The University for Peace (UPEACE) was established in 1980 by the United Nations as a higher education institution for peace. UPEACE enjoys a unique flexibility and intellectual freedom in defining and implementing its programmes.

 

UPEACE’s academic design is based on the premise that achieving sustainable peace requires a multidisciplinary approach which recognizes the significance of addressing peace and conflict issues on all levels- from global and international to community and interpersonal levels. Based on this premise, UPEACE’s academic design includes nine distinct Masters Degree Programmes. This variety of programmes, with common themes related to peace, conflict resolution, and multiculturalism weaved into all courses of study, distinguishes UPEACE as a premier post-graduate institution specializing in the study of peace and conflict.

 

Husnur Esthiwahyu, from Indonesia, is an alumna of UPEACE. She participated in the University’s Asia Leaders Programme, a dual campus MA degree in International Peace Studies, designed for young Asian leaders from countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

 

Esthi, as she likes to be called, is now working in Aceh Tamiang, the south-eastern part of Aceh with the United Nations Office for Recovery Coordinator Aceh Province and Nias Island (UNORC) in the Kabupaten/Kota (district) Recovery Forum (KRF), to support recovery coordination following the devastating tsunami and earthquake in Aceh and Nias.

In her role as District Recovery Forum Facilitation officer, she is representing UNORC in Aceh Tamiang to coordinate efforts for post-conflict and post-natural disaster recovery (including flood and tsunami recovery), which have been undertaken by all stakeholders. She works with government officers (mayor, head of planning department, and other agencies), local communities, and local and international NGO’s in the field.

As part of this work, she has been conducting workshops with community leaders and local and international NGO’s on the reconstruction and development of the region, and using her position to mainstream gender and the UN Millennium Development Goals in all the decisions and practices.

 

Esthi is one of the more than 700 UPEACE alumni from more than 90 countries, who have acquired the essential knowledge and practical skills to become qualified professionals in a wide variety of activities related to peace and security around the world. A total of 49% of the alumni are engaged either in an NGO or in a UN body.

 

Thanks to the support by the National Postcode Loterij to the University for Peace, young leaders have the opportunity to become agents of meaningful change around the world.

 

Quote by Esthi:

 

For more information please contact:

Gabriela Hernández

Head of Development and Communications

University for Peace

Tel (506) 2205-9014