The fourth annual Wee Kim Wee – Soka International Seminar on Global Peace & Understanding organised by the Wee Kim Wee Centre (WKWC) and supported by Singapore Soka Association (SSA) was held on 8 and 9 March 2019 at the Singapore Management University (SMU).

This year, more than twenty local and international speakers ranging from social scientists, cultural innovators, heritage conservationists, artists, art curators, filmmakers to storytellers from Singapore, Hong Kong, Brunei and Japan gathered at SMU to explore alternative ways of shaping future legacies of heritage, discuss why heritage matters and the importance of remembering as well as how societies are shaped by cultures through a series of moderated panel discussions and Q&A sessions. The two-day event was part of a five-year seminar series aimed at creating a deeper understanding of peace, increasing interfaith dialogue and augmenting research and collaborations in related topics.

The seminar commenced with a signing ceremony between SSA and WKWC to commemorate the renewal of the partnership between SMU WKWC and SSA for the Annual Ikeda Peace and Harmony seminar series for five more years, enabling WKWC to continue to champion activities that enhance the understanding of peace, increase interfaith dialogue, and augment research and collaboration in related topics.

[Photo: Prof Lim presented Mr Yap with a plaque after inking an agreement to renew the partnership between SMU WKWC and SSA.]

Professor Lim Kian Guan, SMU Vice Provost (Undergraduate Matters), in his opening remarks, said, “Through the outreach efforts of the Wee Kim Wee Centre, SMU aims to promote a deeper understanding of the impact of culture and diversity on the environment. Just like how we strive to remain healthy by exercising, eating well and caring for our bodies and minds, maintaining a culture of peace in our individual lives, with our communities and the world at large, is in itself, a form of health. We believe that education, both formal and informal, is one of, if not the most powerful drivers of freedom, in providing an environment where people are encourage to preserve a sense of acceptance and social integration, we can help contribute to a sustainable culture of peace. Not just for now, but for the long haul.” 

Mr Michael Yap, Chairperson, Singapore Soka Association said in his welcome address that a central tenet of the Soka Gakkai philosophy is the importance of respecting cultural diversity and exchange while fostering a keener sense of belonging to our communities. He added that the Japanese word “soka” means “value creation” and that “advancing peace, culture and education in our community and the world lies at the heart of the Singapore Soka Association’s social mission”.

He also highlighted his belief in education as the driving force to produce capable leadership and global citizens, who are equipped with empathy and commitment to the wellbeing of humans and society as a whole.  In establishing the premise for the panel discussions taking place at the two-day seminar, he underscored one of the key statements made by Dr Daisaku Ikeda, Soka Gakkai International President, at the 2018 World Economic Forum at Davos, which was that “in a fractured world, we need culture to survive and thrive.” Cultural exchanges “give us the opportunity to bridge divides and spur collaboration on shared global challenges”.

Following this, the seminar opened with a keynote address by Ms Noriko Aikawa-Faure, former Director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Unit, UNESCO, on the overview of global efforts towards the protection and promotion of intangible cultural heritage since the World Heritage Convention (WHC) was set up in 1972.  She shared on several milestones, including a conference on Safeguarding Traditional Cultures: A Global Assessment that took place in Washington in 1999 as well as a Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in 2005. In March 2019, 178 state parties had ratified the terms of the WHC ensuring respect and raising awareness of the importance of intangible cultural heritage.

Panel discussions on the first day included “Cultural Heritage” and “Arts and Culture”. Through the discussions generated, the speakers and audience examined how individuals, institutions and communities co-produce art, performances, lifestyles, beliefs and values and in so doing, collectively manufacture culture; conversely, how these productions also make and shape us.

SMU’s Associate Professor of Arts and Culture Management (Practice) from the School of Social Sciences and Senior Fellow, Wee Kim Wee Centre, Kwok Kian Chow, in his role as a moderator of the panel discussion on “Cultural Heritage”, highlighted the fact that the global community that we live in today is in a reflexive relationship with cultures. Attending specifically to this two-way relationship challenges the conventional dichotomies of art/artist, actor/audience, organism/environment and allows participants to better appreciate the dynamic and fluid production and consumption of culture, and thus illuminate the path to the collective production and iteration of shared norms and practices.

[Photo: SMU’s Assistant Professor of Arts and Cultural Management (Practice) David Ocon with Patrick D. Flores, Artistic Director, Singapore Biennale (2019 edition) and Audrey Wong, Head, School of Creative Industries & Programme Leader, MA Arts and Cultural Leadership, LASALLE College of the Arts, discussing the topic of “Arts and Culture” at the seminar.]

As a speaker for the panel session on “Arts and Culture”, SMU’s Assistant Professor of Arts and Cultural Management (Practice) David Ocon from the School of Social Sciences shared insights on the role of arts festivals in cultural capitals. He provided cases from the ASEAN and Northeast Asia region of arts and culture as instruments of soft diplomacy. For example, the soft diplomacy between Japan and ASEAN nations helped to alleviate historical mistrust, reduce regional tension and built trust, especially after the Second World War. He shared that China, Japan and South Korea have had complex history and relations. Trilateral cultural projects and initiatives for arts and cultural cooperation demonstrate good potential to bring together citizens of each nation, and serve as triggers and contributors of soft diplomacy that enhance relationships during times of tension.         

The day concluded with a heritage walking trail along Waterloo Street and Queen Street and through Singapore’s civic district, giving participants an experiential element of the city-state’s rich cultural and religious diversity. The historical trail showcased the unintentionally integrated cultures in the course of early city development by Singapore’s forefathers and with it, cemented the foundation of Singapore’s racial harmony. 

[Photo: Close to 150 participants attended the two-day seminar.]

The second day’s panel discussions focused on “Happiness and Culture”, “Literary Culture in Singapore” and “Multiculturalism”.  The session on “Happiness and Culture” was moderated by Assistant Professor of Philosophy Matt Hammerton, from SMU’s School of Social Sciences. Associate Professor of Psychology, William Tov, from SMU’s School of Social Sciences was a speaker at the panel, putting forward his views on Culture and Well-Being from a psychological perspective.

Prof Hammerton shared that the topic was relevant to SMU’s academic offerings as undergraduates in the next academic year who will have the opportunity to benefit from the Big Questions: Happiness and Suffering course offered under SMU’s Core Curriculum.  Compulsory for freshmen starting in August 2019, SMU’s Core Curriculum delivers a common intellectual experience through three learning paths: Capabilities, Communities and Civilisations, in order to provide students with the appropriate environment and opportunity to deepen their understanding and knowledge of the world, and to cultivate emotional intelligence and decision-making skills which are critical skills in the workplace. Core courses, such as the Big Questions module, have been created to encourage students to think across disciplines and to think outside of traditional boxes, fostering strategic thinkers, lifelong learners, team players and global citizens.

This year’s seminar on global peace and understanding was a rousing success as it highlighted the dynamic and fluid production and consumption of culture and shone the spotlight on the collective production and iteration of shared norms, practices and cultures that are the fundamental building blocks of the global community. The partnership between WKWC and SSA reinforces both institutions’ shared goal of promoting deeper understanding of the impact of cultural diversity in the society.  With the renewed partnership for the next five years, we can expect more cross-cultural conversations to suggest fresh ways to bridge old divides and inspire new collaborations on shared global challenges.

[Featured photo: (Seated from left) Mr Michael Yap, Chairperson, Singapore Soka Association and Assoc Prof Tan Yoo Guan, Interim Dean, School of Social Sciences, SMU. (Standing from left) Professor Lim Kian Guan, SMU Vice Provost (Undergraduate Matters) and Mr Tay Eng Kiat, General Director, SSA. SMU Wee Kim Wee Centre and SSA renewed their partnership for the Annual Ikeda Peace and Harmony seminar series for five more years.]