NSU Hosts Public Talk on Institutionalizing Peace for Sustainable Development

A high-level public talk titled “Institutionalizing Peace for Sustainable Development: Advancing the DPCW-Based Peace Governance through Local Corporations” was held yesterday, June 13, at North South University (NSU). The seminar was hosted at the university's Audi 801 by the Center for Legal Research of the Department of Law, in academic collaboration with the South Korea-based international NGO Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the NSU Law and Mooting Society, and the Bangladesh Forum for Legal and Humanitarian Affairs (BFLHA).

As part of an ongoing partnership, BFLHA and HWPL jointly convened the session to address pressing domestic and global challenges regarding the rule of law, human rights protection, and community-based peacebuilding. The initiative successfully established a platform for peace governance, bringing together legal scholars, human rights practitioners, policymakers, and youth leaders to discuss sustainable peace through local and institutional cooperation.

Diversity, National Identity, and the UN Charter

The session was chaired by Professor Nasar U. Ahmed, Pro Vice Chancellor of North South University. In his address, Professor Ahmed emphasized that embracing diversity across different groups, cultures, and religions is foundational to building peaceful societies.

He drew a poignant parallel between the literary works of Bangladesh's National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and the core humanitarian principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. He further reiterated that NSU remains committed to shaping a progressive society through rigorous knowledge creation and by actively addressing complex national and international challenges that threaten global peace.

The Complexities of Peace and Global Double Standards

Among the distinguished panelists was Professor Rizwanul Islam, Professor of Law and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at NSU. Professor Islam observed that achieving absolute peace in a developing nation like Bangladesh carries distinct structural challenges, emphasizing that peace must never be reduced to the mere absence of violence.

He also offered a sharp critique of contemporary global geopolitics, noting that while Western powers frequently champion human rights and peace frameworks, these principles are often applied subjectively to serve unilateral interests. Pointing to unfolding humanitarian crises across the globe, Professor Islam stated that international humanitarian law has faced severe, unprecedented hollowing out in heavily securitized regions such as Gaza and Iran.

Youth Engagement and the Peace Declaration

The event featured strong representation from international peace networks. Benjamin Kim, Coordinator of the Department of Peace Education at HWPL, delivered the introductory speech, highlighting the organization's global operations to promote peace through structured education, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and international cooperation. Jacob Bae, Coordinator of the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), was also in attendance to support youth-led advocacy.

Earlier, the opening remarks were delivered by Lokman Hossain, Coordinator of the Center for Legal Research, while the event was moderated by Sayere Nazabi Sayem, President of BFLHA. The entire session was coordinated by Nasmin Jabin Noor, Senior Lecturer at the NSU Department of Law.

In a unified show of solidarity, the program concluded with all participants signing a formal declaration titled “Signatory in Support of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW),” cementing their institutional commitment to peaceful conflict resolution. The seminar wrapped up with the presentation of tokens of appreciation to the guests, reinforcing the vital role that collaborative academic and civil society partnerships play in fostering a resilient society.