Short Backgrounder:

The conference of November 26, 2019 is a follow up on the conferences of 2009 and 2014 held at the UN in Geneva on similar topics by UPF and WFWPI in co-sponsorship with other partners, emphasizing the need for a better listening and cooperation among stakeholders invested for peace on the Korean peninsula. This Track II diplomacy, engaging more non-state actors, is meant to be integrated in political deliberations and debates that focus on the current deadlock on the Korean Peninsula.

 In the preparation for and designing of peace cultures, elements such as local access and expertise, trust, and reconciliation can be critical to the success. As an initiative of civil society in support of ongoing processes and developments, the conference aims to create a platform to bring together innovative ideas and tools, build on new opportunities and craft new recommendations for a peaceful re-unification and shared development and prosperity between the two Koreas and in the Region.

 10:00 Opening panel and Welcome
Session I: Security concerns in East Asia

The panel will discuss security issues and concerns in East Asia. Experts on Security and Reconciliation efforts will discuss possibilities for Peace and Development in the geopolitical environment of East Asia. 

11:15 Break

11:45Session II: Efforts for Dialogue and Cooperation between the two Koreas

A second panel of experts will give an account on various ongoing efforts of dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas as well as linking the Korean situation to possible models like the German unification process. It will furthermore feature other promising approaches, tools and available strategies applicable to both Koreas.

13:00 Lunch Break 

15:00 Session III: Models for Dialogue and Peace building through Youth

An interfaith youth panel will elaborate on the benefits of inter-religious peace building and reconciliation efforts by tapping into the world’s great religions and their wealth of wisdom. It hopes to demonstrate how to overcome political doctrine and ideological divides leaing to transformation for the sake of lasting peace and shared prosperity.

 16:15 Break

 16:45 Session IV: Prospects for cooperation between Governments, the UN and Civil society in fostering lasting Peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Finally as a concluding panel the conference aims at connecting to the actual hopeful developments and recent proposals made by the South Korean president Moon, “...if the DMZ comes to house UN offices already stationed in the two Koreas and other international organizations related to peace, ecology and culture and emerges as a center for research on peace, peacekeeping arms control and trust building – it can become an international peace zone in name as well as in substance”.This call found some support in UNESCO’s recent plans to designate a valuable world heritage zone in this critical trouble spot in East Asia. For this panel some representatives of think tanks, UN agencies and civil society partners are asked to present promising new ideas and strategies.

 18:00 End of the conference

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