Global Peace Leadership Conference Indo-Pacific 2023

Amb Gupta retired from the government service eight years ago after spending over 37 years with the Indian Foreign Service. He served as India’s High Commissioner in Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, South Africa as well as several other Caribbean countries. He also served as Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations and as Deputy Director General of India’s largest security studies think tank IDSA where, inter alia, he coordinated the work of South Asia cluster He served as a Visiting Professor at School of International Studies, JNU during 2018-2019. He is currently associated with a number of NGOs and think tanks and takes active interest in public policy issues. As President of a well known five decades old NGO ‘Antar Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad’, he is particularly focussed on Indian diaspora and neighbourhood issues. He is also Faculty member of ‘Samkalp’, an NGO engaged in training poor and underprivileged students for the Indian Civil services entrance exam, since 2014. He has edited several books including ‘Pakistan Occupied Kashmir – Untold Story’, ‘India’s Neighbourhood – Challenges Ahead’ and ‘Energy Security : Asia Pacific Perspectives’ and has contributed chapters in various books including a recent publication ‘The Modi Doctrine: New Paradigms in India’s Foreign Policy’. He has been writing on topical issues in various prestigious newspapers and magazines and regularly participates in TV talk shows and academic conferences on current international relations issues.

Dr. Marsudi is Vice General Chairman of Indonesian Ulema Council.

Dr. Markandey Rai is Senior Advisor of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Dr. Rai is also Chairperson of the Joint Advisory Committee, which advises UN offices at Nairobi (UNON) on administrative issues. He has served UN-HABITAT in various roles for seventeen years and was elected President of the Nairobi Staff Union 2000-2003. In January of 2006 he was the recipient of the Hind Rattan Award. Dr. Rai has served on the boards of academic, cultural, and social bodies in different countries. In 2009 he addressed EU presidency seminar at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm and Global Parliamentarians on Habitat conference in Washington, DC. Dr. Rai is a member of GPF’s Global Leadership Council.

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is the founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), established in 2009 and currently active in 24 countries. Working across lines of identity – from culture, ethnicity, religion, and beyond – GPF works to foster the moral, innovative leadership necessary to resolve the most pressing issues in our world today. Dr. Moon’s disciplined focus on a common vision, universal principles and shared values guides GPF in building innovative models of peace, development and a global network of multi-sectoral partners. Even while addressing local issues, numerous regional and international level conventions, forums and programs, enables the organization to garner lessons and best practices for a global community. Dr. Moon has a lifelong passion for empowering young leaders, particularly in emerging countries. He founded Service For Peace in 2002 to provide international service learning opportunities for youth of diverse backgrounds who work together to address urgent social needs. Service For Peace is now established in 27 nations and has special consultative status with the United Nations. Dr. Moon is the author of Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, which won the Book of the Year in 2014 by the Readers’ Newspaper in Korea.

Sharleen Tomobe has been in the non-profit industry for more than two decades, passionate in raising young leaders as a consistent young leader herself all throughout her entire academic years. She continued taking on various leadership roles in many youth organizations, developing youth leadership programs in the Philippines and abroad. She also played key roles in GPF’s small- and large-scale international events since 2009 to this date. In 2009, she was the key person who pioneered the establishment of the Global Peace Foundation Philippines. Now based in Japan, she is still keeping the role as Founding Board Member and Trustee ensuring corporate compliance and program delivery of GPF Philippines. Currently, she serves as the Program Development Coordinator of Global Peace Foundation International Office guiding the youth leadership development area.

Coach Wouter is the Founder and CEO of TransformationFirst.Asia in Singapore.

A former monk and banker who bridges East and West, he helps executives, professionals, and emerging GenY and GenZ leaders to navigate transitions in their careers and create new cultures of innovation.

Clients from 129 countries have benefited from his leadership coaching and training to boost their impact.

An expert on influencing skills with more than 30 years of innovation experience, including 20 years as the leading water specialist at the Asian Development Bank, he is known for bringing out the best in people, breaking down barriers, and building trust with all levels of the organization.

He coaches his clients to practice effective leadership behaviors, become influential change makers, and grow more leaders in their projects.

He lives in the Philippines and Indonesia and has supported GPF in leadership development work for peacebuilders since 2020.

As the track chair for Y20 India, an official consultation forum for youth from all G20 member countries, Mr. Mittal is committed to fostering a supportive ecosystem for the youth to raise their voice. He strongly believes in the power of collaboration and is excited to work with the youth across the globe and encourages them as future leaders to raise awareness around global issues, exchange ideas, argue, negotiate, and reach a consensus.

Mr. Mittal is an entrepreneur and is invested in the health-tech domain. He was part of the founding team of the Government of India’s revolutionary Ayushman Bharat program, where he led the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team and built the PM-JAY mobile application that was launched by the honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Mr. Mittal is a data enthusiast and has implemented advanced data solutions across healthcare, e-commerce, automotive, politics, and fintech domains. He is actively involved in the entrepreneurship community, serving as a mentor to several young entrepreneurs. He is a regular speaker at industry events and conferences, sharing insights on topics such as innovation, collaboration, and the role of youth at various levels of governance, democracy, and in business.

Mr. Mittal regularly contributes to various digital and physical news, research, and think-tank platforms as an Industry Expert as well as the Y20 Track Chair.

Goris founded Semut Nusantara Consulting (https://semutnusa.com/) who has been serving as consultant for companies to transform their CSR activities into more sustainable, impactful, and measurable models. It has been his vision to empower more population from rural areas in Remote Island of the beautiful archipelago of Indonesia to urban communities who still witness disparity in one of fastest growing economies in the world. Country’s most admired state-owned company, largest family business group, multinational company, and international development organization are among their clients.

Goris is a shareholder of PT Lentera Mitra Sejahtera (https://lenteramitra.co.id/), a boutique impact investment company which focuses 80% of its portfolio on affordable housing development.

While in ITB during college time, he co-founded ITB Entrepreneurship Challenge (IEC). IEC has been supporting thousands of students to become entrepreneurs from 2007 until 2014; it was acknowledged as Indonesia’s leading student’s Business Plan Competition at that time, broadcasted by a national TV channel in 2011-2013.
His debut in Entrepreneurship was back in 2007 when he co-founded PT Resultan Nusantara, a start up on RFID-based automation solutions.
He dedicated his passion in social entrepreneurship since 2008 by founding a youth leading social enterprise concerning Youth Education, Community Development, as well as Youth Entrepreneurship in his hometown, Garut.

Thryza Dow leads the entrepreneurship vertical at Idobro Impact Solution. She has implemented capacity-building programs for over 500 women, social and green enterprises in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, including women-owned businesses, circular businesses, community-based micro-entrepreneurs, and people with disabilities.

Prior to her current role, she led Blincventures.com, an online platform for social businesses in Nepal, where she implemented two incubation programs for early-stage green enterprises along with various capacity building training, podcasts, knowledge tools, and networking opportunities for businesses focusing on social change

Worked with NIESBUD for 27 years. Now a freelance consultant and facilitator I Development. Working with institutions, trainers/teachers, social Sector organizations and international organizations.
Masters in Psychology with professional qualifications from IIM Ahmedabad, Durham Business School UK, ISABS, SIDA .
Was chairperson of Udyogini, member in the board of Stars forum, IBTADA and ASSED.
Widely traveled and has few publication.

Rumit Walia is a young peacebuilder and a staunch environmentalist. While still at school, he displayed outstanding leadership to lead several social work initiatives. He aims to inspire youth to work for a Peaceful and greener world where all of humanity realize the value of oneness. Rumit currently manages Youth and Peacebuilding Initiatives at GPF India.

The successful youth initiatives for peacebuilding programs in India can evidence his expertise in stimulating younger generations to be stewards of peacebuilding he conceptualized and implemented. He effortlessly reached top-rung movers and shakers with his confidence and power of persuasion. Rumit has also petitioned organizations to support interfaith leadership, such as those that mandate Youth Circle dialogues and provide opportunities for youth to find solutions and turn their ideas into successful social enterprises and Research.

Conversely, he is just as comfortable with outreach to people at the grassroots level, particularly agriculturalists coming as he does from a farming background. Rumit serves as an advisor to several other NGOs and is an engineering graduate with more than 10 years of experience in Social Work and Program Management.

Aishwarya Chaturvedi is an Assistant Professor at Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, India. She holds an LL.M. from Cornell Law School, United States of America, LLB from Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi and BA (Hons) Philosophy from Hindu College, University of Delhi. She previously practiced intellectual property law at the Supreme Court of India and High Court of Delhi. She also worked as a research assistant at Cornell Law School.

She is the author of the book “The Unheard Predicament: Social and Legal Perspective on Women and Child Rights In India”. This book is an effort to spread awareness of social, economic and political issues related to women and children in India. She is also the President of the NGO “Nirman” helping underprivileged children in India and a Project Leader in India at the Global Peace Women International.

GAIL HAMBLETON is serving as Senior Program Specialist, Value-based Peacebuilding, for the Global Peace Foundation. Ms. Hambleton has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 25 years, and has served as an educator, and mediator in international conflict situations, and convener of interreligious networks and engagements. She lived and worked in Africa for eight years serving in the mission and humanitarian aid fields. Her passion for peace is rooted in her difficult experiences during six years of the war in Zimbabwe, the military coup in Kenya, and the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda. Ms. Hambleton was instrumental in establishing the humanitarian aid organization “Women for Women” in Rwanda, in 1997. Ms. Hambleton has coordinated Values-based Peacebuilding Tracks at the annual Global Peace Conventions and Conferences, in Philippines, Kenya, Atlanta, Malaysia, Paraguay, Uganda, and Korea. Gail is also the National Director of the “PeaceHub Campaign” in the USA. Gail is the mother of three beautiful children, and lives with her husband in Baltimore, Maryland

Sharleen Tomobe has been in the non-profit industry for more than two decades, passionate in raising young leaders as a consistent young leader herself all throughout her entire academic years. She continued taking on various leadership roles in many youth organizations, developing youth leadership programs in the Philippines and abroad. She also played key roles in GPF’s small- and large-scale international events since 2009 to this date.

In 2009, she was the key person who pioneered the establishment of the Global Peace Foundation Philippines. Now based in Japan, she is still keeping the role as Founding Board Member and Trustee ensuring corporate compliance and program delivery of GPF Philippines. Currently, she serves as the Program Development Coordinator of Global Peace Foundation International Office guiding the youth leadership development area.

Dr. Markandey Rai is Senior Advisor of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Dr. Rai is also Chairperson of the Joint Advisory Committee, which advises UN offices at Nairobi (UNON) on administrative issues. He has served UN-HABITAT in various roles for seventeen years and was elected President of the Nairobi Staff Union 2000-2003. In January of 2006 he was the recipient of the Hind Rattan Award. Dr. Rai has served on the boards of academic, cultural, and social bodies in different countries. In 2009 he addressed EU presidency seminar at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm and Global Parliamentarians on Habitat conference in Washington, DC. Dr. Rai is a member of GPF’s Global Leadership Council.

Dr. Hyunjin Preston Moon is the founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), established in 2009 and currently active in 24 countries. Working across lines of identity – from culture, ethnicity, religion, and beyond – GPF works to foster the moral, innovative leadership necessary to resolve the most pressing issues in our world today. Dr. Moon’s disciplined focus on a common vision, universal principles and shared values guides GPF in building innovative models of peace, development and a global network of multi-sectoral partners. Even while addressing local issues, numerous regional and international level conventions, forums and programs, enables the organization to garner lessons and best practices for a global community. Dr. Moon has a lifelong passion for empowering young leaders, particularly in emerging countries. He founded Service For Peace in 2002 to provide international service learning opportunities for youth of diverse backgrounds who work together to address urgent social needs. Service For Peace is now established in 27 nations and has special consultative status with the United Nations. Dr. Moon is the author of Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, which won the Book of the Year in 2014 by the Readers’ Newspaper in Korea.

Dr. Sunil Rai is the Chancellor of University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES). A veteran academician, he has a vast experience of 42 years with 20 years in academics, 21 years with the Indian Navy and 2 years in the corporate world. Prior to joining UPES, he was the Vice Chancellor of UPES Dehradun, MIT Arts Design & Technology University, Pune and Director on Board of Maharashtra IT Corporation, Govt. of Maharashtra. In his illustrious career in the world of academia, Dr. Rai has come to be known for designing and implementing plans that transform organizations. He has led them in various capacities – as pro-vice-chancellor, director, dean, and chairperson; additionally, he has been instrumental in building some of these universities into huge brands – through implementing processes, developing and nurturing their staff and obtaining accreditations for them. He is also a defense veteran and managed ships and technical establishments of Indian Navy in various capacities. He was a commissioned officer in the Indian Navy for 21 years and served on ships INS Vikrant, Nilgiri, Himgiri and Oil tanker Shakti. Dr. Rai holds a PhD in Business Continuity Management from BITS Pilani, M. Tech. in Computer Science & Engineering from IIT Mumbai and MBA with HR Specialization from IGNOU. He also holds a Masters in Marine Engineering from Naval College of Engineering (NCE), INS Shivaji – Lonavla and B.Sc. Honors degree from Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. An astute academician, Dr. Rai has been rated as the best faculty for eight years in succession at national and foreign campuses. He has an eclectic mix of management, engineering and performing arts as part of his professional journey and his research interests comprise of technology enabled – people driven change management and organizational development. Dr. Rai is also a member of the Board of Advisors, Outreach Programs of Virginia Polytechnic University, Blacksburg, USA and the co-founder of Cambridge Global Partners, Edinburgh UK, which provides strategic consulting to several industrial and academic organizations. A proven thought leader with unbridled enthusiasm for work, he has published papers on Business Continuity and Higher Education in various journals and published articles in management magazines & business, education columns in newspapers. An excellent communicator and a prolific speaker, he has addressed national & international conferences and has earned accolades for his oratorical skills and style of public speaking.

Dr. Rajan Welukar has more than 36 years’ experience with the Indian Higher Education System as a teacher, development leader, quality innovator, technology adopter, administrator and policy advisor. A passion to make a difference to the lives of students and learners through involvement as a policy and opinion leader, as well as actually implementing development initiatives, has made him a known higher educational professional. Various positions held include: Vice Chancellorships, Directorships, Secretarial positions in the Government, Asia wide Officer roles, Memberships of numerous Committees, Associations and Bodies all across the globe. Education Institutions worked in Maharashtra : Provost, Somaiya Group of Institutions, Mumbai, Vice-chancellor, University of Mumbai, Vice-chancellor, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, I/C Vice-chancellor, SNDT Women’s University, Deputy Secretary to the Governor of Maharashtra, Officer on special duty, Higher & Technical Education department, Government of Maharashtra, I/C Director, Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education and taught statistics to Undergraduate and Postgraduate classes in Institute of Science, Nagpur and Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai, Presently Vice Chancellor, Atlas Skilltech University, Mumbai. Worked on various important committees of National Knowledge Commission, University Grants Commission, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Film and Television Institute of India, Central Govt., State Govt., and various important educational institutions. Countries visited in various roles include – USA, UK, China, Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, UAE, etc.

https://pushpanadham.wixsite.com/karanam

Mr. Francis Joseph started his journey as a teacher in early 1990’s and thereafter grew to be the Chief Operating Officer of one of India’s largest chain of schools in the country. He has established and managed more than 120 + schools of national and international curriculum in different parts of the India and overseas. He is recognised as one of the top 25 educationists who are transforming education in India. He works very closely in the public education space and has established an education board in 2018 for the Government of Maharashtra. He is known for his work in developing, implementing policies & decisions of public interest by collaborating with CBSE, ICSE, Cambridge and IB Boards. He is also a Member in the Advisory Board of Cambridge Assessment International Education (South Asia).

Francis Joseph is presently the executive director of GEMS Education (India).

Dr. Tony Devine works with Ministries of Education, educational systems, schools, universities as well as private and civil society stakeholders to reimagine what it means to educate in preparing students to be future ready and be successful in all aspects of their lives. He oversees the development of the Transformation of Education, Moral and Innovative Leadership, Character and Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Technology and Digital Literacy programs in counties around the world. These programs and advocacy efforts develop character and values that guide skills such as creativity, problem solving, communications, collaboration in the application of new knowledge for the greater benefit of humanity. He is a contributor to the Advisory Group of OECD’s Future of Education & Skills 2030 Project. He is the President of Global Peace Foundation Ireland where oversees International Peacesharing Programs and Forums that exposes practitioners, educators, peacebuilders, government representatives and faith leaders to values-based peacebuilding and reconciliation. 

Dr. Margarita Consolacion Casabar Ballesteros or Direk Marge as she is fondly called works at the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) as Director for External Partnerships and International Cooperation Office. She is the Department’s senior focal person for partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies, the private sector, local government units, national government agencies, and civil society organizations. She provides oversight to the Department’s International Cooperation Office and works closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and all other international organizations. She handles all international affairs of the Department wherein she represents the education agency both here and abroad.”

An astute & seasoned educationist Mrs. Sanyogita Sharma began her career as an English lecturer in Women’s College Amritsar. Having more than 35 years of experience in school education, she comes with a Master’s Degree in English and a post Graduate Diploma in School Leadership and Management with a professional Education Degree. During her tenure for 15 years with DAV Public School, Sector 14 Faridabad as Head Mistress, she worked as Head examiner, Paper setter and Resource person with CBSE and NIOS. Joined Manav Rachna International School in 2006 as Founder Principal with its first school at Sector 21C, moving on to head Manav Rachna International school Charmwood and presently she is the Director of Manav Rachna International Schools in NCR and Punjab .

Sonal Kapoor is Founder & Board Member, Protsahan India Foundation – an intersectional, feminist, arts-based organization in New Delhi, India. She is an esteemed Ashoka Fellow & World Bank Fellow who has studied child rights at NLSIU, Bangalore and Harvard. Sonal has served as Member, Expert Committee on Anti-Child Trafficking (Delhi Commission of Women) and engages with policymakers on the intersections of child rights law & paediatric psychology to birth systems change in child protective services for most vulnerable children in emergencies and crises settings. Protsahan, under her leadership, has rescued and rehabilitated over 1948 girls from violence and abuse and reaches out to 81,000 marginalized girls every year by ensuring robust social protection linkages to strengthen their families so that these girls don’t end up institutionalized in shelter homes or married as child brides or sold at brothels. Sonal loves to have her chai in quiet little unknown corners of the city.

Dr Suzanne Dillon is an education policy specialist whose career has focused on improving educational outcomes for all students. She began her career in educational development, working to design and implement an in-service teacher education programme. She served as a teacher in second-level schools for 13 years before joining the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland. In 2011, Suzanne became an Assistant Chief Inspector with responsibility for leading the Department’s Evaluation Support and Research Unit. Since 2016, her responsibilities included providing advice on curriculum and assessment policy to the Department and to the wider educational system, supporting significant curriculum reform at primary and post-primary levels. In that role, she conducted extensive research into school and teacher autonomy and the role schools and teachers can play in providing for children’s wellbeing.
Suzanne has been involved in the OECD Future of Education 2030 project since 2016 as Ireland’s governmental representative and she has been Chair of the project’s Advisory Group since Spring 2018.
Suzanne holds a Doctorate from Dublin City University. Her research interests are teacher enablement and recognition and evaluation studies.

Chairperson NPSC, state award, cbse National ward, National award for service to disabilities from ministry of social justice & empowerment, working committee member of Manodarpan, an initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat , chairperson on national Includion committee

Mrs. Lata Vaidyanathan is a veteran educationist who is committed to promotion of child- centered education. During her illustrious career of more than three-and-a-half decades, she was the Principal of Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan school at Chandigarh, the founder Principal of Eicher School at Parwanoo and the Principal of Modern School Barakhamba Road, New Delhi for the last fourteen years. She was honoured with the ‘National Award to Teachers’ in the year 2003 by the President of India. She is also the recipient of numerous awards including the ‘Dr. Radhakrishnan Award’, ‘Bharat Shiromani Award’, ‘Madhav Gourav Ratna Achievement Award’, ‘International Lifetime Achievement Award 2009’ and ‘Global Warming Reduction Award 2009’, ‘Educationist of the Year Award 2013’ and ‘Lifetime Achievement Award by the Patanjali Trust 2014’. She spearheaded burden-free education, and a practitioner of Multiple Intelligence approach to learning & Total Quality Management in education. She is well respected as an educationist both at home and abroad. She undertook many outreach programmes to sensitise student and teachers towards addressing issues concerning community development. Her contribution towards inclusive education of differently- abled children is commendable.

Rev. Fr. Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka, Ph.D. is the International Program Development Specialist and the African Regional Representative at the Global Peace Foundation . He received is Ph.D from Howard University, majoring in Development Studies and Public Policy, focusing on Peacebuilding and Human Security, Contemporary Africa and Human -Centered Development. He is an adjunct faculty in the African Studies Department of Howard University, belongs to many peacebuilding organizations and is a SASAKAWA Fellow. Rev. Canice, a peacebuilding researcher, and practitioner organizes , moderates, and participates in various various multifaith and community-driven peacebuilding programs and conferences locally and internationally. He researches and engages scholars and frontline practitioners on religion in conflict, peacebuilding and human security. Rev. Canice works extensively to appreciate the intercession of religious values and socio-political engagement in contemporary Africa

Dispassion for the world and attraction for Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of “Service to Man is Service to God” led a working professional in his twenties, to tread a new path. The youngster who joined the Ramakrishna Order as a monastic, later became Swami Shantatmananda, after formal monastic vows. In his journey of nearly 45 years in the Ramakrishna Order so far, he has spent nearly 30 years at the international headquarters of the Order, viz. Belur Math in West Bengal. He was in-charge of the Audit Department for more than two decades and brought about many important reforms. He was also instrumental in initiating major staff welfare schemes benefitting thousands of employees.

His passion for service to the poor and marginalised, led to his helping in the setting up of two voluntary organisations in West Bengal, namely Sarada Seva Sangha and Sarada Kalyan, largely managed by trained women volunteers. These have turned out to become wonderful examples of women empowerment. When he assumed charge as the Head of the Ramakrishna Mission, Delhi nearly 15 years ago, new vistas opened before him. Dissemination of the spiritual messages of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda as well as conducting scriptural classes became one of the major focus areas. These and other lecture assignments have taken him all over the world.

His passion for interfaith harmony inspired him to organize a World Meet for Peace and Harmony in 2012, which was inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The fact that Swami Vivekananda’s ideas of man-making and character-building education have not penetrated our educational system compelled him to start a programme to awaken children to their full potential, through gentle nurturing and guidance. This nascent idea led to a full-fledged Awakened Citizen Program, which was launched in 2013-14 and is currently running in over 5,500 schools, all over India. The programme has already changed mindsets and touched the lives of 10 lakh children and 20,000 teachers. He is now working on developing programmes for primary school children, parents, administrators, corporate executives, professionals and others who are likely to benefit from the powerful and highly relevant, contemporary ideas of Swami Vivekananda. He is in the process of setting up a separate institution, namely Vivekananda Institute of Values (VIVA) for this purpose at Gurgaon, in Haryana.

He has been a member of some of the insightful committees set up by Central Government on Education. Presently, he is a member of the NITI Aayog. Swami Shantatmananda has contributed a column on Hinduism for eight years in the newspaper Sunday Guardian. He also writes occasionally for the Speaking Tree of Times of India. He has a deep love for music and he is deeply interested in sports.

Fr Dr M. D. Thomas is Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, and has been committed to education, cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, social ethics, communal harmony, national integration and social wellbeing, for the past over 40 years. He contributes to the above cause through lectures, articles, video messages, conferences, social interactions, views at TV channels, and the like.

Holding a Ph.D. in Hindi Literature from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, on a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural theme ‘Kabeer Aur Eesaayee Chintan’, he has to his credit 6 books, some 450 articles, 2 music albums, nearly 1500 lectures at diverse platforms including universities and colleges, over 100 YouTube video messages on diverse multi-religious, national and international themes, along with some 75 TV interviews and views. He is a recipient of some 20 awards and honours including UN Inter-faith Harmony Week Prize.

Jin Shin is a president of Institute for Peace Affairs. Dr. Shin is a professor in Department of Political Science & Diplomacy, and the Director of National Strategy Institute, at Chungnam National University in Korea. He holds Co-Chair of International Religious Freedom Roundtable, Seoul Korea and Chair of International Alliance for Religious Freedom in North Korea. As a president of Korea Chungchong Political Association, he had contributed to the joint researches. He is also a recipient of numerous academic awards including the Fulbright Scholarship twice (1990-2001 and 2019-2020), Korea Research foundation scholarship, Citation of Senate and General Assembly, State of New Jersey, USA in 2017, Leadership Award by Member of Congress U.S. in 2016. Citation of General Assemble and Senator, New Jersey in 2015. He has spent very precious time as a visiting scholar at Columbia University and at the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Shin had taught Asian Culture in New York State University, Farmingdale State Collage in 2008, and North East International Security in South Dakota State University in 1997.Professor Shin has published many books in contemporary Korea including North Korea and International relations, including The Korean Peninsula and Indo-Pacific Power Politics(Routledge, 2020) and International politics and Security(CNU press 2011), Sociable Negotiation(CNU Press, 2011).

Rev. Fr. Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka, Ph.D. is the International Program Development Specialist and the African Regional Representative at the Global Peace Foundation . He received is Ph.D from Howard University, majoring in Development Studies and Public Policy, focusing on Peacebuilding and Human Security, Contemporary Africa and Human -Centered Development. He is an adjunct faculty in the African Studies Department of Howard University, belongs to many peacebuilding organizations and is a SASAKAWA Fellow. Rev. Canice, a peacebuilding researcher, and practitioner organizes , moderates, and participates in various various multifaith and community-driven peacebuilding programs and conferences locally and internationally. He researches and engages scholars and frontline practitioners on religion in conflict, peacebuilding and human security. Rev. Canice works extensively to appreciate the intercession of religious values and socio-political engagement in contemporary Africa

Prof. (Dr.) S.M. Sajid is a senior social work educator for 38 years and served as Professor of Social Work at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi since 2001. He also served Jamia Millia Islamia as Registrar, Pro- Vice-Chancellor, and Officiating Vice-Chancellor during 2010-2014. In addition, Prof. Sajid also held position of Honorary Advisor to 11 Centres of Higher Learning and Research, Jamia Millia Islamia and provided academic leadership to these centres and the diverse interdisciplinary faculty. He also served as the Director, Academic Staff College, Jamia Millia Islamia. Prof. Sajid established the Nelson Mandela Centre of Peace and Conflict Resolution, JMI and was its Founding Director. He has been Officer on Special Duty (OSD), AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, JMI where he developed a postgraduate programme in Development Conmmunication and was also intrumental in launching the community radio of the university.

Prof. Sajid taught (online) three courses namely, ‘Social Work Theories’, ‘Human Rights and Social Justice’, and ‘Community Work and Social Action’ as Guest/Visiting Scientist at the University of Applied Sciences, Erfurt, Germany in 2021 where he also taught courses on ‘Diversity and Migration’ and ‘International Social Work’ in the same capacity during 2018 and 2020. He was also appointed as “True Visitor” by York University, Toronto, Canada in 2015 and taught a summer course on “Critical International Social Work from a Global South Perspective” in this capacity. His latest publications include “Palgrave Handbook of Social Work Education” (2020) Palgrave Macmillan, Switzerland and “Reflections on Social Work Profession” (2019) Bloomsbury, India. His current publications (in progress) include ‘The Routledge International Handbook of Field Work Education in Social Work’, ‘The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Field Education in the Global South’, ‘Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Change’ and Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems’. He has contributed a number of book chapters and journal articles on different dimensions of social work education and practice. Prof. Sajid has also served as a member of Executive Council, Research Council, Board of Management and Court of several universities in India. He has also served as chairperson and member of expert committees on diverse subjects in several universities. His areas of academic and research interests include social work education, community work, Field education, conflict analysis and peace building, and minority studies.

Rumit Walia is a young peacebuilder and a staunch environmentalist. While still at school, he displayed outstanding leadership to lead several social work initiatives. He aims to inspire youth to work for a Peaceful and greener world where all of humanity realize the value of oneness. Rumit currently manages Youth and Peacebuilding Initiatives at GPF India.

The successful youth initiatives for peacebuilding programs in India can evidence his expertise in stimulating younger generations to be stewards of peacebuilding he conceptualized and implemented. He effortlessly reached top-rung movers and shakers with his confidence and power of persuasion. Rumit has also petitioned organizations to support interfaith leadership, such as those that mandate Youth Circle dialogues and provide opportunities for youth to find solutions and turn their ideas into successful social enterprises and Research.

Conversely, he is just as comfortable with outreach to people at the grassroots level, particularly agriculturalists coming as he does from a farming background. Rumit serves as an advisor to several other NGOs and is an engineering graduate with more than 10 years of experience in Social Work and Program Management.

Aishwarya Chaturvedi is an Assistant Professor at Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, India. She holds an LL.M. from Cornell Law School, United States of America, LLB from Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi and BA (Hons) Philosophy from Hindu College, University of Delhi. She previously practiced intellectual property law at the Supreme Court of India and High Court of Delhi. She also worked as a research assistant at Cornell Law School.

She is the author of the book “The Unheard Predicament: Social and Legal Perspective on Women and Child Rights In India”. This book is an effort to spread awareness of social, economic and political issues related to women and children in India. She is also the President of the NGO “Nirman” helping underprivileged children in India and a Project Leader in India at the Global Peace Women International.

GAIL HAMBLETON is serving as Senior Program Specialist, Value-based Peacebuilding, for the Global Peace Foundation. Ms. Hambleton has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 25 years, and has served as an educator, and mediator in international conflict situations, and convener of interreligious networks and engagements. She lived and worked in Africa for eight years serving in the mission and humanitarian aid fields. Her passion for peace is rooted in her difficult experiences during six years of the war in Zimbabwe, the military coup in Kenya, and the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda. Ms. Hambleton was instrumental in establishing the humanitarian aid organization “Women for Women” in Rwanda, in 1997. Ms. Hambleton has coordinated Values-based Peacebuilding Tracks at the annual Global Peace Conventions and Conferences, in Philippines, Kenya, Atlanta, Malaysia, Paraguay, Uganda, and Korea. Gail is also the National Director of the “PeaceHub Campaign” in the USA. Gail is the mother of three beautiful children, and lives with her husband in Baltimore, Maryland

Sharleen Tomobe has been in the non-profit industry for more than two decades, passionate in raising young leaders as a consistent young leader herself all throughout her entire academic years. She continued taking on various leadership roles in many youth organizations, developing youth leadership programs in the Philippines and abroad. She also played key roles in GPF’s small- and large-scale international events since 2009 to this date.

In 2009, she was the key person who pioneered the establishment of the Global Peace Foundation Philippines. Now based in Japan, she is still keeping the role as Founding Board Member and Trustee ensuring corporate compliance and program delivery of GPF Philippines. Currently, she serves as the Program Development Coordinator of Global Peace Foundation International Office guiding the youth leadership development area.

Dr. ENKHSAIKHAN is Chairman of Blue Banner, Mongolian NGO dedicated to promoting the goals of nuclear non-proliferation and ensuring Mongolia’s nuclear-weapon-free status. By profession he is international lawyer and diplomat, graduated Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1974 and served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, representing his country in Austria and at the United Nations. He also served as the foreign policy and legal advisor to President P. Ochirbat, first democratically elected President of Mongolia and as the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council of Mongolia when the State Great Hural (parliament) considered and adopted the country’s first concepts of national security and foreign policy as well as the basis of military doctrine in 1994.
Dr. Enkhsaikhan has contributed over 100 articles on international relations, non-proliferation, regional security and democracy promotion. He organized/participated in many regional meetings aimed at promoting peace, stability, international cooperation, environmental protection, good governance and issues related to reunification of the Korean nation.
He has the title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia, Doctor in legal sciences and Mongolian State Merit Lawyer.

Founder Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India with the status of a Union Minister of State in the Government of India; President, RedR India; Regional Director Asia, The International Emergency Management Society TIEMS Oslo; Adjunct Professor and Advisor, Amrita School of Sustainable Development, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India.

Ms. Shrijana Sitikhu is a highly accomplished professional with a passion for conservation of the environment and peacebuilding. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and has extensive experience in designing and implementing programs that promote environmental sustainability, peacebuilding, and community development. Her leadership and expertise have enabled the successful execution of several high-impact programs that have positively impacted the lives of many.

Currently, Ms. Sitikhu serves as a Senior Program Officer at Global Peace Foundation Nepal, where she plays a crucial role in designing and implementing programs and projects which focused on environmental sustainability, peacebuilding, and community development.
She has a strong interest in solid waste management, urban farming, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), climate change and pollution mitigation, and livelihood programs.

In recognition of her outstanding work in the field of nature conservation, Ms. Sitikhu received the prestigious National Environmental Award- 2013 for excellent contribution in the Environment among youth by Nepal Environment Pollution Control (NEPCO), Nepal. She is also a frequent speaker at national and international conferences, sharing her insights and experiences with fellow professionals in the field.

– Naveen is a Senior Solution Architect in Cloud and Cognitive software with IBM India Pvt. Ltd. He hs 23+ yrs of experience in the IT Industry, a strong Technical Eminence in Cloud & Cognitive solutions.
– Experienced in ensuring the Sustainability of Community projects. Familiar with techniques for measuring impact to ensure the success of the project.
– Deeply involved at the Gross root level in understanding societal issues and fairly understanding diverse segments like Rural Education, Livelihood skills, Women Empowerment, Sustainable Farming, and Disaster Response & Recovery operations.
Associated with IBM Research and deeply engaged in Agriculture Research, Smarter Cities, and Law enforcement engagements in Analytics space

Instrumental in driving key activities for the Benefit of large communities:

– Started Incubation Centre at Govt. Degree College for Women, Khammam, TS as part of Women Entrepreneurship Cell.
– Started StudyCircle at Govt. Degree College for Women, Khammam, and JVR Degree College, Sathupally to help students with infrastructure to prepare for competitive and higher studies.
– Participated in Smarter Village – 2016 event at Mori, Andhrapradesh, involved in developing a demo on precision forming using IBM IoT Solution.
– Involved in Mahindra-Mahindra Agri-Advisory solution
– Certification Badge on IBM Weather Company Foundations
– Presented on “Role of Rural ICTs in Agriculture” in International Seminar (ICESH)
– Presented at National Seminar on “Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture”
– Participated in District Development Vision 2020 – Bagalkot
– Presented poster during Regional Technical Exchange on “Digital Revolution in Agriculture”
– Participated in IBM Corporate Service Corps in 2019 helped SMEs define Business processes at HaLongBay, Vietnam.
– Mentor for Govt. Degree College for Women Khammam, TS
– Social Ambassador for Vidya Help Line – “making rural students dream Big”

Samuel has a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Armed Conflict & Peace Studies and Political Science from the University of Nairobi. He is currently the Chief Program Officer at the Global Peace Foundation Kenya, with more than five years of experience in designing and implementing projects as a Youth Development Specialist, through projects on environmental conservation, preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE), child online safety, election violence prevention, youth capacity-building, youth entrepreneurship incubator programming, and organizing for both international, national, and local conferences and summits. Samuel has also built a wide global network of public and private partners who have assisted in the development of national and regional peacebuilding, youth development, and environmental conservation models.
With advanced knowledge of how to create scopes, keep projects going, and apply deliverables on schedule, he has engaged a range of collaborators and stakeholders within the Great Lakes Region and across Africa through his role as the Africa Regional Coordinator at the Global Peace and Development Service Alliance (GPDSA), an arm of the Global Peace Foundation.
His ultimate goal is to use his leadership skills and gain more experience while increasing the organization’s productivity and reputation in the humanitarian space to provide growth and opportunities to many young people across the globe.

Mr. Nabin Bikash Maharjan is a Cofounder/CEO of Blue Waste to Value, that working in solid waste management (SWM) in Kathmandu Nepal. He has done Masters in Anthropology and Bachelors in Science. Since 1996, he has been working in SWM and now wearing several hats. He is a Technical Advisor of Solid Waste Management Association of Nepal (SWMAN),  also serving Technical support/ operation and maintenance of the marketed Organic Waste Converter (OWC) system that is marketed in Nepal on behalf of Excel Industries Limited (Environment and Biotech Division) India.  He is involved in research in solid waste management of different cities in Nepal and carried out the Detail Project Report (DPR) of several municipalities in Nepal. Also  worked in negotiation with the government at Investment Board of Nepal (IBN) involved evaluations of ISWM project in Kathmandu Valley to establish environment friendly SWM.

His recent  involvement in research as a Country representative (IMC Worldwide/ Seureca), “South Asia Regional Baseline Assessment for Plastic Debris flowing into rivers and sea of South Asia” funded by the World Bank and  a Deputy Team leader (IMC worldwide/ SWMAN), “Study of Plastics Material Flow and Covid-19 related Medical Waste in Nepal”. This study is also funded by the World Bank. He also served as a SWM expert to UNDP/KOICA on carrying out the Joint Feasibility Study on local economic stimulation through waste recycling and upcycling at Pokhara Metropolitan City.

An environmental public interest lawyer as well as researcher and graduated from law school, Chiranjibi Bhattarai holds a Ph.D. degree in social science and has been working in law, policy and governance sectors for over 25 years. At present, Dr. Bhattarai is a Chairperson of Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nepal and Senior Research Fellow (former Executive Coordinator) of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF), Convener of Clear Air Alliance- Nepal (CAA-N), a member of Rights of Rivers South Asia (RoRSA) as well as South Asia Bioregionalism Working Group. He teaches at Nepal Open University.

Dr. Markandey Rai is Senior Advisor of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Dr. Rai is also Chairperson of the Joint Advisory Committee, which advises UN offices at Nairobi (UNON) on administrative issues. He has served UN-HABITAT in various roles for seventeen years and was elected President of the Nairobi Staff Union 2000-2003. In January of 2006 he was the recipient of the Hind Rattan Award. Dr. Rai has served on the boards of academic, cultural, and social bodies in different countries. In 2009 he addressed EU presidency seminar at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm and Global Parliamentarians on Habitat conference in Washington, DC. Dr. Rai is a member of GPF’s Global Leadership Council.

Founder Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India with the status of a Union Minister of State in the Government of India; President, RedR India; Regional Director Asia, The International Emergency Management Society TIEMS Oslo; Adjunct Professor and Advisor, Amrita School of Sustainable Development, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India.

Dr. Markandey Rai is Senior Advisor of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Dr. Rai is also Chairperson of the Joint Advisory Committee, which advises UN offices at Nairobi (UNON) on administrative issues. He has served UN-HABITAT in various roles for seventeen years and was elected President of the Nairobi Staff Union 2000-2003. In January of 2006 he was the recipient of the Hind Rattan Award. Dr. Rai has served on the boards of academic, cultural, and social bodies in different countries. In 2009 he addressed EU presidency seminar at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm and Global Parliamentarians on Habitat conference in Washington, DC. Dr. Rai is a member of GPF’s Global Leadership Council.