Timely initiative for peace in Asia launched in Mongolia
Experts in politics, diplomacy and international security from South Korea, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Mongolia, China, Russia and elsewhere gathered in Mongolia from July 7 to 9 and debated how the international community can move toward peace in East Asia. Courtesy of Emanuel Pastreich
Amid mounting concerns about global conflict, a notable gathering of individuals committed to peace in Asia gathered for three days in Mongolia for a serious debate about what concrete steps can be taken to create a positive cycle in the midst of growing distrust.
From July 7 to 9, experts in politics, diplomacy and international security from South Korea, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Mongolia, China, Russia and elsewhere debated how the international community can move toward peace in East Asia, starting with an honest push for the peaceful and free unification of the Korean Peninsula.
Emanuel Pastreich
They started the discussion around a table in a cottage deep in the mountains of Mongolia, continued it while riding horses on the steppe, and concluded the dialog at an international conference in Ulaanbaatar that brought in major political and diplomatic figures, including the former President of Mongolia Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, together for a meeting of minds.
Recent conflicts over Ukraine, Gaza, North Korea and Taiwan have made it almost impossible for members of the international community to come together for an honest discussion with the Chinese and Russians, but that is precisely what this Mongolia Forum managed to do.
In part, that success can be attributed to the hard work of Jargalsaikhan Enkhsaikhan, former Mongolian ambassador to the United Nations and a leader in the search for peace in East Asia. Ambassador Enksaikhan is known for his stress on mutual respect and robust diplomacy, best represented by the work of Blue Banner, the NGO that he established.
Equally important in making the Mongolia Forum successful was the support of Global Peace Foundation, a global NGO with a strong presence in Mongolia, Korea, Japan and the United States that is committed to creating a new architecture for peace centered around a free and unified Korean Peninsula. The founder of the Global Peace Foundation, Preston Moon, has advocated from early on for the role of Mongolia in establishing a substantial dialog leading toward Korean unification. As Mongolia has been uniquely able to maintain strong ties with North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the U.S., it is uniquely positioned to play such a critical role.
Another unique aspect of the Mongolia Forum was the critical role of youth in the discussion about the future of Korea and East Asia. A group of 30 or so college students from South Korea, Mongolia and China met in a separate conference for a series of discussions. The students joined experts in international relations for a town hall session on July 9, which built invaluable bridges between generations and nations.
In affirmation of the commitment of both experts and youth to making concrete contributions, both planted trees to guard against desertification as part of a greater project to promote regional cooperation.
The closing declaration of the Mongolia Forum made the goal clear as day. Those gathered asserted, “A peaceful and prosperous Northeast Asia is the shared desire of the people of this region and the world, and a unified Korean Peninsula is critical to achieving this goal.” Plans are being drafted to establish a regional mechanism for Northeast Asia to facilitate cross-border initiatives with a focus on civil society and taking Korean unification as the essential question for our age.
The Mongolia Forum was inspiring for all and suggested tremendous potential for peace in East Asia at a time of growing tensions.
Emanuel Pastreich is president of the Asia Society, a researcher at the Council on East Asian Studies, Yale University and a senior fellow at Global Peace Foundation.