On September 12-13, 2019, Global Asia Research Center at Waseda University hosted a international symposium and workshop entitled “Reconstructing the Architecture of International Peacebuilding”.

■Overall Conference theme

We are facing fundamental demographic changes in the world. There will be a critical rise of non-Christian population (including Muslims and Hindus) not only as victims of violence but also inhabitants of the Globe.
At the same time, non-Western actors such as China, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia are emerging in the field of peacebuilding.

The existing discussion on hybrid peacebuilding has reminded us the importance of constructing mutually beneficial partnerships between local and external actors. The challenge facing us is how to manage such interactions and to utilise both internal and external transnational resources to enhance the power oflocality to advance peace in post-conflict environments in the wake of changing global demography and emerging non-Western peacebuilding actors.

Under such circumstances, how global institutions such as the United Nations should incorporate nonwestern values, customs, norms and standards into their principles and practice of peacebuilding is questioned. How would the anticipated changes in the global demography affect the power-relations within hybridity? How could we integrate the interests of the Global North, newly emerging powers, and the Global South in the emerging global order? How should the International Peacebuilding Architecture be
restructured to meet with these critical changes.