Introduction
The Student Movement for the Culture of Peace (SMCP) 4th Annual Symposium was held on May 4th, 2023, on the theme of “Culture of Peace Media and Communication.” The symposium’s purpose was to enable participants to recognize social issues and existing efforts to solve them, and to make further efforts in their daily lives. SMCP invited two guest speakers: Pavitra Kavya, an assistant professor of organizational communication at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, and Nathen Gauer, an associate director of strategic marketing and communication at Soka University of America. The symposium consisted of a panel discussion by the guest speakers and a group discussion.
Panel Discussion
The panel discussion started with the speakers’ view on the culture of peace. Dr. Kavya, as a teacher, stated that the culture of peace for her is never giving up on any situation and never leaving any student behind. She was determined to engage with her students and create peace no matter how tough the situation may seem. Mr. Gauer told his personal experience of witnessing people’s lack of response to a shooting, which made him realize people’s indifference towards other’s suffering. Since then, he has pursued a way to recognize the dignity of human lives, which lies at the core of the culture of peace.
Q&A session
In the Q&A session, Dr. Kavya and Mr. Gauer answered two questions: “What role can information on social media play in contributing to the culture of peace?” and “How should we tackle polarization and the violence that comes with it on social media?” The two guest speakers acknowledged that social media potentially causes harmful effects on users, such as exacerbating polarization in society and inducing mental illness, which can sometimes lead to suicidal thoughts. However, they emphasized that social media also possess the potential to play a role in connecting people, informing them about global issues, and sharing different perspectives from around the world. The guest speakers claimed that people need to utilize social media in positive ways. Moreover, they urged the audience to tackle the issue of polarization in society. It is important to embrace the value of dialogue and empathic communication. Interacting with other people and valuing their thoughts are possible ways to prevent polarization. The two speakers’ thoughtful answers encouraged the audience to use social media wisely and cherish everyone’s existence.
Group Discussion
In the group discussion, the participants created action plans to embody a culture of peace in the age of social media. The main takeaway from the group discussions was to be critical of the information on social media and have dialogues with others. The participants agreed with the importance of dialogue, which leads to creating trust and overcoming differences.
Conclusion
Based on the content of this symposium, SMCP initiated a project to compose a peace proposal with the theme of social media and culture of peace (see full peace proposal: Peace Proposal 2023). We suggested two action plans to prevent polarization in society and utilize the advantages of social media to create a culture of peace. Please join our movement for the Culture of Peace by reading this proposal.