Two UH Mānoa doctoral students are advancing their dissertations on the topic of peace studies after being awarded Nobumoto Tanahashi Peace Fellowships. The Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (MIP) awards the fellowships each Spring semester, named after the businessman and spiritual leader who founded the Heiwa Kyokai (Order of Peace Congregation).
Fellowship winner Wiwik Dharmiasih, a PhD student in Geography and Environment, is researching efforts to protect Bali’s subak — thousand-year-old, cooperative rice terraces utilizing an ecologically sustainable irrigation system. Dharmiasih’s work examines how local farmers view the sustainability of UNESCO protections, and how community driven decision-making can help preserve the cultural landscape.
Second fellowship recipient Emi Obana, a PhD student in music composition and a graduate certificate candidate in conflict resolution, is exploring peace through musical composition. Her dissertation centers on how personal transformation can inspire community peace. Obana plans to use the fellowship to support a live performance of her final piece.
MIP, a program in the School of Communication and Information, bestows the fellowships each spring in tribute to Tanahashi. His 1986 gift to UH, the Hawaiʻi Peace Memorial located outside Kennedy Theatre, reflects his vision for global harmony, and recognizes the contributions of Japanese immigrants to peace in Hawaiʻi.
See the full story on the SCI home page at https://sci.manoa.hawaii.edu/tanahashis-vision-of-peace/
