The Rotary Club, a global humanitarian organization, held a Rotary Global Peace Forum meeting in Honolulu from Jan. 25 – 27.
The Rotary Global Peace Forum acts as a gathering place to discuss and develop strategies to help develop a more peaceful world and focuses on the younger generation of leaders, who share their ideas for a future world of peace.
Students from Sacred Hearts Academy attended the event with Toni Normand, Interact club adviser.
“The overall theme of this forum is ways organizations and clubs can come together to promote peace,” Normand said. “I wanted to take student leaders with me so they can take a look at projects that other school organizations are doing.”
Among those in attendance was Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who received an award for her work toward peace in her country, Myanmar.
Suu Kyi, chairperson of the National League for Democracy, was placed under house arrest by the Burmese government for 15 years, where she was cut off from communication to the outside world.
During those years, she was cut off from her family, including her sons and husband who died while she was imprisoned.
Despite her personal difficulties, Suu Kyi continued her quest.
She received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her continued protest through non-violent acts.
Normand was inspired by the peace prize winner.
“She had a great presence of mind,” Normand said. “She was passionate about wanting rule of law and democracy in her country.”
Suu Kyi, now an elected representative in her country, discussed country’s economy and peace around the world.
“Her main message was about simple peace. She says that if you build simple peace, such as feeding the hungry or helping the homeless, you are building simple peace,” Normand said.
Academy students who attended the conference with Normand were seniors Kimi Hashimoto, Katherine Wong and Kelly Lam, as well as sophomore Aina Katsikas and eighth grader Ahmiya Cacapit.
“Attending the peace conference gave me the hope that peace is possible,” Wong said.
“Attending the forum lessened my somewhat cynical view on the world,” Hashimoto said. “The most inspiring workshop was the ‘World Peace Through Personal Health,’ moderated by Dr. Terry Shintani. The workshop inspired me to continue my pursuit into the medical field.”
Suu Kyi was a speaker during the second day of the forum. She spoke about acts of peace and how those at the conference could help bring peace to their communities.
“She is the perfect definition of a role model because just listening to her story has made me want to do something as meaningful as what she has done,” Cacapit said. “I was intrigued by her humility and confidence.”
“Aung San Suu Kyi taught me that we must actively work towards achieving peace in re-evaluating our situations with alternative solutions,” Katsikas said. “Rather than solving problems with war, we must converse in democracy.”