Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC)

Words of Recommendation

(1) Flavia Pansieri
　　Executive Coordinator, United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
Through the Coursework in Japan, Program Associates (PAs) joining this year will be able to steadily acquire professional knowledge and skills enabling them to exert their best possible effort in the field of peacebuilding.
UNV and other fellow international organizations have extended much needed cooperation to this Program over the past four years and have accepted highly qualified PAs as UN Volunteers for their Overseas Attachment. It is indeed hoped that the Program this year will also contribute to wider peacebuilding activities through professionalism and the volunteer spirit that PAs developed during their coursework.
I furthermore hope that, after their coursework, PAs will continue contributing towards peace-building efforts in their own way while realizing that volunteerism constitutes nothing but a powerful resource for achievement of peace and development.

(2) Sukehiro Hasegawa
　　Professor, Faculty of Law, Hosei University
　　Former Special Advisor for the President of Timor-Leste
　　Former Special Representative of The U.N. Secretary General for Timor-Leste
I would like to quote Albert Einstein's words "No problem can be solved by the same consciousness and mode of thinking that which identified the problem.” His words seem to point out the importance of utilizing your creativity in peacebuilding exercises without worrying about the existing framework. More importantly, you will study sufficiently those basic concepts and actual cases of peacebuilding through the Program before you become involved in the field. I do hope you will work hard and in a spirit of candor.

(3) Lakhdar Brahimi
　　Former USG, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United
　　Nations
The Program for Human Resource Development in Asia for Peacebuilding, initiated by the Government of Japan, deserves a very warm welcome. The Program opens an effective avenue for more diverse participation by Asians both young and old men and women.
One cannot miss that the Program is closely associated with the powerful symbolic significance of the name and history of Hiroshima.
Now, let me express my gratitude and thanks to the Government and people of Japan and a warm welcome to this wonderful contribution to the United Nations and towards the achievement of peace. I wish the Program huge success.

(4) Toshihiro Nakamura
　　CEO, Co-Founder, US-based NPO, Kopernik
　　Former Strategy Planning Advisor for UNDP, Sierra Leone Office
The Program for Human Resource Development in Asia for Peacebuilding is indeed an optimal Program for those participating from Japan and countries in Asia who wish to build advanced careers in the system of the United Nations for peacebuilding as the Program provides you with unique chances to hear the real voices and messages of seniors working at the forefront, and to gain training through involvement in a UN agency field office.
I recommend that, by all means, you use this time to step forward through this challenging Program and take on these most meaningful challenges. You will have no regrets, I assure you.

(5) Kevin J. Allen
The UN Refugee Agency and the UNHCR eCentre in Tokyo place great value on our longstanding partnership with the Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC).
We are particularly pleased to support HPC courses that prepare Japanese professionals to engage in peacebuilding activities abroad.
The nature of forced displacement in the 21st century -- whether in the context or refugees or IDPs -- is increasingly complex and requires multi-faceted approaches.
Ultimately, efforts to promote peace will reduce the incidence of conflict, human rights violations and persecution which produce displacement.
Of equal importance, peacebuilding is central to the sustainable return and reintegration of refugees and IDPs after flight.