USD Magazine, Spring 2004

ALMANAC Continued

Members of Tamao Yoshida's performing group demonstrated Bunraku techniques.

u "We are the nation, because the nation acts on our behalf," Ohio Congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich told an audi– ence at the Joan 8. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. "We get to con– sciously choose the kind of world we wane." Kucinich, who has lobbied for a Cabinet-level department of peace, discussed "The Role of the Un iced Scares in Preventing Deadly Con A ice" ar USD's Joan 8. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice on Feb. 27. He was present as part of che !PJ's "Elections 2004," through which all presiden– tial candidates have been invited to speak at the institute.

toward the reconciliation and reunifi– cation of North and South Korea with the Korean Reconciliation Award, given by a national council of leaders from political parties, reli– gious communities, and non-govern– mental agencies. Somalian Zahra Ugas Farall returned to Kenya to con– tinue her participation in the Somali national peace conference. On Jan. 29, after 14 months of talks aimed at establishing an all-inclusive, recog– nized national government, Farall reports chat for the first time in Somali history, women and men signed a peace agreement char stipu– Iares 12 percent of che newly estab– lished 275-member parliament be women. A Rare Performance Tamao Yoshida could not be at Acala Park ro discuss his work, but the man honored as one of Japan's "Living National Treasures" sent USO a breathtaking performance chat spoke volumes about his art. Yoshida, credited with making Japanese 8unraku puppetry the world's most highly refined form of puppet cheater, was one of three men honored mis year at the mird Kyoto Laureate Symposium. The annual event showcases the work of recipients of the Kyoto Prizes, awards similar to the Nobel Prizes chat recognize individuals who make noteworthy contributions to advanced tech–

The March 5 performance of Yoshida's art ar a packed Shiley Theatre was a rarity in the United States. Bunraku puppetry requires the combined artistry of three pup– peteers, who work in concert to manipulate the puppet and convey a complex range of emotions. In addi– tion ro watching the performers who represented Yoshida, d1e audi– ence heard about d1is history of the art form and watched videos of Yoshida's performances. The other laureates honored were: chemist George McClelland Whitesides of Harvard University, who pioneered a nanotechnology technique chat will help create machines char can store trillions of bits of information, medicines to detect the onset of cancer and mate– rials chat can restore mobility in paralyzed limbs; and physicist Eugene Newman Parker of the University of Chicago, who proved the space between Earth and the sun is filled with charged particles, thus revolutionizing solar astronomy. At the on-campus symposium, both laureates lectured on their work. The honorees received a diploma, a gold medal and 50 million yen (about $450,000) at a ceremony in Japan last November. To dace, the awards have recognized 63 laureates - including scientists, engineers, researchers, architects sculptors and film directors - from 12 countries. This year's event also introduced the Kyoto Youth Scholar Discovery Awards. Six high school students, three from San Diego and three

Congressman Dennis Kucinich faces local reporters after his speech.

Peacemakers Program Renewed Four women from the front lines of human rights and peacemaking will be in residence at the Joan 8 . Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice chis fall for the institute's second Women Peacemakers Program. The program began last fall when a group of four women from Israel, Korea, Kyrgyzstan and Somalia spent 10 weeks in residence at the IPJ. The activists shared their expe– riences in public forums, seminars with students and faculty and meet– ings with public officials, and visited local peace and justice organizations. The Women Peacemakers Program is designed co identify women who are active in peacemak– ing work and have the potential to make important contributions to peace in their regions, and to pro– mote the inclusion of women in

peace negotiations and advocacy. It was funded with a $ I00,000 gram from the Fred J. Hanson Foundation, which renewed the grant for the same amount chis year. IPJ officials received more chan 200 applications for last year's program. "Women peacemakers often work in isolation, against great odds and with little visibility," says IPJ Director Joyce Neu. "This program was established so chat women from different countries and different set– tings can learn from each ochers experiences, and so their stories can be documented ro increase knowl– edge and understanding of how women strive to build peace." Neu says rwo of the women who participated in lasr year's Women Peacemakers Progran1 recently reported significant milestones. Hyun Sook Kim Lee from Saum Korea was recognized for her work

nology, basic sciences, and arrs and phi– losophy.

from Mexico, each received

$10,000 educa– tional awards for wrmng essays 111 which they discussed

the inspiration they rook from learning

about the lives and work of the Kyoto Laureates. The awards were handed our at March 3 fund– raising gala.

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USO MAGAZINE