekly compelling video content they were able to build a dedicated viewership. The video-sharing websites provided a count the number of views. The comments function of Youtube allowed the audience to give feedback on the content of the show and provided qualitative data of the show's impact. The results show that the Hometown Baghdad videos have been viewed about 3 Million times and hundreds of comments left on the Hometown Baghdad blog and various websites.

Through the 38 episodes, Hometown Baghdad addressed hard topics such as US troops, safety and security, and democracy and liberation. The day to day challenges such as lack of electricity, garbage disposal, and transportation were also shown. Chat the Planet, knowing how to best reach young people, also covered issues such as dating, student life, and smoking shisha. The two to three minute length of each webisode played a key role in getting viewers to leave comments and participate in dialogue with the cast as viewers are more likely to leave comments after watching a two to three minute video than getting bored watching a longer video and moving on to something else.

Through analyzing the comments left on hometownbaghdad.com, I found that Chat the Planet was able to reach its objectives. It generated conversations in the mainstream media as well as in the blogosphere. Viewers began to dialogue with each other on the blog by writing comments and asking questions. The three cast members, Adel, Ausama and Saif and other Iraqi participants responded to their inquiries. As a result, friendships, new understanding, and changes in attitudes occurred. The success Chat the Planet received both quantitatively and qualitatively resulted in television networks knocking on their door. After distributing their content online for free, they successfully sold a one-hour version of Hometown Baghdad to the Sundance Channel and National Geographic Channel. Hometown Baghdad has also recently won three Webby Awards- the Academy Awards equivalent of the Internet awards. Chat is planning to continue this dialogue and distribution model in upcoming productions of Hometown Tehran and Hometown Jerusalem.

So how does new media technology contribute to peacebuilding? Through the tools of new media- blogging, streaming-video, and social networking- people are connecting around common interests regardless of geographic location. When applied to the context of people from opposite sides of conflict, several things occur. First, alternative perspective and new information unavailable in mainstream media is presented. Second, previously held stereotypes are broken down and the parties are humanized. Thirdly, transformation in attitudes can occur. Fourthly, in some cases apologies and condolences are offered- a vital step in reconciliation of conflict. And finally, through ongoing conversations between the two sides friendships are formed.

New media does not offer a panacea to conflict. Once again it is merely a tool that can be use for good or for ill. It also is not with out its limitations- this particular case can not replace face to face mediated dialogue between two parties and is only beneficiary to those who speak English and have a fast internet connection. However, it is incredibly encouraging to see the potential that it holds. It is my hope that Hometown Baghdad will serve as model for future opportunities to connect people around the world in the name of peace.

Tokyo: Support the victims of Cyclon Nargis

2008-05-20T22:08:00.006+09:00

Two huge natural disasters have rocked our planet earth over the past couple of weeks. With death tolls in the tens to hundreds of thousands, it's easy to feel either overwhelmed and helpless or completely unaffected by something so far away. However, theres is something that we can all do to help. In particular for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma, this weekend in Tokyo, Parties 4 Peace is partnering with Sounds of Sunday Party and organizing an organic vegetarian BBQ this Sunday, May 25th.

The funds raised will go to support Save the Children www.savethechildren.org
Save the Children currently operates programs in all five of the most-affected regions and has worked in Myanmar (Burma) since 1995. As one of the largest nongovernmental organizations at work in Burma, the agency implements programs focused on early childhood care and development, child survival and child protection.

"Our staff in Burma are doing lifesaving work, but we could reach more children and families if we had the supplies that they so desperately need. Indeed, if aid continues to be restricted, the condition for thousands of children will rapidly deteriorate. Alarmingly, food prices have already risen, which means that hunger might become a problem for some families. Public health conditions could also get worse as people live close together in shelters and water supplies remain limited. Without immediate and wide-scale assistance, the situation for children looks likely to get worse before it improves."

今週の日曜日「SOUNDS on SUNDAYS」　＆　パーティーフォーピースKitchen

P4P - Parties 4 Peace & S.O.S
Presents: S.O.S. - Sounds On Sunday

5.25 [SUNDAY]
@ Oath in Shibuya [ 4 pm - 11pm ] 1000 YEN

Techno / Minimal / Electro Beats

FEATURING DJs
Anthony Mansfield (Hector Works - San Francisco)
Groove Patrol [Two Dogs]
Radarboy (Radarpop)

Tazzy [Rhythm Odyssey]
Keisho Kikuchi [Kamui Recordings]
Jasmine Jordan [ABCDGCDB]

BBQ Provided by Alishan Foods & Second Harvest
*all Organic and Vegetarian Foods*
http://www.alishan-organic-center.com
http://www.2hj.org

ACCESS:
Oath in Aoyama
MAP: http://www.aoyama-oath.com/map.html

Come and enjoy some yummy veggie kabob.

(Photo courtesy of Parties 4 Peace)

Report from the Global Article 9 conference!

2008-05-15T18:51:00.003+09:00

The Global Article 9 Conference was held at Makuhari Messe (just outside of Tokyo) on May 4-6th. Over 10,000 people turned up for the opening ceremony. 1100 people from Hiroshima, 2500 from Sendai, and 8000 people from Osaka participated in the event locally in their respective cities. There were also 150 people from 40 countries in attendance. In total, there were 30,000 participants over the three days! On the opening day, the main event hall reached its capacity while a line stretched out the door and people had to be turned away. What an amazing turn out. In my peace activism career I have been to many workshops and conferences before but this event by far blew the rest out of the water. WTG Peace Boat!

I unfortunately could not stay for the entire three-day event due to the impending thesis deadline of May 15th. I did try to get some footage of the opening remarks and various workshops which I hope to use in a film I'm planning to make this summer. I'll be updaiting with more clips over the next couple of months now that my graduate studies are winding down.

Here's a short clip of Yoshiyoka Tatsuya, Peace Boat Director, as he opens the conference. (In Japanese) Enjoy!

To give you a quick translation (my first real attempt):

"Welcome to the Article 9 conference. It's amazing to see this many people, in fact there are still many people standing outside waiting. All these people coming here for the Article 9 Conference... this is a truly historic event at this moment in time. As the co-chair for the Global Article 9 conference and of Peace Boat, I am here to give opening remarks. First though I want to respond to that, even at this time, there are many people because of war, conflict, disaster, sickness who are losing their lives. I believe that there are huge numbers of people from World War II and the conflicts before that were lost and as a result, from the desires of not just Japanese people but the victims of all of Asia--from these wars and colonization--that Article 9 was born.

I have met many people from around the world and have spoken to them about Article 9. And every time I speak about the spirit of Article 9, that it will really abolish war, that it will really abolish military... that spirit is in fact a desire of most people in the world. They deeply feel for it and desire it. Particularly, the people who have been affected by conflict like the Palestinians, the Kosovars, Africans or those from East Timor. People around the world want to create a world without war and without military as soon as possible. They truly desire this. Those people from around the world have come to this conference today. Please welcome them..."

(please message me if I've incorrectly translated anything)

Anyways here are some links to English press coverage:

Japan Today (Kyodo): Thousands convene for int'l Article 9 conference
→ http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/thousands-convene...

AP: Thousands rally for Japan constitution
→ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080504/ap_on_re_as/japan_constitution

Japan Times: Nobel Peace Prize winner hits moves to change Article 9
→ http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080505a3.html

Pangaea Day

2008-05-11T16:23:00.010+09:00

Last night at two in the morning, fifty people gathered at the United Nations University's Media Lab to participate in Pangaea Day. Pangaea Day was a world-wide internet-streaming film event in which 24 films were shared over the course of four hours in the name of global awareness and cultural understanding. Broadcast live across the globe, Japan had the lucky fortune of receiving the internet stream at 3 am and I came fully prepared with a sleeping bag to enjoy the cinematic spectacle.

The brains behind this event, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim (producer of the documentary film Control Room) won the TED Prize of $100,000 for her idea that would change the world. The idea, Pangaea day, was a mix of films, music, and speakers who focused on our common humanity while celebrating our diversities. I particularly liked that the event started with planetary scientist Carolyn Porco, reminding us of the wonder and amazement that we as human beings have come to be on a tiny pale blue dot in the vast sea of the universe. Some of the other highlights included an Israeli mother,whose son was killed by a Palestinian sniper, read a letter of reconciliation she wrote to the sniper's mother; artist and computer scientist Jonathan Harris who created the website "We feel fine" which aggregates human emotions by scanning people's blogs and photos for how they are feeling; and former child soldier Ishmael Beah.

While it's certainly possible to call elements of the event bordering on cheesy and not one particular film stood out in my mind in being outstanding (I admit I did nap a little, so I may have missed somethings), what is incredible about this event is how many of us were able to come together to simultaneous share this movie-going experience. Thousands if not millions of people gathered in front of their computers or attended one of the major event spaces in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro.

Here we see technology as the grand facilitator of this global gathering. While using satellite television is not new, (ie. Spacebridges during the Height of the Cold War), today's streaming video capabilities brought this event into our internet-equipped private homes at an unprecedented scale. When the Laughter Yoga founder, Dr Madan Kataria asked everyone to stand and join him in laughter, all of us at the UNU media lab stood up and laughed. Can you visualize thousands of people around the world standing and laughing together at the same time? This is the power of technology. As I have witnessed over the past year through the cases of Dropping Knowledge and Hometown Baghdad, I see this event as just one more example of how technology can connects us in new and deeper ways, creating awareness of our unity as one world, and allowing us to join in conversation with one another.

It's not too late to watch the event and to continue the conversation online. Just go to Pangeaday.org .

Here's a clip of our Tokyo event:

Hometown Baghdad wins 3 Webby awards!

2008-05-07T10:41:00.003+09:00

Hey, I just found out the exciting news that Hometown Baghdad, the case study for my thesis, has just won three Webby awards! The Webbys are considered the Oscars of the Internet, so this is a huge recognition of a show that used the web as platform to create dialogue between young Iraqis and the rest of the world! HB won in the categories of Best Reality, Best News and Politics: Series and Best Public Service and Activism.

Congrats to the Chat the Planet the producers of Hometown Baghdad!

Forum: The Power of Peace Network

2008-05-06T23:05:00.001+09:00

(courtesy of http://ppn.uwaterloo.ca/index.html)

This August, from the 7th through the 9th, The Power of Peace Network will be holding an international forum at the University of Waterloo. The Power of Peace Network is about utilizing the power of media- traditional TV and radio to online digital media- to influence and support peacebuilding.

The first Power of Peace forum was held in Bali, Indonesia in January 2007. There, "Recognized thinkers and practitioners from the public and private sectors met to strategize how best to harness the power of the media and ICTs in a practical and effective way for the purpose of building awareness, dialogue, harmony, and peace." (Power of Peace Report)

The 2008 forum will focus on : "the potential of new media as a means of encouraging cultural engagement and interaction, issues of education as it fits into the digital world, where the world of digital technology is going, how universities might participate in the creation of a global peace network."

Sounds a lot like my thesis, doesn't it? (Oh by the way which is due in a week!)

I'm very keen to attend this event and I've sent in my application, so wish me luck so that I get accepted.
xox, Megumi

Interviewed by iGenius

2008-04-30T14:33:00.000+09:00

I was recently interviewed by iGenius, the social networking site for social entrepreneurs, about my peace work. Here's a snipit, to read more click here.

Editor: When did you first become interested in peace-making projects?

Megumi: I was senior at New York University when September 11th happened. Though I was not in New York City at the time, it deeply affected me. I had previously considered a career as a music video director but after 9-11, I felt I had to do all that was in my power to prevent something like that from ever happening again. However, it was not until I got involved in the anti-Iraq war movement in 2003 that I found my calling to use media as a tool for peace. Now, I am about two months away from finishing a masters in peace and conflict studies on the Rotary World Peace Fellowship.

Editor: How long have you been working with Images of Peace?

Megumi: Images of Peace will officially launch later this year but the idea for it germinated in 2005. I had just completed a short film called Peace Begins with Me and You, when I realized that from there on out I would be collecting stories or “images” of peace. I believe people are working for peace in both small and big ways every day. This is what I would like to document through Images of Peace.

Editor: What inspires you the most?

Megumi: Peace: Whenever people gather together in the name of peace I am inspired. The first anti-Iraq war protest I participated in was on February 15th, 2003. This was the Day the World Said No to War. Even in 20 F degree weather, there were half a million people on the streets of New York standing for what they believed in. It was among these people that I began to ask myself: What more can I do ?
The campaign to establish a US Department of Peace and Nonviolence and all the activists who work on it also inspire me daily. US Congressmen Dennis Kucinich inspires me.

Filmmakers: I have to say that more than any big name director, the filmmakers that I have worked with and under have been an inspiration to me. I have learnt so much about filmmaking through them and as result they have influenced my work.

Tokyo: Upcoming film festivals

2008-04-28T17:46:00.001+09:00

For the globally conscious media junkie, there are a few film festivals coming to Tokyo that you should mark down on your calender.

1. The UNHCR Refugee Film Festival- June 2008 (The website is down at the moment...)
This will be the third year that the UNHCR Refugee film festival will be held in Tokyo. Not only do they showcase great films related to refugee issues around the world, the film festival is entirely free to the public! And on top of that a documentary film I worked on in LA (and that I have blogged about recently) Refusenik has been accepted to be screened. The date of the screening is yet TBD, but I'll be sure to update you on this. So at the very least, don't miss out on this one!

2. Tokyo Peace Film Festival- July 18-20th. This year the TPFF will be screening films such ash Iraq for Sale, American vs. Jon Lennon, and
「六ヶ所村通信」Rokkashoumura Tsushin- a film about Japan's newest nuclear reprocessing plant which has been a hot contested issues among anti-nuclear activist in Japan. I had the pleasure of meeting Kamanaka Hitomi, the director of the film, when she was a guest lecturer on Peace Boat's 53rd global voyage.

3. Artivist Film Festival- November 14-16, 2008
I first came across the Artivist film festival while I was in Los Angeles. The word Artivist came from the merging of Art + Activist, and thus their mission is to "strengthen the voice of the activist artists - 'Artivists' - while raising public awareness for social global causes." This film festival showcases stories on human rights, children's advocacy, environmental preservation and animal rights. My short film Peace Begins with Me and You was screened at their 2006 film festival at the Egyptian theater in Hollywood. I am currently submitting films to the Tokyo debut of this film festival, so wish me luck!

Tokyo: Injured Soldiers Exhibit

2008-04-22T08:44:00.002+09:00

This afternoon I took the train to Ebisu to visit the "Injured Soldiers" exhibition at the MA2Gallery. Photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, usually known to photograph celebrities and porn stars, powerfully captured the images of 13 wounded Iraq veterans. This photo exhibit is part of larger documentary for HBO called Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq which examines that lives of the newest generation of veterans.
Hung on the stark white walls of the two-story MA2Gallery, the photographs were accompanied by a booklet describing the personal stories of the veterans. Most of them were in their 20s, younger than me, yet by the expressions upon their face I would have assumed they were at least in their 30s. The photographs are simple portraits with all of the subjects looking directly at the camera. Some seemed proud of their battle wounds, others have seemed to have found new meaning in their life, and others seem lost and defeated. As best put by HBO, these photographs/film "puts a face to some of the many soldiers and Marines who've come back in record numbers suffering from severe injuries and trauma, and who, in many ways, have been hidden from the public's view."

The exhibit will continue until the 30th of April. Once exiting the East exit of Ebisu station, continue straight along the main street on the map provided by the gallery (unlike me who took a 15 minute detour...) and you will eventually get there. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday form 12-7pm.

Images from Article 9 Peace Bike ride.

2008-04-20T17:59:00.024+09:00

Despite the continuous torrential down pour on the days leading up to the bike ride, April 19th turned to be a pretty mild day- good enough for bike ride from Shibuya to Yoyogi park in the name of Article 9. The bikers sang songs of peace, handed out fliers and invited passersby to join the Global Article 9 conference.
Here are some video-captured stills from the Article 9 Peace bike ride:

Getting ready for their bike ride at Shibuya station.

Levi, Rob and Taka are decorating their wheels with a custom made heiwa 9 (peace) decorations.

They begin to walk/ride through the streets of Shibuya.

Shirine and Rob pass out the Global Article 9 conference flyers to pedestrians.

Jen, Levi and Jamie bike towards the Earth Day Festival at Yoyogi Park.

Next Article 9 event is :

Salsa to the Beat of 9, April 26th

Thanks to Article 9, we CAN dance salsa in peace!

Salsa to the Beat of 9
April 26th, 7pm-11pm
Cuban Cafe, 〒104-0045　東京都中央区築地5-6 10浜離宮パークサイドプレイス１F
http://www.geocities.co.jp/cubancafe2005/
Contact: Jennifer at jteeterpeaceboat.gr.jp for more details:)

Rotary International Peace Park and Hiroshima film

2008-04-12T17:52:00.005+09:00

On April 17 and 18th, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the University of South Carolina Upstate and Rotary International will be inaugurating the Upstate Rotary International Peace Park. Kola Badejo, the senior adviser on Africa in the United Nations Global Compact Office, will be the keynote speaker at a Peace Symposium as well as two Rotary World Peace Fellow alumni Carla Fantini and Jenny Favinger. My documentary film on Hiroshima will be screened on the 18th. To find more about this event click here.

Tokyo: Countdown to the Global Article 9 Conference

2008-04-11T09:11:00.004+09:00

We are a few weeks away from the Global Article 9 conference (May 4-6). In the lead up to it, many activities are taking place in Tokyo and the surrounding areas.

On Saturday April 19th, Peace Boat is organizing a peace bike ride for Article 9. The bike ride begins at 11am at Hachiko exit at Shibuya and participants will ride to the Earth Day festivities at Yoyogi Park.

Event:	Peace Bike Ride for A9
Tagline:	"Join us for a day of cycling to support A9, the peace constitution"
Host:	Peace Boat

Time and Place
Date:	Saturday, April 19, 2008
Time:	11:00am - 2:00pm
Location:	Shibuya, Tokyo
Street:	Hachiko exit, Shibuya eki
City/Town:	Tokyo, Japan

Peace Walk for Article 9
Also, since the end of February, several hardcore peace activists have been walking from Hiroshima towards Tokyo, aiming to arrive on the first day of the conference. You can read up more about them and their Peace Walk here. I am hoping to join them at some point and film some of their activities as well, all pending on the progress of my thesis.

Refusenik film: Trailer

2008-04-09T21:28:00.003+09:00

Please click on the image below to watch the trailer for the documentary film Refusenik:

Refusenik film: Theater Release!

2008-04-04T04:45:00.003+09:00

Hello~!
I am happy to announce a documentary film that I worked on back when I was living in LA will have a theatrical release. Please go to it if you can, not only for my sake, but because it is an inspiring story of a grassroots movement that spanned 30 years and which ultimately lead to the human rights victory and freedom of 2 million Soviet Jews.
To find more about the film, visit:
http://www.refusenikmovie.com/
and forward this information on!

love,
Megumi

----------------
RELEASE DATES:

SEATTLE
April 11th, 2008
Landmark Varsity Theatre
4329 University Way N.E.
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 781-5755 http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/Seattle/VarsityTheatre.htm

SAN FRANCISCO
April 11th, 2008
Landmark Lumiere Theatre
1572 California St. at Polk
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 267-4893 http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/SanFrancisco/LumiereTheatre.htm

PORTLAND
April 18, 2008
Regal Fox Tower Stadium 10
846 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 221-3280

NEW YORK
May 9th, 2008
The Quad Cinema
34 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 255-8800
link: http://www.quadcinema.com/

LOS ANGELES
May 23, 2008
Laemmle's Music Hall
9036 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 274-6869

Tokyo: International Symposium on the Media's Role in Historical Reconciliation

2008-04-03T22:17:00.006+09:00

This Saturday, April 5th, there will be a symposium on the Media's role in Historical Reconciliation at the Goeth Institute in Akasaka, Tokyo. The details on the Goeth Institute website is in German, but I was forwarded the email in English last week. Sorry for not posting earlier.
Particularly I am interested in the second panel discussion on whether journalists can be peacemakers? This is a question that came up during my peace journalism course at Transcend University. Also, Hans-Robert Eisenhauer, the producer of the documentary Why We Fight (2005) will be in attendance. I had the pleasure of attending a screening of this film in LA with the director Eugene Jarecki present. The film is about the US military-industrial-complex and it is on my must-see list.

Details:

International Symposium

Peacemakers or Powder Monkeys – the Role of the Media in Post-WWII History Debates in Europe and Northeast Asia

Date and time: April 5, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m

Place: Goethe-Institut Japan, 7-5-56 Akasaka, Minato-ku. Tokyo 107- 0052
Co-organized by: -- Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Tokyo Office (FES)

-- International Center for the Study of Historical Reconciliation at Tokyo Keizai University (TKU)
-- Goethe-Institut Japan in Tokyo

In recent months, the long shadow of World War II seems for a time to have lifted from the map of East Asia. New leaders in China, Korea and Japan are making efforts to put a difficult past behind them. But is this the beginning of a permanent reconciliation or just a lull in an ongoing war of words? This month, a dispute over contaminated dumplings imported from China unleashed a torrent of such unrelentingly critical coverage in the Japanese media that an official visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao had to be postponed. The US Marine Corps dictionary defines a powder monkey as one who carries explosives to gun crews on a battleship. Reporters everywhere have plied their trade by stoking the fires of nationalism. But is the media also not capable of promoting peace? Japanese, Chinese, and Korean reporters have been meeting for years in attempts to confront the past. In Europe, ARTE TV funded jointly by French and German tax-payers, beams programs on public affairs and the arts, simultaneously in two languages. Might a similar multi-lingual network be established in Asia one day? Or should we pin our hopes on the Internet to forge shared perceptions of past and future?

Keynote speakers:

Hans-Robert Eisenhauer, ZDF; former deputy chief of programming ARTE

Yoshibumi Wakamiya, chief editorial writer, Asahi Shimbun;

Panelists:

Tetsuya Chikushi; host of TBS nightly news hour

Chung Ku-Chong; President, Donga.com, Seoul

William Horsley; former BBC bureau chief, Tokyo, Bonn

Yasushi Kudo; founder Genron NPO, coordinator of annual China-Japan media meetings

Park Cheol-Hee; professor, political science, Seoul National University

Program

10:00 – 10:15 Registration and Greetings

Markus WERNHARD, Head of Arts, Goethe-Institut Tokyo

Andrew HORVAT, Visiting Professor, Tokyo Keizai University

TBA Japan Representative, Friedrich Ebert Foundation

10:15 – 12:00 Roundtable: The Internet: Bridge or Barrier to Forging a Shared Vision of the Past in Northeast Asia

Dr Chung Kuchong, President, Donga.com,

Iris Georlette, Japan correspondent, Ha'aretz

12:00 – 13:00 lunch break

13:00 – 14:45 Panel 1: The Art of ARTE – Telling the Same Story to Two Audiences

Speaker: Hans-Robert Eisenhauer, ZDF; former deputy chief of programming at the joint French-German TV network ARTE; producer; “Why We Fight,” winner of prize for best documentary at Sundance Film Festival 2005

Panelists:

Tetsuya Chikushi; host, TBS nightly news hour

William Horsley; formerly BBC bureau chief, Tokyo, Bonn

14:45 – 15:15 Coffee Break

15:15 – 17:00 Panel 2: Can Journalists be Peacemakers?　

Speaker: Yoshibumi Wakamiya, chief editorial writer, the Asahi Shimbun; author of The Postwar Conservative View of Asia: How
the Political Right has Delayed Japan's Coming to Terms With its
History of Aggression in Asia

Panelists:

Yasushi Kudo; founder and head, Genron NPO

Park Cheol-Hee; professor, political science, Seoul National University

17:00 – 17:30 　 Free discussion

17:30 Buffet reception

Simultaneous English-Japanese translation available;
Admission is free but participants are kindly requested to register in advance using the reply form sent as separate attachment.

Los Angeles: A Path for Peace

2008-04-01T10:42:00.001+09:00

Much of my early peace activism began with working on the campaign to establish a cabinet level Department of Peace. Since 2003, the campaign has been pushing legislature through congress as well as building a culture of peace.

What is a culture of peace?
According to the UNESCO, a culture of peace is:
a set of values, attitudes, modes of behaviour and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations.

To me, a culture of peace is also creating a sense of appreciation for peace, where people understand the value that peace has to offer and thus want to encourage its presence.

So if you live in LA, here's a way in which you can help build a culture of peace:

On April 18, 2008, the California chapter of the DOP campaign will be organizing "A Path for Peace. " They will be building a meditative labyrinth out of sand on Hermosa Beach Pier in which they will invite you contemplate peace as you walk.
To find out more about the event or if you are interested in volunteering, visit their website.

A Path for Peace
Saturday, April 19, 2008

1:00 pm
Welcome Ceremony

1:00 – 3:00 pm
Labyrinth Walk and Peace Celebration
Everyone is welcome!

3:15 pm
Children's Labyrinth Walk

*******************

On the beach –
Just north of the Hermosa Beach Pier

New York: Satyagraha Walk

2008-03-28T17:24:00.001+09:00

So in attempt to be more active on my blog, I hope to be writing regularly on stories and events related peace, media, technology, human rights, Japan, New York and any where else in the world.

I came across this today through one of my email list serves and once again wished I was in New York to participate.

The Satya Graha Forum is organizing the Be the Change Walk which starts at four different points through out Manhattan and converges at Union Square, where unbeknownst to many stands a statue of Gandhi. This is the kick off event for Metropolitan Opera's presentation of Philip Glass's (composer) Satayagraha at Lincoln Center. Glass, journalist Gustav Neibuhr and Vishakha N. Desai will discuss Gandhi's legacy at an event on April 23rd.
To view the events line up for the month of April click here.

The walk starts at 1pm on April 6th from the following locations:

NORTH:	New York Public Library 5th Avenue & 42nd St.
EAST:	Sara D. Roosevelt Park E. Houston St. & Chrystie St.
SOUTH:	City Hall Park (South end) Broadway & Park Row
WEST:	Chelsea Park 9th Ave. & 27th St.

They estimate that the walk will take between 30-40 minutes. Afterwards, there will be a Flower Petal Ceremony to commemorate Gandhi's life.

Colloquia Series at Columbia University

2008-03-27T20:19:00.003+09:00

Oh, I so wish I could attend this event in New York, since it is very applicable to my thesis. Hopefully, I'll be giving presentations such as these one day.
My film March 22 was included in Deep Dish TV's compilation Shocking and Awful which was exhibited at the Whitney Museum as part of the 2006 Whitney Biannual.

The Peace Education Center
Teachers College, Columbia University
Colloquia Series Spring 2008
21st Century Peace Education:
Discourses, Dilemmas, Practices

“Bullets into Blogs,

Swords into Power Points:

Old & New Media in the Quests for Peace”

Dr. Dee Dee Halleck

Co-Founder of Paper Tiger Television and the Deep Dish Satellite Network

Professor Emeritus, Department of Communication, University of San Diego

Thursday, March 27. 7-9pm Location: Room 363 GDH

(Teachers College, Columbia University – 525 West 120^th Street)

* Free and Open to the Public *

DVD Showing: World Tribunal on Iraq

Upcoming 21^st Century Peace Education events at www.tc.edu/PeaceEd

Applying for grants and fellowships

2008-03-15T05:21:00.008+09:00

Hello~! I am back in Tokyo and have been working diligently on my thesis. I feel very positive about the progress that I am making and believe that the less than two months I have left will prove to be a smooth experience. Otherwise, I am also in the process of applying for grants and fellowships.

It is my belief that there is an abundance of money in this world- money that people put aside to do good with- and money that is channeled through the form of grants and fellowships, and money that will support me in my endeavors to use the power of media for peace, human rights and development.
Here are some of the ones that I am looking at:

International Reporting Fellowship- Due April 1, 2008- "The International Reporting Project will offer up to four IRP Fellowships to U.S. journalists to carry out a project reporting from any country in the world outside of the United States. One of these Fellowships will be the “IRP/FRONTLINE World Fellowship” for video journalists, which will offer additional support through the PBS program FRONTLINE/World and a chance for the Fellow’s story to appear on that program’s web site and broadcast."

New Media Women Entrepreneurs- Due May 1, 2008- "NMWE is a unique initiative addressing opportunity and innovation, recruitment and retention for women in journalism by spotlighting their ingenuity and entrepreneurial abilities. Pilot projects will show what can be done. Research will tell us what more to do. And an awards program and summit will showcase women’s creative ideas. NMWE is supported by the McCormick Tribune Foundation."

Media and Peace links

2008-03-06T10:11:00.011+09:00

Hi everyone,

I'm in New York and things are going superb with my thesis research. I feel that I have collected more than an adequate amount of information to write a 70 page thesis paper and I am now coming away from this feeling committed to get what I will be writing published in an academic journal. Chat the Planet and their show Hometown Baghdad has gotten quite a bit of mainstream media press and I think it's now time for them to get academic press.

I wanted to share with you some links (having to do with media, technology, journalism and peace) that I have come across in my research.

Have a great day,
Megumi

ICT4Peace - Weblog dedicated to exploring information and communication technology for peacebuilding.

ICT for Peace Foundation - A foundation which aims to enhance the performance of the international community and crisis management through the application of information communication technology.

DigiDave-a weblog about the people, the technology, the theory and practice of citizen journalism

Ugo Trade - a weblog dedicated to virtual realities in "web 2.0" that cross digital divides.

Blogflict - weblog dedicated to empowering people to share information and discuss conflicts and crises.

Global Voices - a site which aggregates, curates and amplifies the global conversations online.

Global Media - a global network of communication scholars which produces the academic Global Media Journal

Media, Conflict and and Society- links resource of various organizations and institutions in the field of communications and conflict.

Better media, less conflict - An article by the European Platform for Conflict Prevention and Transformation

Case Studies of Conflict Resolution Media- links resource

War Journalism vs. Peace Journalism

2008-02-27T00:11:00.010+09:00

I completed my Transcend Peace University's online Peace Journalism course over a month ago (see previous blog here), but I wanted to share with you my final assignment in which we had to take a form of war journalism and convert it into peace journalism.

So this assignment was to re-write an existing piece of journalism (war journalism) and transform it into Peace Journalism. Honestly, it's not the type of article that I would ever want to write again- my interests in peace are on a more human to human level and not on the geo-political level but it alas it was the completing assignment for the course. I received good feedback, so I hope it's helpful in showing the difference between traditional journalism and peace journalism.

The original article:

America pumps billions into space-age weapons

Alex Spillius in Washington
November 15, 2007

THE Pentagon is spending billions of dollars on new forms of space warfare in order to counter the growing risk of missile attack from rogue states and the anti-satellite capabilities of China.

The US Congress has allocated funds to develop futuristic weapons and intelligence systems that operate beyond the Earth's atmosphere as America looks past Iraq and Afghanistan to the wars of the future.

The most ambitious project in a $US459 billion ($516 billion) defence spending bill is the Falcon, a reusable hypersonic vehicle that could fly at six times the speed of sound and deliver nearly 5500 kilograms of bombs anywhere in the world within minutes.

The bombs' destructive power would be multiplied by the Earth's gravitational pull as they travelled at up to 25 times the speed of sound towards their target.

The cost of the vehicle has not been revealed but a spokesman for the Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency said the first test flight was scheduled for next year.

Loren Thompson, a leading military analyst in Washington, said the focus of the project was attacking "time-sensitive targets" in states such as North Korea and Iran, which have either developed nuclear weapons without international approval or are suspected of doing so.

"If we received intelligence that a strike was about to happen on South Korea, or on Israel, we would want to destroy that within minutes, and not hours. But from most current US bases that is not feasible."

In a 621-page report on the Defence Appropriations Bill, congressmen from Republican and Democratic parties said: "Enhancing these capabilities is crucial, particularly following the Chinese anti-satellite weapons demonstration last January."

In China's first successful test of an anti-satellite system, a ground-based missile fired into space shattered a weather satellite in low Earth orbit.

Telegraph, London

Now, here's my Peace Journalism version of the article:

PJ Final exercise

Megumi Nishikura

Jan 18, 2007

The Pentagon continues to spend billions of dollars on building new forms of space weaponry as a precautionary response to potential threats from countries it deems as rogue.

They are particularly concerned with the new missile capabilities of China which in January of 2007 successfully tested a direct ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon.

Congress has now approved new funding to further develop intelligence systems and weapons capabilities to ensure its security and superpower status beyond the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan. As of now the defense budget stands at $US 459 billion, a 7-percent increase over 2006 and a 48-percent increase over 2001.

The Falcon, the Pentagon’s most ambitious project, is a reusable hypersonic vehicle capable of flying six times the speed of sound and delivering 5500 kg of explosives within minutes.

The cost of the Falcon project has not yet been announced but a spokesman from the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said the first test flight was scheduled for next year.

However, one expert said the Pentagon’s continuing arms build-up could be explained in light of a fifteen-year-old strategy document, Defense Planning Guidance, drawn up by three officials who later went on to become leading lights in the so-called Project for a New American Century.

Associate Professor Jake Lynch, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney, said the note had proved highly influential in setting strategic military and foreign policies under the administration of George W Bush, with its three authors, Lewis Libby, Zalmay Khalilzad and Paul Wolfowitz, appointed to senior posts.

“Defense Planning Guidance sets America the task of preventing the emergence of a strategic rival in three key areas of the globe – Europe, the Middle East and East Asia”, Prof Lynch said. “For China to acquire the capability of weaponising space would be seen, under this doctrine, as a potential threat to US full spectrum dominance – and would demand a pre-emptive response”.

Tensions over the weaponization of space have existed between China and the US for over a decade. Tensions were particularly heightened when the US and Japan began developing a missile defense system which China views as threatening its national interests, especially over the military conflict in Taiwan.

While China has called for controls on space weaponization for some time, the US has done little in response. Now, some international analysts say that China's ASAT test is a direct challenge to the US, even though Chinese officials have assured the international community that their ASAT test was not “aimed” at anyone

Both Republican and Democratic congressmen approved the new funding as a reaction to China's ASAT tests. The 621-page Defense Appropriations Bill report states: “Enhancing these capabilities is crucial, particularly following the Chinese anti-satellite weapons demonstration last January.”

If both countries continue to increase their space weapon stockpiles, relations between may echo the Cold War strategy of Mutually Assured Destruction that existed between the US and Soviet Union .

The Center for Nuclear proliferation Studies (CNS) and other academics asses that there are many economic and technical limitations to China's program and that at this stage their ASAT tests cannot be taken seriously. They suggest that the major powers in space—the US, Russia and the EU—can take the "initiative and push for a moratorium on the development and testing of anti-satellite weaponry."

Joan Johnson-Freese, the Department Chair of National Security Studies, suggests that a renewed approach to strategic communication is necessary to enhance mutual understanding and address the issues that exists between the two nations.

Communication strategies between the US and China should be “ aimed to understand global attitudes and cultures, engage in a dialogue of ideas between people and institutions, advise policymakers, diplomats, and military leaders on the public opinion implications of policy choices, and influence attitudes and behavior through communications strategies,” as stated by the 2004 report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Strategic Communications.

It is very likely that the US cannot sustain its sole dominance over the weaponization of space, instead the two nation must build trust through dialogue to tackle the issues which is in the best interest of both nations.

Film: Rotary Peace & Conflict Studies Field Study Trip to Cambodia

2008-02-20T13:21:00.005+09:00

Here is the completed version of the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Field Study Trip to Cambodia 2007 video.

Rotary Peace & Conflict Studies Field Study Trip to Cambodia
Uploaded by imagesofpeace

I'm very happy with the outcome of this video in which I spent the last several months editing. May this film open doors and lead to future opportunities in which I can use my skills to create awareness about great organization, people, and programs making a difference in this world.

iGenius summit

2008-02-14T18:10:00.004+09:00

iGenius is a online networking community of social entrepreneurs. Interested in making a difference in the world and connecting with other like minded people? Then their website might be the perfect place for you.

On March 13-16th, in Phuket Thailand, iGenius will be holding the iGenius World Summit to bring together members to meet face to face for the first time. The summit looks very interesting as former CNN international president Chris Cramer and Dave McQueen from Channel 4 will be giving presentations and on third day, the summit will specifically focus on the role media plays in social change.

They will be screening my short film, Peace Begins with Me and You as part of their social film festival but unfortunately for me my thesis research trip overlaps with their summit, and I couldn't quite justify the participation fee of 500GBP for just two days of the summit (and let's not forget the airfare.) Barry Crisp, a filmmaker from Japan, will be video documenting his journey to Phuket, so I look forward to hearing his report upon his return.

Article 9 Conference and Party

2008-02-08T15:43:00.000+09:00

On May 4-6th, the Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War will hold a conference on Japan's peace constitution (see previous blog on Article 9 here) and more specifically "to realize the principle of Article 9, through promoting disarmament, demilitarization and a culture of peace." Already, big names in the field of peacebuilding and conflict resolution will be in attendance, such as:

Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate, Peace People, Northern Ireland;

Cora Weiss, Lifelong peace activist and President of the Hague Appeal for Peace, USA;

Ban Zhong Yi, movie director and strong advocate of justice for Chinese former "comfort women" of the Japanese imperial army, China;

Emmanuel Bombande, Executive Director of the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Ghana;

Beate Sirota Gordon, co-writer of the Japanese Constitution and author of the disposition granting equality between men and women;

Kasim Turki, former soldier in the Iraqi Republican Guard, journalist and peace activist, Iraq;

Hans von Sponeck, former UN Assistant Secretary General & United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq;

Carlos Vargas, Vice-President of International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms and professor of International Law, Costa Rica;

CG Weeramantry, former judge in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and President of International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms, Sri Lanka;

Ellen Woodsworth, former Vancouver City Councillor, co-founder of the World Peace Forum (2006), and President of WILPF-Canada;

Ann Wright, retired US Army colonel and diplomat, now antiwar activist;
(taken from the Global Article 9 newsletter)

I have been helping out a little bit editing short video clips of some of the participants on their views on Article 9. If you are interested in attending or learning more about the upcoming conference visit the website at Why Not 9?

Also on Sunday, Feb 24th, Parties4Peace, which aims to promote peace through music and dance, will be having an Article 9 party in Shimokitazawa. The peace art exhibition party will be showcasing artwork on the theme of the environment and its connection to peace. If you are interested in submitting any artwork, send an email to them by Feb 14th. They'll be showing three of my short films at the event, so don't miss out!

------------
ARTicle 9 Festa vol.3
「peace x art = eARTh」
------------------------------------------
Date: February 24, Sunday
18:00（DOOR OPEN）18:30（EVENT START）

Venue: Shimokitazawa Alley Hall
2-24-8, Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Shimokitazawa Alley Building 3F
**3 minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station

Women's Active Museum on War and Peace

2008-01-29T09:04:00.000+09:00

Since my summer in Berlin, I have been wondering about the differences between how the Germans and the Japanese dealt with their war aggressions in the aftermath of WWII. Take a walk around Berlin and it is easy to see the remembrances to the Holocaust- the Jewish museum, the Jewish memorial, names of Jews embossed on to the pavements- but here in Tokyo no such memorials are to be found.

Sure, Japan is all about peace. Earlier in 2007, I traveled to Hiroshima with my classmates to learn about that atomic bomb and meet with hibakusha-radiation victims. (See my film on this trip here.) I've also heard somewhere that Japan has supposedly the largest number of peace museums in the world. Yet, due to the devastation of the atomic bomb, the Japanese state has perpetuated a victim consciousness that still remains strong today. Japan has never properly come to terms with the its responsibility for its past deeds.

However, there is one museum here in Tokyo which is aimed at educating the public of Japan's World War II aggressions against women. Over the weekend, my friends and I visited the Women's Active Museum on War and Peace in Waseda. WAM is dedicated to the issues of comfort women which is one of the most controversial topics when it comes to the Japanese aggression during World War II.

These comfort women were recruited through out the Japanese empire from rural areas to work in "comfort stations." Often under 20 years old, these women would be repeatedly raped throughout the day to "comfort" the Japanese military men. Even after the war was over, these women lived in shame and remained in silent suffering until 1991 when Kim Hak-Soon from Korea spoke out.

Demands for apology and compensation continues even today. Every Wednesday in Seoul, the comfort women victims from South Korean demonstrate in front of the Japanese embassy. While an apology was offered in the 1992 Kono Statement, the Japanese government has refused to claim any legal responsibility. As recently as March of 2007, when US Congress demanded that Japan offer a formal apology to the comfort women, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated, '"There is no evidence to back up that there was coercion as defined initially" in the role of "the Japanese military or government" in the recruiting of comfort women. '1

At the museum, you can browse through portraits of the comfort women, read their stories, learn about the fights and tribunals on their behalf, and watch an array of films in their library. Unfortunately the museum itself is only in Japanese, and due to size constraints it seems unlikely that much effort will be made to incorporate information in English. But there are a few videos in English that may be helpful in familiarizing you with the issue.

Source:
1. Norhteast Asian History Foundaiton, The truth of Japanese military "Comfort Women" 2007

"View from the Bridge" film at Slamdance!

2008-01-19T10:55:00.004+09:00

Hi, here is another update on a documentary film that I worked on while I was living in LA.

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: STORIES FROM KOSOVO

Seven centuries of ethnic violence.
Seventy-eight days of NATO bombs.
One symbol of perilous peace.

The most critical political moment in Kosovo's history coincides with the SLAMDANCE 2008 PREMIERE of the groundbreaking documentary, VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: STORIES FROM KOSOVO. With Russia and the United States squaring off over the future of Kosovo, with the threat of renewed bloodshed looming over the province, and with all the world looking to Kosovo as a test-case for other war-torn areas, Kosovo is once again headline news. Within days or weeks, Kosovo may unilaterally declare independence from Serbia, a declaration that could re-ignite cold war tensions - or lead to civil war.

http://slamdance.bside.com/?_view=_filmdetails&extFilmId=viewfromabridge_slamdance

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: STORIES FROM KOSOVO - the first feature documentary about post-war Kosovo. Confused with the earlier Balkan conflicts and overshadowed by Afghanistan and Iraq, Kosovo’s story may hold the most compelling lessons of all. Sometimes hopeful, sometimes tragic, the struggle to make peace in Kosovo exposes the human cost of the politics of hate, and reminds us that the ultimate responsibility for peace lies within us all.

SLAMDANCE 2008 SCREENINGS
Treasure Mountain Inn
255 Main Street, Park City
Monday, January 21, 7:00PM
Thursday, January 24 12:30PM

http://www.kosovomovie.com

Thesis update: Chat the Planet

2008-01-14T16:30:00.001+09:00

Alright, there's a little over four months to go before I complete my 100 page thesis and turn it in. AHHHHHH!!!! Scary at the same time but incredibly exciting, as I will able to compile all that I have learnt and thought about for the past year and half. I've also just switched advisers (the previous one is retiring so I had to get a new one anyways) and I feel good about getting guided down a path of successful thesis writing.

My larger topic is media and peace but that as you can imagine is a pretty broad subject. I've seemed to have successfully ordered every book on Amazon.com that came up while searching for those keywords. Media and peace includes: peace journalism or sometimes called conflict-sensitive journalism; the role news media plays in peace processes; hate and propaganda media; radio-drama peace building media; information communication technology; citizen journalism and so and so on.

And while there is important information to be taken from all the above areas, I'm particularly interested in an uncharted area of media and peace. And that is, how does new media technology contribute to a culture of peace?

What do I mean by that exactly? Well, I'm interested in understanding first what is peace building media. What are the theories behind it? What has to be considered when making media that will effectively contribute to peacebuilding? and then how is the Internet or Web 2.0 being used to distribute this peacebuilding media (ie. through Youtube etc)? and because of the internet acceptability, does it allow for more interactivity and dialog between people (possibly people from opposite sides of conflict)?

My main case study for this thesis will be an organization called Chat the Planet. They are a youth media dialog organization based in New York and for sometime now they have been making media that brings youth together to dialog about issues that are important to them. Right before the war on Iraq began, Chat the Planet organized a two-way satellite TV show that brought young Americans and young Iraqis to talk with each other.

Their latest project is Hometown Baghdad is a webisode about three young Iraqis living under the US Occupation. Originally, they sought funding and distribution from the major US Networks but when they were turned down with reasons such as, "No one is interested in Iraq anymore," and "By the time this airs, the war will be over." They then privately raised money to hire an Iraqi crew to capture these every day stories and distribute it through Youtube. Well, their show was widely popular, so much so that they got a distribution deal with NBC later on.

Anyways, here is the first episode of their series which aired on the 4th anniversary of the war.

I'll be posting more thoughts on media, web 2.0 and peace over the next couple of months. Excited to be moving forward on this~!

Good Morning 2008!

2008-01-01T15:12:00.000+09:00

There is nothing like the new year to reset your intentions and get clear about what you really want out of life.

I believe that this is the year that I fully step into my power. There are some big changes to be made this year and at times it may seem daunting but I feel that something truly positive is waiting for me.

For the past several years I feel that I have been "in school" and not just literally, as I have been pursuing my Masters degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, but also in that I have been training myself on many levels and gaining life and work experience so that I may step into what I came here to do and that is to use the power of media to create positive social change.

Over the next six months, it is my intention to finish a well-written thesis on new media's role in peacebuilding, to build a website and game plan for my "career," and finish a few more video projects that will be part of my filmmakers reel. I also intend to make the most of time left in Japan by spending as much time with my friends, many who will disperse far and wide to do good in this world.

I ask the Universe for guidance and strength that will pick me up when I am down, give me strength through challenging times, and open the right doors that allows me to do the work that I came to do. I see my biggest spiritual lessons of 2008 are letting go of control, stepping out my own way, staying in the present moment, and having trust in the universe and my purpose.

May your year be filled with many blessings!
love and peace,
Megumi

Refusenik- Documentary Film World Premier

2007-12-29T14:20:00.000+09:00

I am happy to annouce a documentary I worked on while I was in Los Angeles just had its world premier at the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival on Thursday, December 6, 2007. Having worked as an assistant editor on this project, I poured over hundreds of hours of interviews and historical footage and the last cut I saw really shows the power of people coming together and standing up for human rights. It's a truly inspirational film and highly recommend you see it if you are interested in the triumphs and struggles of peoples' movements.

Synopsis:
REFUSENIK is the first retrospective documentary to chronicle the thirty-year movement to free Soviet Jews. It shows how a small grassroots effort bold enough to take on a Cold War superpower blossomed into an international human rights campaign that engaged the disempowered and world leaders alike. Told through the eyes of activists on both sides of the Iron Curtain - many of whom survived punishment in Soviet Gulag labor camps - the film is a tapestry of first-person accounts of heroism, sacrifice, and ultimately, liberation.

The campaign to free Soviet Jewry is a major event in Jewish history. By 1992, one and a half million Jews had left the Soviet Union to live in freedom as a direct result of what was likely the most successful human rights campaign of all times.

REFUSENIK illustrates how individuals can utilize the power inherent in a tolerant democracy and literally change the world. The tactics and methods developed by activists in this struggle became examples to the rest of the world, forever changing the human rights landscape.

One of the proudest chapters in Jewish history, the story of the refuseniks demonstrates the need for Jewish solidarity, the importance of the State of Israel, and the responsibilities we face as individuals living in a democracy.

Much of the material used in REFUSENIK is unique and exclusive to this film. Interviews with key leaders in the movement are some of the first ever to be recorded. Many of the photographs and covert film footage – some of it smuggled out of the Soviet Union – have never been seen before by a large audience, and help make REFUSENIK a unique portrait of this amazing story.

For more info visit http://www.refusenikmovie.com

Thank you 2007!

2007-12-18T09:04:00.000+09:00

I have had an amazing year and I just wanted to say thank YOU and thank the universe for all the fruits it has brought me. Here are some of the highlights:

This year I had the wonderful opportunity to travel with Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn to Vietnam. There I deepened my understanding of Buddhism: its practices and insights that create both inner and outer peace.
I directed a 12 minute documentary film about my fellowships trip to Hiroshima to learn about the atrocities of the atomic bomb. Which can be viewed here.
I spent my summer in Berlin, German this year to work for the amazing media organization Dropping Knowledge, which uses new media technology to incite dialogue on some of our most pressing social and global issues.
I was invited by Rotary's Peace and Conflict Studies program in Bangkok, Thailand to document their field study trip to Cambodia. You can see the latest version here.
I am focusing on my thesis on media and peace and every day I'm getting clearer and one step closer to it.

I have met some amazing people along my journeys this year and I am truly grateful for their presence in my life. I also look forward to seeing how the fruits of the lessons I've learnt and experiences I've had will continue to blossom in my life. Over the holidays, I will be refocusing and setting my intention for the new year. Until then, have a Happy Holidays!!

love and peace,

Megumi

Cambodia doc- Walking Through the Killing Fields

2007-11-21T09:35:00.000+09:00

On our third day of in Cambodia, we visited the Khmere Rouge killing fields at the Choeung Ek Genocide Memorial. Please click on the image below to watch the video or click here.

I have found some resources on the web for creative commons or royalty free music:
http://www.podsafeaudio.com/
http://shockwave-sound.com./
http://stockmusic.net/
http://neosounds.com/
http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/

Though I haven't found any pieces of music that has jumped out and grabbed me, I'm very hopeful and thankful to these resources. I've also been talking with some composers who either work under the creative commons license or are just starting out and are willing to work for credit. So there's hope, there's hope!

Also this pieces is 5minutes long, which so far of the things that I have cut (including some footage of the slums, which I'm not ready to post) over 12 minutes. For the final 15-20 minute product, I wonder what will get cut?
You can always have you say if you comment below ;).

Cambodia doc- On our way to Cambodia

2007-11-13T15:08:00.000+09:00

Waiting to get through check in at Bangkok airport, the Fellows comment on what their expectations are as they head to Cambodia. 1min
FYI. Blogger is distorting my aspect ratio.. not too happy with that...

So, what I desperately looking for is music. Does anyone know any creative common licensed music sites, where I can download different types of instrumental music- upbeat, down-beat, funbeat?
Music is such an important part of filmmaking, and I realize that the music that I select has a tremendous affect on my cutting.

Now, I'm on to the more serious sections of this project: the slums and the killing fields...

Cambodia doc- What Russ takes away from Angkor Wat

2007-11-09T16:39:00.000+09:00

This mini movie is about the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies program's last day on their trip to Cambodia. After a grueling week of looking at the many difficult issues of post-conflict rebuilding, these fellows take a day to enjoy one of the seven wonders of the world- Angkor Wat. Enjoy!

Progressing forward on my journey of editing this film- I am editing out of order at this point, this section will probably be the second to last as part of the greater whole, but in a way it has excited me about the over all project, as I hope it is exciting you as well. I already have a sense that in the final production, I will be re-editing some aspects of it, but this is definitely serving it's purpose for now.

So far this project has been a great lesson in how much more my camera work needs to improve. Of course, I think better equipment will help a little and thus my wish list is growing... anyone want to help out on that?

Cambodia doc- Boat Trip to Siem Reap

2007-11-06T22:23:00.001+09:00

So, as I progress in editing this documentary project on Rotary's Peace and Conflict Studies Program to Cambodia I will be posting mini movies for 1) my own inspirational purposes 2) give you a taste of the over all trip 3) to document my editing process. Since this is the largest self-directed and edited project that I have tackled, I have decide to condense my 15 hours of footage into a series of small "episodes."

Here's the first one I've compressed for your viewing pleasure of our boat ride to Siem Reap.

Rotary's Positive Peace Place

2007-11-04T21:28:00.000+09:00

Each year the International Christian University holds an annual festival in which the university's club and associations participate in by setting up booths to sell snacks and other such goods. The local community is invited to visit the campus and partake in festivities which often include wadaiko (Japanese traditional drumming) and various musical dance performances.

This year, the sixth year of the Rotary Internationals' partnership with ICU in the Rotary World Peace Fellowship, we RWPFs decided to have our own booth in which we sold nachos and held a flea market to raise funds for the Burmese NGO called Back Pack Health Worker Team.

BPHWT provides "primary health care in ethnic armed conflict areas and rural areas where access to healthcare is otherwise unavailable. The BPHWT provides a range of medical care, community health education and prevention, and maternal and child healthcare services to internally displaced persons in Burma."

Anyways, I have to say that I think that our booth was quite a success. We did have to give away some items for close to nothing towards the end of the second day (but that's to be expected when you try to sell off things that you don't even want.) I believe we made our two main goals: raising a reasonable amount of funds for a good cause and having a more visible presence on campus. I hope this is the beginning of a Rotary tradition.

Getting started on the Cambodia doc

2007-10-24T01:49:00.000+09:00

I have begun to edit the Cambodian documentary project that I shot for the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies program in August. For my own motivational purpose, I will be posting stills from the footage.

The following images are from our first day in Phenom Phen, in which we visited two slum areas. First, we visited a highly-valued commercial property that is being occupied by both the original land -dwellers as well as encroachers. The government and their corporate partnerships are evicting these residents and relocating them. Unfortunately, the re-location land that my group visited (the other group had quite a different experience) paled in comparison to the eviction site. We met with entire families that lived in 4x6 shacks, they lacked adequate water and many of the children looked as if they were suffering malnutrition.

Well, not to paint you a too grim picture of the situation there.. here are some still images... as always the spirit of children to find happiness in any circumstance never ceases to amaze me...

From the re-location site:

Thesis update: One step closer

2007-10-17T22:11:00.000+09:00

Though most have you know this all along, that my passion is for media and peace, I have only recently decided that this is really what I want to focus my thesis on. So for the next 8 months, that I spend writing this 50-100page essay, I am really hoping to learn from specific media organizations how to make media that creates peace. I have more less being trying to do this with my life since 2003, but here I'm going to get to study and research this in-depth. Will this make me a better filmmaker? Well, I certainly hope so.

So my possible research question is one that I explored earlier this year for a presentation in Peace studies:

How does new media technology contribute to a culture of peace?

Some of the theories I hope to examine in my research are peace journalism and democratic media.

Anyways, to get started on the right track I have enrolled in Johan Galtung's Transcend University's online Peace Journalism course taught by Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick. The course follows the Peace Journalism book written by the two professors, which though I have only read the first few chapters, I already highly recommend.

Since this is the year to write my thesis, I reckon I will be writing several blogs on this process. I hope this doesn't terrible bore you. Hopefully, I will make another film or two over the next year.

Free Burma!

2007-10-04T18:34:00.000+09:00

Hey my friends,
please sign the petition support the monks and peaceful demonstrators.

Film: Jewish in Berlin

2007-09-29T02:19:00.000+09:00

My dropping knowledge film which asks the question: What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today? (4min) is now up on their Schatten Auf Berlin website. If you scroll to the bottom strip of films in the category of Nue Berlin and click on several films over you can watch Judish in Berlin there... ...or if you feel like it's too complicated to get to (since there is no direct link) please click on the following image:

Two of the three interviews are in German, so in many ways there were new challenges to this project but overall I'm quite pleased with what I was able to accomplish in two weeks with this film. I also recommend taking a look at the Shadows on Berlin web magazine though that is entirely in German. Enjoy!

It seems like the other link takes a long time to upload. So on Blogger video for now.

Schatten auf Berlin- a dropping knowledge initiative

2007-09-19T22:36:00.001+09:00

One of the projects that I have been working on at Dropping Knowledge is Schatten auf Berlin- The Shadows of Berlin. It is a multi-media web magazine looking at the social issues of Berlin: from alcoholism, prostitution, to delinquent youth, and the homeless. The project is based on a series of ethnography studies conducted by Hans Oswald in the late 1800's. dk compares the many issues of Berlin of that time to Berlin in 2007.

This Sunday, September 23rd, the website will go live. Along with it, here in Berlin, there will be an evening film screening and discussion event with doors open at 9pm at the Kino Babylon.

Though I have not been able to participate much in this project due to my lack of German, in the last two weeks I have been able to pull together a short film for their New Berlin category. The four minute film I made asks the question: What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today?

The reason why I sought to answer this question was because that I had read a statistic which said that there was a growing number of Jews moving (back) to Berlin. Why have they come back to Berlin? Why Berlin and not some other German city? and finally What does it mean to be Jewish here and now?

Anyways, I am very happy that I was able to contribute to this project and produced a short film while I was here with Dropping Knowledge.

60 Seconds of Light

2007-09-11T05:21:00.000+09:00

This video is part of the 60 Seconds of Light internet memorial.

"60 SECONDS OF LIGHT is an attempt to create an internet-wide September 11th video memorial. The concept is simple: on September 11th 2007 we are asking all vloggers and internet video content creators to take a break from their regular scheduled content and instead upload 60 seconds of light. A candle burning. A lighter lit. A glow stick glowing. Anything light-filled that you feel honors the memory of all those who were lost. Our hope is to have this light spread throughout the internet; creating the largest memorial service ever to commemorate September 11th."

So if you have a web camera, will you consider joining me and other bloggers in a minute of silence and light to honor the people who lost their lives six years ago today?

May our light shine peace on to this world.

Getting focused on my thesis

2007-08-31T23:42:00.000+09:00

Hi, so the time has come for me to get serious about my thesis. At the end of the last school year, I had narrowed my interests down to three areas:

1. The Buddhist practice of compassionate listening- After my trip to Vietnam and writing two papers on Buddhism and its relationship to peace, I have fallen deeply in love with the philosophy/religion. While, I don't think I will ever call myself a Buddhist, I do believe that Buddhism offers much wisdom for creating peace in oneself and with the world.
So my thesis idea was to look at the practice of compassionate listening and see the value of it as a conflict resolution tool. There is a Seattle based organization, the Compassionate Listening Project that is doing this work and in particular in Israel/Palestine. My research idea on this was to asses the effectiveness of this practice as a conflict resolution tool.

2. Article 9. I am planning to make a film on the peace movement to protect Article 9 anyways, so why not write a thesis on it? This way for the next year I can be one-pointed focused. However, how would I do this? What angle would my thesis take? I have to be honest I'm not interested in writing about the possible geo-political implications if Article 9 is revoked. I am just not political minded enough to do such a paper. I also am far more passionate about the people, and why or why not they care about Article 9.

3. Media and Peace. Now this obviously makes the most sense. This is what I am trying to do with my life. But once again how do you write a thesis on this? One idea I have is to do a case study on organizations that do media trainings in developing countries. One such organization is called Barefoot Workshops. They train youth and women in video skills in Africa focusing on:

Empower youth through media, music and the arts
Bridge communities together to address global issues
Inspire individuals and communities to transform themselves from within
Innovate new uses of media to meet development goals internationally (Source: Barefootworkshops.org)

Assessing the impact that such a workshop has, is do able and would mean traveling to Africa which is just not a bad idea. An upcoming workshop that I would potentially be interested in participating in is in Jan 2008 in South Africa. My only hesitation with this is that I don't necessarily see this as my path and how I will be doing most of my work in the future. However, maybe it is a good place to start and will open doors to new ideas on how media can help create a culture of peace.

Anyways, if you have a suggestions please send me a mail or leave a comment! All help is very much needed and appreciated!

Headed to Cambodia

2007-07-24T18:47:00.000+09:00

Cambodia! Wow, what an incredible gift from the universe. I have been invited by the Rotary Center for Peace and Conflict in Thailand, to make a promotional documentary about their program.

When I was in Vietnam earlier this year, I thought of taking a few days to go to Cambodia since I wanted to learn more about the Killing Fields and visit Angkor Wat but now I am blessed with a full ten days packed with meeting NGOs, visiting museums, and seeing how Cambodians have dealt with restoring peace to their country. I find educational tours far more interesting then any tourist trip.

I am leaving Berlin on August 8th and will return on the 21st. I will be bringing my video camera only, so no slide show upon my return but hopefully with a month or two I will have a film to show you. I'm excited for the opportunity to make a film in such a beautiful country and to push my skills even further.

love,
Megu

The fun of promotion

2007-07-24T18:13:00.000+09:00

So part of the work that I am doing at Dropping Knowledge is creating awareness about the great work that they do. ie. promotion/marketing.

This is incredibly important not just for DK but for me to learn as well because I tend to slack on this. I do send out my films to festivals but it takes a concerted effort to be on top of it all. I often miss deadlines by just a few weeks and that is incredibly frustrating. However my research on gorilla marketing has motivated me very much to take the time after work to do my own projects and have a greater presence online.

My myspace friend Yaron has started a youtube like video sharing space called Peace TV.

I will be posting videos on my Peace TV Channel, as well as on Youtube.

As you can see, I have also added little Stumble Upon, Delicious and other icons. (well I'm in the process of adding them) If you read a blog that you like, it would be great if you could click on one of them or all of them. Basically, this allows my presence on the web to grow. I personally think that the more people know about different peace initiatives/projects/orgs that I come across the better it is for everyone. Anyways, I hope you think so to.
So click away!

love and peace,
Megumi

ps. Everyday, I am continually astonished at the growing rate of internet technology. It's a little scary about how much time we spend at the computer. What does the future hold?

Getting deeper into Dropping Knowledge

2007-07-12T18:59:00.000+09:00

Hi, I've been spending the past few days digging deeper into the wealth of knowledge that DK provides. I really think that this is great resource for any of us who are committed to making the world a better place.
I'm posting some of the videos available on youtube that I particularly resonated with:
This one is with Julia Butterfly Hill

What does DK have the power to do? Inspire people. It definitely inspires me.

I think this video asks some good questions, esp. pertinent to what I am trying to figure out in my life's work

DK also just came off their latest project. The G8 Summercamp.

I have arrived in Berlin!

2007-07-01T23:55:00.000+09:00

Hello,

I have arrived in Berlin to work for Dropping Knowledge for the next two/three months. I'm not sure what I will be doing for them as of yet but I hope it will be a good experience in which I can use my film/video/graphic skills, improve up on them, and making meaningful media on social issues.

For the past three days, I have been wandering the streets of Mitte in East Berlin. Berlin is such a sprawling city, I have yet to see much of it but I'm excited to explore its many intricacies in the upcoming months. As always I'll be keeping ideas on peace and conflict in mind.

There are two things that I am most eager to explore in particular while I am here and they are based on the observations that I made when I came to Berlin in 2001.

1. Art- Berlin is an explosion of expression. Every corner is a gallery, a design showroom, or some event space that leaves your eyes and ears tingling.

2. Rememberence- You cannot walk through this city with out being reminded of the atrocities that happened here, first with the Nazis and second with the Berlin Wall. Today, the city proclaims loudly, "Such horrors happened here. We will not forget and we will never ever let it happen again."

Please check my flickr photos for updates, as well as enjoy the slideshow below.

Tschuss!
Megumi

Utah!

2007-06-10T19:17:00.000+09:00

Woo ha! We're (and by that I mean the Rotary World Peace Fellows at ICU) are headed to Salt Lake City, Utah this Thursday to attend the three-day Rotary World Peace Symposium!

I don't believe I ever been to Utah before (even though I always wanted to make it to Sundance) so I'm excited to check out Mormon Country.

The symposium is from the 14th to the 16th, and many of the RWPF alumni will be giving presentations on their research and their post-RWPF experience. It's going to be a major peace networking bonanza. Here's the tenative schedule. Woo hoo!!

Unfortunately, they won't be showing my film about ICU RWPF's trip to Hiroshima due to scheduling issues but I plan on brining many copies to pass out. Perhaps, I can set up a make shift screening in one of our hotel rooms. I hope so.

Okay, I've got a few papers left to crunch out! Yay, Utah!

Rotary Trip to Hiroshima

2007-05-31T08:20:00.000+09:00

Here is a link to a short film I just finished making about the Rotary World Peace Fellows' recent trip to Hiroshima, Japan.
To watch click here. 12 minutes

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution

2007-05-30T12:06:00.000+09:00

Alright, I have been in Japan too long to have not written anything in regards to Article 9.

It states, "The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes."

The second clause goes on to say, "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potentials, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."

This constitution has remained unchanged for sixty years since it was adopted when the US occupied Japan after World War II but now is being challenged by the current Abe administration. They plan to abolish the second clause so that Japan can posses a military.

Being Japanese, this is something that I take a lot of pride in. While there is a debate as to whether the US enforced this constitution on the Japanese people or the Japanese co-authored it, the fact is that it exists and should not be abolished.

Many of the arguments to abolish it has been so that Japan may play a more active role in world politics and supporting US troops in their military endeavors. Instead, what I feel strongly is that not only should Japan maintain Article 9 but that similar pacific clauses should be adapted by constitutions around the world.

Anyways, so I am currently making a documentary film on Article 9 and am trying to focus on it from the youth movement perspective. This is something that I would very much like to have screened nationally in the United States on Current TV.

Anyways, much more to come on this timely issue!

Dropping Knowledge

2007-05-15T08:13:00.000+09:00

Hi, I am psyched to annouce that this summer I will be working with Dropping Knowledge in Berlin, Germany.

In September 2006, they invited 120 people from around the world to partake in a global dialogue project called the Table of Free Voices. 100 questions collected from the internet were asked of these 120 people over 9 hours. Each person had a camera directly facing them intimately documenting their answers.

Their basic premise is that is through asking questions a global conversation can be started which can change the world for the better.

Here's a short video of the larger project that I will be working on. I'm so excited, so excited....

We made our fundraising goal!

2007-05-10T08:16:00.000+09:00

Today, May 10th, is our fundraising goal due date for the Oxfam Trailwalker. We are supposed to raise a minimum of 120,000 yen ($1000 US) for Oxfam's humanitarian projects and so that we can participate in our crazy 100km challenge.

So as of last night (with some more last minute donations still coming in) I had the 120,000 in my hands!! Yippppppeeee!!! Thank you all to those who contributed!! (If you sent donations online and didn't email me, please let me know because unfortunately the website doesn't tell me who's contributed, just how much.)

We have been super busy fundraising:
-We sent letters to our friends and family asking them to support us
-We held a fundraising party on Friday, May 4th in which we were able to raise 43,000yen
-We have received individual contributions from our professors
-Last Sunday, we went on the local Nishi-Tokyo Radio and talked about the Oxfam Trailwalker and asked for support from the local community.

So here's a slide show of our various hikes and the party!
The 100km challenge is a week a way, wish us luck!!!

Arise Women!

2007-05-08T07:50:00.000+09:00

Mother's Day is this Sunday.

We often think that Mother's day is a Hallmark-made commercial day but the reality is that Mother's Day began after the Civil war, as a protest to the carnage of that war, by women who had lost their sons.

So don't forget to thank yur mama and the mamas of the past for standing up for peace.

Here is the Mothers' Day Proclamation written by Julia Ward Howe, Boston, 1870

Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts,
whether our baptism be that of water or of fears!

Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided by
irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking
with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be
taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach
them of charity, mercy and patience.

We women of one country will be too tender of those of another
country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From
the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says "Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance
of justice."

Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons
of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a
great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women,to be
wail and commemorate the dead.

Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the
means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each
bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,but of God.
In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a
general congress of women without limit of nationality may be
appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at
the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the
alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement
of international questions, the great and general interests of
peace.

Julia Ward Howe Boston 1870

Healing myself to heal the world

2007-05-01T08:53:00.001+09:00

I have to be honest, I went into this trip with a heavy heart and feeling stressed out. I had just completed another term at school, in which every minute counts towards completing those final term papers.

Six months had passed since I began my studies at ICU, and I had become heavy hearted from all the world issues that I had learned about. I felt overwhelmed in the enromous complexity of these problems and felt lost as to where my place was in all of it.

For the trip itself, I didn’t have any expectations. I really had no idea of what it would consist of, if it would be like a retreat or not. I was just planning to show up and be recepitve to whatever came my way.

(Me in my temple robe to Tu Hiu monastery in Hue)

I have come back from this trip, feeling soft and light. The three weeks I spent doing sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating mindfully and dharma sharing has really put me back in touch with myself--- to a place where I feel sturdy. Sturdy about my passion for peace in the world, sturdy in how I am meant to share that expression with the world, and sturdy in the joy of just being me.

The things that stressed me out before no longer do, and if I feel any inkling of anxiety coming my way I merely take a moment to return to my breath. I feel a smile resting on my lips at all times.

Thay really walks his talk, and the great thing is that he invites you to walk along with him. It is clearer to me more than ever before that peace within goes hand and hand with peace without. If each everyone of us were able to touch that sacred true part of ourselves, connect with it, breathe with it, what a wonderful world this would be. I have been inspired to understand his teachings at much deeper level and put them into practice everyday.

With love,
Megumi

(Taking a bike ride along the rice patties in Hoi An)

To read previous blogs on my trip to Vietnam, click here and here2.
To see more pictures of Vietnam, click here.

Daily Schedule of Mindful Practice

2007-04-17T14:33:00.002+09:00

Our daily schedule consisted of waking by 5am, meditating for an hour, eating silently at 6, leaving for the temple by 7. At 8, Thay would give a two hour Dharma talk in Vietnamese (graciously translated into English and French by the sisters). In Hue, at Thay’s root temple (where he was a novice monk) we would practice walking meditation with him around the temple grounds. After lunch, we would rest for a couple of hours before listening to dharma talks and participating in dharma discussions. We would dinner at five and then return to our accomodations for a quiet evening.

Here is a gatha ( a short meditative poem) that I recited as part of my mornig ritual. I think it is just equisite! (With a 5am morning shot of Saigon out our hotel window)

Waking Up

Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand new hours before me.
I vow to live life fully in each moment
and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

Walking Meditation is a beautiful practice in which we walked slowly together through the temple grounds. Its purpose is to be in touch with the present moment by being aware of our breath and enjoying each step.
The blessings I have of my beautiful university campus is that is big and green and has many wonderful paths in which I can practice walking meditation every day for fifteen minutes.

We would then eat lunch at 11 am perpared by the monks and nuns. We would eat with our family groups, often in silence. The practice of eating mindfully is to be fully aware and grateful for the food before you. When eating, I chew slowly in order to really enjoy the various flavors of the Vietnaemese vegitarian dishes. The following gatha is often recited before eating.

The 5 contemplations to eat in mindfulness

This food is gift from the whole universe,
the earth, the sky, and much mindful work.
May we eat in mindfulness so as to be worthy of it.
May we transfrom our unskilfull states of mind and
learn to eat in moderation.
May we take only foods the nourish us and prevent illness.
May we accept this food to realize the path of understanding and love.

To read about how these practices have touched my life, click here.

Healing the Last Wounds of War

2007-04-17T13:22:00.000+09:00

Last year on Peace Boat, I visited a small rural village outside of the former US military base Da Nang. There, we visited a health clinic set up by Le Ly Haslip, who escaped post-war devastation by marrying an American GI and immigrating to the US.
At this clinic, we stumbled upon a rehabilitation/care room for third generation children affected by Agent Orange. Like children anywhere else in the world, they were delighted to see us and clapped and laughed along to the songs we sung for them.
In just a few hours of arriving in Vietnam, I witnessed the continuing effects of a war my country waged some thirty years ago on these people. I wondered: What responsibility do I have? What responsibility does my country have to these children? This was April 2006.

When I began studying peace in 2003, I discovered the work of the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. While other books intelectually stimulated my thoughts on peace, his words actually took me to a state of peace. Since then, I have wanted to visit Plum Village, his retreat center in the south of France.

So as I began to plan my spring break earlier this year, I visited the Plum Village website and discovered that he was planning to tour of Vietnam during that time. I couldn’t think of anything better than to practice with him and his home country on a tour entitled “Healing the Last Wounds War,” so I decided to go to Vietnam.

I joined Thay (Vietnamese for teacher) on Segemnt 2 of his tour, which began with the Great Reqieum Ceremony at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Saigon.

5.6 million lives were lost because of the bombings during what the Vietnamese call the American war. The ceremony was held to pray for the liberation of all the people indiscriminate (ben dang) of religion and political parties. For on both sides, the people who passed away passed away in pain.

In his Dharma talk, Thay talked of the many wounds of the war that still needed healing. He said that when the injustices of violence and war go unspoken, they are suppressed deeply into our consciousness and manifest in the forms of aggression, anger and fear.

However, through the simple act of listening, he sais that it is possible for us to relieve suffering in others. If we ourselves learn to forgive the wounds of the war, then our parents and ancestors will forgive as well. For every word of forgivenesss will benefit those around us with love and compassion. It is when suffering is recognized then it is possible to heal. To read more about his teachings during the ceremony, please click here.

What is so inpsiring to me about Thay's teaching is how he boils it down to the action that each of us individually can take. Are we free of our own fear and pain? He says that it is our own pain that unskillfully causes suffering in others. So if we alleviate our own pain, then it is possible for us to begin to alleviate pain in others. How? through living mindfully in the here and now. To read about my daily practices click here.

Thay's prayer to untie the knots of great injustice

2007-04-15T19:44:00.000+09:00

Dear Ones who have passed from this life:

You are our father and mothers; our aunts and uncles; our husbands and wives; our sisters and brothers; our sons and daughters, who have died during the war. When our country was on fire with all the fighting, you left us tragically, suddenly, forced to abandon your previous body. We have lost you, dear ones. We know that you fought courageously for our nation without regret for you situation, and the injustice could never be expressed. You died deep in a distant jungle, or we lost at sea or in a dark prison cell. You may have died because of bullets or bombs, or from starvation or sheer exhaustion. You may have been raped and then killed with no way to resist. How many of you have died in despair, in injustice, the remains of your body lost somewhere in the ocean or the jungle where we who love you could not get a hold of them. To fight for our independence and freedom, our country has had to bear great tragedy and injustice, and it is you who have shouldered the burden of the whole nation in your death.

We your relatives, you fellow countrymen and countrywomen, we come here-- some of us are before our own altars at home-- and among us there are those who still continue to suffer from injustice. Fortunately the nightmare has ended, the country is now at peace, and we are having the chance to rebuild the country, to heal the remaining wounds. Thanks to the merits and good deeds of our ancestors we have a chance to come together and offer prayers together to the Three Gems. With the support of the powerful Dharma, we request you to come back ALL TOGETHER to reunite with each other, embracing each other, loving each other like sister and brothers in one family. We will not distinguish between North or South, women or men, adults or children, by race, religion, party or ideology. We are all fellow countrywomen and countrymen, but because of the past bad fortune, we have been pushed to fight each other in our drive fro independence, for freedom. Thanks to the merits of our ancestors we can now come back to each other, recognizing each other as siblings of a single family, to promise each other that we will not forget this painful lesson of the past now engraves on our hearts:

We vow that from now on we will not let the country be separated again, not even on more time. From now on, when there are internal difficulties, we will not request the help of any foreign power to intervene with weapons and troops in our country. From now on, we will not start a war for an ideology. From no on, we will not use foreign weapons to kill each other. From now on we will use our best efforts to build a society with real democracy, to be able to resolve all kinds of disagreements by peaceful democratic methods, and we will not resort to violence against fellow countrymen and countrywomen.

Respected Blood Ancestors respected Spiritual Ancestors, please bear witness to our profound sincerity. We respectfully make these deep vows before you. And we know that once we have sincerely expressed ourselves in this way, all the knots of injustice can be united, and the deep wounds in each of us will start to be healed.
Today this Great Chanting Ceremony to unite ALL INJUSTICES EQUALLY without any discrimination starts here; but at the same time, countless Vietnamese and friends of Vietnamese throughout the world are setting altars in from of their houses too, to pray for you all. We touch the earth deeply to request the grace of the Three Jewels to carry the other shore of liberation ALL OF YOU dear deceased ones, so that, dear ones, you can be carried by the strength of the Dharma to be able to understand, to transform, to transcend and to know you are free.

We your descendants, we promise to continue your aspiration. We vow to carry you in our hearts, to build brotherhood/sisterhood and mutual love of fellow countrymen and countrywomen. We will remember that pumpkin vines and squash vines can share a single frame, that chickens from the same mother will ever fight each other. This insight from out Ancestors will shine out its light for us, now and forever.

Back from Vietnam!

2007-04-15T14:02:00.001+09:00

Hi, I have just returned from my one month journey to Vietnam. I'll be writing a proper blog to share my experiences but for now I wanted to post a slideshow of my photos. Enjoy!
love,
M

Oxfam Trailwalker!!

2007-02-28T12:53:00.000+09:00

A few of my classmates are currently training for the Oxfam Trailwalker! It's a 100km walk to be completed in 48hours. We will fundraise approximately US$1000 to fight against poverty.

The hike looks intense and most people walk through the night with out sleeping! Anyways, I am excited to push myself physically and walk for a good cause. We'll have 'till May to train, so every other weekend we have been hiking and I've started to regualrly run 6km every other day.

I'll be posting photos from our various hikes on my flickr site. Clikc on the Oxfam Trailwalker Set. Yay! Walk to end poverty!

February Update

2007-02-12T14:18:00.000+09:00

Hello, once again it's the end of the term rush! I have been sitting infront of the computer for forever it seems!! but it's all good, in less than two weeks I will be done with my second term at ICU. Woo ha! One more full term to go and then, it's off to my summer Applied Field Experience!!

Anywyas, I probably won't be writing very much over the next couple of weeks but I just wanted to write down some of things that I have/will be up to and that I intend to write a blog on each of them.

1. I went to hear two Iraqi women doctors speak at an event a week ago. It was really meaningful for me to go listen to them, since the reason why I'm on my quest for peace began with my country going to war with Iraq. How could I not hear/meet these women who have been affected by a war that I protested from the begining. So I shot some video of them and I hope to make a real simple video clip for the world to see.

2. I participated in such an interesting dilaogue excercise the other day. It was for my Secuirty and Conflict Resolution class. The dialogue technique helps the involved actors to understand what the root cause of their conflict is. Really interesting. I shot some video of that too, so hopefuly I can make a couple of minutes to show you the process!

3. My trip to Vietnam is all set! Air plane tickets. Check. Visa. Check. Registration for Thich Nhat Hanh's tour. Check. I recently watched a Youtube video of him. He is so extremly powerful in taking me to a state of peace instantly! I can't imagine what spending three weeks with him will do to me!

4. Before I go to Vietnam, I am going on a Rotary World Peace Fellows field trip to Hiroshima. We will be meeting with Hibakusha and people from the Hiroshima Peace Insitute. I'm planning on bringing my video camera along there as well.

Wow, well it looks like the next couple of weeks will be filled with wonderful experiences.

here's a flower for you!

xo,

Megumi

Film: View from the Bridge

2007-01-29T13:06:00.000+09:00

Hello, my friends. Here is an update on a documentary I worked on last year. I'm so happy to see the progress this film has made. I feelso blessed to have been able to work on this film that examines what happens after the worlds attention leaves a place of conflict. I'll keep you updated on any screenings in your neighborhood, please check out the website and help this film be seen around the world! xo, Megumi

View from the Bridge will premiere on January 16 at 7PM (CET) at the Kosovo National Theater in Pristina, Kosovo.

(Directed by Laura Bialis and John Ealer)
What happens after the bombs stop falling?
When news cameras turn away?
When America changes channels, or just loses interest?
In 1999, before Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States and NATO went to war in Kosovo in an unprecedented exercise of military might to end ethnic violence.
Six years after the bombs stopped falling, we returned to Kosovo to see if a society, once riven by ethnic division, can build a lasting peace.
In the scars and the tears, in the nightmares and the dreams of the Kosovars, we trace a portrait of a remarkable people trying to build a future while inextricably bound to the past. Sometimes hopeful, sometimes tragic, yet always unnervingly honest, the struggle to make peace in Kosovo, captured eloquently in VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, provides a remarkable window into the profound human impact of the politics of hate.

My favorite time of the year

2007-01-28T16:35:00.000+09:00

Need I say anything more? this campaign is so dear to me. In fact, it maybe where my heart truly is.

Instead of hearing about the problems that we have when it comes to conflict and violence, the Department of Peace is about creating solutions.

I'm sad that I won't be able to attend this year, but I know that I will be involved passionately soon enough!

If you are even a little curious, this conference in 2003 changed my life, so register!!

The Quakers!

2007-01-18T09:28:00.000+09:00

Since I began my real peace studies education nearly four years ago, I have been fascinated by the world’s most famous pacifist group--the Quakers or more formally the Religious Society of Friends. They are known for being witnesses to peace, consciences objectors, active in humanitarian work, and lobbying on behalf of the peace voter (The American Friends Service Committee) Well, I've heard little tid bits here and there over the years about what they do when they congregate but I wanted to experience their service first hand. Well, Tokyo has its own Quakers society and so I decided to join them this past Sunday.

What I had heard about the Quakers was that they sit in a circle in a "home"(no churches here), that there is no minister or pastor or priest conducting the service, and for the most part they sit in silence until Spirit moves them to speak. Well, I was most curious as to what they say when spirit moves them and how it relates to their values of pacifism and non-violent action.

Sure enough, the service room was set up in order for people to sit around in a circle. I had imagined that people would sit in chairs in a single circle however at this "home" regular church pews were lined in rows in circular fashion around a small center table. People sat wherever they felt like ie. Only one person at in the inner most circle. There were more pews than people attending that day, so people sat around comfortably.

As I entered, I sat down in silence (as so the website I researched told me to.) It was perhaps 20 minutes before anyone was moved to speak. Then, one man did and asked that we sing a song. Everyone stood up pulled out their religious song book and sang the song once then sat down in silence again. Shortly after, a man stood up and spoke. I had always wondered what exactly they say when spirit speaks through them. Do they talk about god? Do they talk about Christ? Do they talk about peace? Well, this man talked about his concern for polar bears and how global warming was causing their extinction. Another woman spoke about her typical American son-in-law and how their visit to the Hiroshima peace memorial affected him. A few more people spoke; someone read a passage from the bible, another person talked of a charity project they worked on. The service lasted for an hour or so.

I have to say it’s really moving to meet with people who can talk about global warming or their concern for Palestinian children during their religious service. I mean really when was the last time you attended a church service (esp. in the Christian faith) where people were consciously concerned about the world and were taking action about living out teachings of love and kinship!? Well, I give the Quakers my two thumbs up!

Next, Baha’i here I come!

2007 Yeah!

2007-01-11T08:59:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year! I hope 2007 is off to a rockin' start for you.

So far 2007 has been an amazing year.

After celebrating the new year in the traditional Japanese way of Hatsumode (visiting a shinto shrine), I traveled to Kyoto for a mini self-retreat. I spent five days meditating, contemplating, journal writing, hiking, walking and intention setting. What a wonderful treat it was for me! I feel clear and excited about the next 300+ days of this year and the endless possibilities of amazing experiences it holds.

First things first. For a couple of years now, I have wanted to study with the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Han. I had always envisioned that I would spend time at his Plum village monastery in France and I had decided to do so this spring break. Well, upon checking the website I discovered that Thay (as he is affectionately called) will be traveling to Vietnam this spring to heal the last wounds of the war. I have decided to join in for three weeks while he is there. When I visited Vietnam on Peace Boat, I was deeply moved when I met third-generation children affected by Agent Orange. As an American, I feel responsible for my countries actions and want to help heal the wounds between the two countries. So, this trip feel like a really good way to dot that. I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity. I am planning to travel to Vietnam from March 10 to April 9th.

Well, this is just the beginning of the many wonderful things coming to me this year. Woo hoo!
xo,
Megumi

On Apathy

2007-01-03T17:41:00.000+09:00

I have been particularly interested in the dilemma of apathy and what is needed to move people out of it. When I worked for California Peace Action , I knocked on 40 plus doors a night and I would always meet a handful of liberals who were consumed by it.
Anyways, I came across this at Post Secret.

I agree with this post secret but I also believe that we can overcome apathy. It is reminding people of the power that they have individually to make a difference and the rippling effect of many coming together. Anyways, I also came across Anti-Apathy, a UK org working to create awareness of how we can all make a difference.

What are your thoughts on apathy?

Media Activism and Film Fests

2007-01-01T14:10:00.000+09:00

I recently hooked up with a Japanese youth media activist group in Tokyo. They held an all-day screening of media activist films a couple of weeks ago and I was able to share my short films and talk about media activism in the US. While I was onboard Peace Boat, one of my friends subtitled three of my films in Japanese so now I can share my work more widely while I'm here in Japan. I'm hoping to start collaborating with them on different projects in the new year. I'm starting to realize, I am some what of an expert on grassroots campaigning, activism and media-activism. Who knew!

Also, I just got confirmation of another screening of my film Peace Begins with Me and You at a film festival in Los Angeles this February. It will be screened at the Conscious Life Expo, a "yearly 'gathering of the tribes' allows the entire spiritual and progressive community in southern California to come together to share, network, learn and celebrate the emergence of the new energies that are slowly but surely converging on our little planet at this time."

One too many...

2007-01-01T13:30:00.000+09:00

Take a moment to reflect.

The war in Iraq is almost four years old. As a 22 year old in 2003, it was difficult for me to imagine what a war in Iraq would really look like. From the on-set, I did not support the war but like many Americans I had no idea how long the fighting would drag on or what it would look like.

Now that I live back at home with my parents, I wake up to the sounds of CNN blasting from the living room each and every morning. Today, I barely bat an eye at the daily reports of violence and killings in Iraq. Have I too become desensitized?

3000 US soldiers have been lost. On the Iraqi side over 500,000 deaths have been estimated. It's time to re-remember why we want peace and to hold a moment of silence for the lives that have been lost on both sides. There are no winners in war.

Here's a video of a weekly memorial organized by Veterans for Peace in Los Angeles. Take a moment to watch the video.

An org to check out: People for Social Change

2006-12-27T10:19:00.000+09:00

There comes a time in our lives where we feel that our lives are spiritual rich enough that a desire to 'give back' wells up inside. The challenge then comes in making a decision in which way can we give back. For some, there's always been sometime we've cared for: whether it's the environment or children. But for others finding that extra special cause can be challenging. One organization in Tokyo, People for Social Change, has taken on that challenge by organizing events to help people "move beyond issue awareness to actualize social change."

Once every two months, PSC holds workshops in which you can learn skills such as fundraising, letter writing and developing social justice lesson plans. Panel discussions and presentations are given by local NGOs.
So if you are looking to "give back" in 2007, perhaps attending an upcoming workshop or checking out their blog will give you some good ideas.

The Anthropology of Violence

2006-12-12T13:29:00.000+09:00

One particular class that I am excited about this term is "The Anthropology of Violence." I think in my quest to create peace, it is important to understand what thoughts already exist on the reasons for violence. This class intendes to look at violence cross culturally, exmaining whether violence is unpredictable and inexplicable or its opposite. Anyways, I am hoping to do a better a job of writing my class notes/reflections in my blog. I've realized recently that I have done very little processing of the ideas and experiences I am having. This needs to be change. Anyways, here's what we covered from my first class:

So to begin, we started with some definitions:

Aggress:
"to commit the first act of hostility'

Agression:
"hostitlity of attack upon another, whether overt, verbal or gestural."
"overt behavior with the intention of inflicting damage or other unpleasentness on another individual."

Violence:
"rough or injurious force, action or treatment, an unjust or unwarented exertion of force and power."
"the inf liction on people of physical injury or death or the threat to do so."
"any attitude, word, action that treatens or destorys the human dignity of a human person or groups of persons"
"any act of agreesion of abuse which causes or intends to cuase injury. IN some cases criminal, or harm to a person, and to a lesser extnet animals or property."

So when harm takes a step further to injury and is goal oriented this is an act of violence.
How does human diginity factor into this? Do we include the injury/harm of human diginity in violence?
What are the methods of violent conduct?
Unlike other animals, humans have developed intra-species killing. Human have the inention to harm, to negate and destroy its own species. When animals attack other animals for food, that is considered predation and not violence.

This class will look at the possible deeper patterns of violene through examination of case studies from around the world. Its nice to be excited about a class, maybe a thesis idea will come from this.

Flat Stanley

2006-12-03T10:48:00.000+09:00

A couple of weeks ago my second grade cousin sent me Flat Stanley in the mail. Stanley used to be a regular kid who is flattened by a falling bulletin board. Now that Stanley is flat, he is mailed across the globe to learn about other people and cultures. My cousin, Ana Sophia, in New Jersey, sent Flat Stanley to me and I took him around to see the more traditional side of Japan.
As a huge proponent for international experience, I believe that this is a fun way to give children a taste of other cultures when they can't get on a plane themselves. Anyways, I had to give him an outfit change so I made him a Hapi coat and Hakama pants. We took Stanley to a local Shinto Shrine where he met with kids dressed up for the Sichi-Go-San festival, a festival that is celebrates the health and happinness of kids 7, 5, and 3 years old.

If you are interested in starting a Flat Stanley project in your school, click here.

Megumi's Peace

Bangladesh Report back

Indigenous Voices of Climate Change Film Festival @ COP15

A step backwards for marriage

Off to Bangladesh!

"The Cove" @ Tokyo International Film Festival

2009 UNHCR Refugee Film Festival

Hafu Japanese project

Youtube launches Video Volunteers

Latest videos from Our World 2.0

Come celebrate interracial marraige at the Loving Day celebrations!

Seeking interracial couple for documentary on Loving Day

Global Media Forum - June 3-5, 2009

Hometown Baghdad on the Sundance Channel this Thursday night

My First OW2.0 Video: Will you eco-marry me?

Up sleeve number two

Up sleeve number one (as promised in my previous entry)

Goodbye Providence, Hello Japan for now

Artivist Film Festival Tokyo ・ アーティビスト映画祭 in 東京

Poem by Hafiz

NYC: Barefoot Workshop Event on Sun 28th.

Waterfire and the Providence SDS

I'm boycotting Victory Day

Peace happs in Providence

July: Personal Update

DOP's first republican co-sponsor

Freeze to prevent a war?

PBWMY accepted to the International Museum of Women

New York: 2008 HMF International Film/Media Festival & Conference

Summer plans 2008

June 25: Refusenik at the Refugee Film Festival

Thesis Summary: How new media contributes to peacebuilding

Tokyo: Support the victims of Cyclon Nargis

Report from the Global Article 9 conference!

Pangaea Day

Hometown Baghdad wins 3 Webby awards!

Forum: The Power of Peace Network

Interviewed by iGenius

Tokyo: Upcoming film festivals

Tokyo: Injured Soldiers Exhibit

Images from Article 9 Peace Bike ride.

Salsa to the Beat of 9, April 26th

Rotary International Peace Park and Hiroshima film

Tokyo: Countdown to the Global Article 9 Conference

Refusenik film: Trailer

Refusenik film: Theater Release!

Tokyo: International Symposium on the Media's Role in Historical Reconciliation

Los Angeles: A Path for Peace

New York: Satyagraha Walk

Colloquia Series at Columbia University

Applying for grants and fellowships

Media and Peace links

War Journalism vs. Peace Journalism

Film: Rotary Peace & Conflict Studies Field Study Trip to Cambodia

iGenius summit

Article 9 Conference and Party

Women's Active Museum on War and Peace

"View from the Bridge" film at Slamdance!

Thesis update: Chat the Planet

Good Morning 2008!

Refusenik- Documentary Film World Premier

Thank you 2007!

Cambodia doc- Walking Through the Killing Fields

Cambodia doc- On our way to Cambodia

Cambodia doc- What Russ takes away from Angkor Wat

Cambodia doc- Boat Trip to Siem Reap

Rotary's Positive Peace Place

Getting started on the Cambodia doc

Thesis update: One step closer

Free Burma!

Film: Jewish in Berlin

Schatten auf Berlin- a dropping knowledge initiative

60 Seconds of Light

Getting focused on my thesis

Headed to Cambodia

The fun of promotion

Getting deeper into Dropping Knowledge

I have arrived in Berlin!

Utah!

Rotary Trip to Hiroshima

Artivist Film Festival Tokyo ・アーティビスト映画祭 in 東京