Central to peace leadership is a desire for inclusion and cohesion whereby individuals are enabled to live in liberty to their fullest potential, free from the oppression of powers who seek to wield dominance. Peace leadership, therefore, is focused on creating a positive peace, while including essential elements working against forces for violence and aggression, or negative peace (Galtung, 3).

A select group of 6-8 students will join BLI Director and Mindful Leadership Researcher Ram Mahalingam and BLI Academic Program Specialist and Mindful Cohort program manager, Elizabeth Rohr, on a 3-week, immersive peace leadership journey in Japan. Students will observe and learn about peace studies, mindfulness and contemplative practices with a focus on Japanese aesthetics to help build their leadership portfolio and promote peace, dignity, and sustainability in their personal, social and workplace domains.

This experiential learning opportunity will include travel to multiple sites throughout Japan and will include classroom workshops on meditation, mindfulness, and peace and conflict resolution.