IAFLP SESSION

Co-creating Spaces for Peace and Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula. What Steps are Women taking toward Sustainable Peace?

Panelists

Chairperson:

Dr. Colette Mazzucelli

Graduate Faculty, NYU New York

H.E. Elsie Christofias

First Lady, Cyprus (2008-2013)

Hon. Dr. Maria Cavaco Silva

First Lady, Portugal (2006-2016)

Dr. Anna Grichting

Professor of Architecture and Landscape Urbanism, Switzerland

Mr. Teson Chon

North Korean Youth Representative, Japan

Hon. Christine Muttonen

Parliamentary President, (OSCE) Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (2016 and 2017)

Dr. Heung Soon Park

Vice President United Nations Association Republic of Korea

Joint session – IAFLP EUME and Korea, UPF and WFWP EUME

BACKGROUNDER

The Korean people, on the once unified peninsula, with a common history, culture and language, were left divided following the Korean war armistice agreement. It is about time to reach a sustainable peace, built on trust through innovative civil society and government partnering from the bottom-up. Europe has experience transforming situations of conflict to ones of peace and co-prosperity, and women’s input has been all-important. 

The WFWPI, supported by the IAFLP, has designed and has been advocating at the United Nations for a women’s peace zone project at the DMZ. This would be a protected and welcoming place where women from North and South could be free to meet to plan and build peace from the bottom up in the pristine and symbolic environment of the untouched DMZ.