An ongoing nine-day online symposium on conflict prevention has generated a number of Internet-based discussions among participants from more than 35 countries.
Every continent is represented in the e-Symposium, which entered its sixth day Tuesday. The event, the fourth in a series, is sponsored by The Japan Times and the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention.
The online symposium's open-discussion session has attracted interest from the public and conflict prevention experts alike.
Many participants focused on the theme of the symposium, "The Role of Non-State Actors in Conflict Prevention."
Suggestions for possible nonstate players taking a positive role in conflict prevention included nongovernmental organization networks in early warning systems, charismatic individuals active in the field, and NGOs influencing governments in conflicts rather than being involved in the conflicts directly.
Some negative roles of nonstate players were also mentioned, including that of the media inflaming conflicts or presenting biased views, and multinationals fueling conflicts, particularly in Africa.
A participant from India spoke of the role of civil society in the ongoing conflict in Kashmir, while a Burundi priest analyzed how civil society can act against corruption and human rights abuses in Africa. A participant from Azerbaijan commented on diaspora as being another nonstate player that can, and often does, have a significant role in fueling and preventing conflicts.
Eighteen panelists have been participating in the symposium, giving the public a chance to exchange views and opinions directly with conflict prevention experts.
To take part in the online discussions, visit www.dwcw.org/4th_e-symposium/ or contact [email protected]