Peace journalism: An innovative approach to global challenges
I was honored to be one of the presenters at last week’s Forage Center for Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Education's virtual conference, Innovative Approaches for Global Challenges. (see agenda here.)  

The innovative approach I discussed was peace journalism, naturally. We had a lively discussion about the nature of peace journalism. One interesting question was about who gets to decide what is and is not peace journalism. My reply was that this depends on the local context. I’ve taught PJ in 40 countries and territories, and what constitutes peace journalism, and more broadly what constitutes ethical journalism, depends on the country and the situation. What is ethical from a PJ perspective in Cameroon, during a civil conflict, certainly differs from what might be considered ethical journalism in Austria. It's up to local journalists, not me, to evaluate whether media content is consistent with the principles of peace journalism. 

To further this discussion, we looked at some images of the Israel-Hamas war, and discussed their appropriateness from a peace journalism standpoint. This image particularly stood out. Without judging whether it crosses the line or not, I asked the attendees to consider these questions: Does the image accurately portray the event? Is the image merely sensational, used for click bait? Is the image exploitative, and does it re-traumatize victims? A peace journalist, I said, would ask these thoughtful questions before publishing any potentially inflammatory images.

As always, it was a pleasure interacting with the Forage Center. Its president, David J. Smith, is a friend and colleague. Smith has worked for years in higher education (Georgetown and other universities) and with professional groups to promote effective conflict resolution and peacebuilding. His Forage Center does admirable work offering hands-on trainings, simulations, and seminars for peacebuilders and humanitarian responders. They’re building a global community of emerging leaders in peacebuilding and disaster response--something sorely needed today. 

 

The new Peace Journalist magazine is out!
The December 2025 issue of The Peace Journalist magazine has been published, and includes great features from Indonesia, Pakistan, Ghana, and elsewhere, along with a report about the recently completed Jefferson Fellowships sponsored by the East West Center.

The magazine is available at :
https://www.scribd.com/document/959289405/Peace-Journalist-Dec-2025-b . Also, if you'd like to get on the mailing list to receive a .pdf copy of the magazine, and the call-for-submissions, please email me at steven.youngblood at fulbrightmail.org.

Enjoy!

 

Zoom presentation for young Southeast Asian leaders.

Young leaders gather on Zoom to discuss food security
One of my favorite East-West Center programs brings young leaders from throughout the region together, first in Honolulu, to study and plan natural resource protection projects together. Called Yseali (Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative), the last cohort met in Hawaii beginning in late September.

I got a chance to virtually meet part of this cohort on Friday via Zoom. These young leaders, ages 20-25 and from Laos and Myanmar, weren’t able to come to Hawaii with their peers because of  administration visa policies that blocked their travel here. So, we’re giving them as much of the experience as we can in a virtual setting.

Our Friday session was a discussion of food security in the region, and featured excellent presentations by Jefferson Fellows (see previous posts) Danielle Keeton-Olsen, a reporter in Cambodia, and Leilani Chavez, a journalist in the Philippines. Their presentations paved the way for an interesting discussion of food insecurities in Laos and Myanmar. The Ysealis all overestimated food insecurity in their home countries, which is 30% in Myanmar and 14-20% in Laos, according to the UN. The participants discussed food insecurity’s deep impact on migration and education, as well as the differences between rural and urban areas.

I concluded the session with info on how media report about food issues, especially the tendency to blame hungry individuals rather than the systemic issues that created the problem.

I hope to meet these vibrant young people in person some day.

Magazine on the Way
The December issue of The Peace Journalist magazine is just weeks away. Stay tuned to this space, and to social media (@peacejournalism on Instagram; @PeaceJourn on Twitter/X; on the Facebook peace journalism page) for details.

Fellow Yi-Ning Tzeng, at a special school in Thailand where
kids learn food production skills, including raising chickens

Journalists praise indigenous focus, spirit of Jefferson Fellowship
(Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia; Honolulu, Hawaii)—The just concluded 2025 Jefferson Fellowship that I helped to coordinate was one of the highlights of my long professional career. Based on the post-program evaluations filled out by the Jeff fellows, I’m not alone in this assessment.

The East-West Center’s Jefferson Fellowship each year takes 10-12 journalists from the Asia Pacific region on a study and reporting tour. This month, the program included 12 journalists who studied and reported about food security from Honolulu; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Chiang Rai and Bangkok, Thailand.

In a discussion on the final day of the program last week, the journalists pointed out the aspects of the study and reporting tour that they most appreciated. At the top of the list was the program’s focus on indigenous food security and production, illustrated by our visits to the He’eia Fishpond in Hawaii and Javara indigenous food production and marketing organization in Indonesia. Others pointed to the fellows’ visit to the World Food Program in Bangkok, to CNN-Indonesia, and to the  APTERR rice reserve in Bangkok as highlights.

In post program surveys, the journalists were effusive in their praise for the 2025 Jefferson Fellowship, and enthused about the quality and quantity of their learning and of the source materials they collected for their reporting.  Fellow Se Eun Gong write, "The fellowship equipped us with the language and conceptual tools for reporting on the topic, but also with ideas and knowledge about who to talk to." Jeff Sabeen Arshad agreed, writing that the speakers and field trips "provided insights info comparative frameworks between the countries of the region, and equipped me to file stories related to food security...in the best way." Fellow Danielle Keaton-Olson praised the program's execution, noting, "I loved how well the program built upon itself structurally and informationally."

Journalist Kate Green at a solemn certificate-
awarding ceremony.

Personally, I couldn’t have enjoyed more my interactions and travel with these fellows, who were consistently lively and entertaining. They were all good travelers—not a whiner in the bunch! The group’s cohesion was gratifying to witness. For example, one of the fellows couldn’t travel to Indonesia and Thailand because of visa issues. The other Jeffs, knowing his disappointment, showered him with gifts purchased abroad which filled up half of one of my suitcases. One Jeff described the environment as “nurturing,” and I couldn’t agree more. 

At the program’s conclusion, I received many heartwarming messages from the fellows, either in person or by text. One such message kindly thanked me for my part in facilitating the fellowship, and added, “It was a terrific experience for me, and I’m happy we got to do it with you.”

Jefferson Fellows, it was a terrific experience for me, too. And I am also happy that I got to do it with all of you.

The 2025 Jefferson Fellows in Chiang Rai, Thailand 

 

Jefferson Fellows explore rice farming techniques in Northern Thailand

 Jefferson Fellows explore food security, policies in Thailand
(CHAING RAI AND BANGKOK, THAILAND)-This year’s Jefferson Fellowship is concluding this week with a fascinating trip to Thailand, where the fellows are learning about food security and seeing a number of best practices up close.

The East-West Center’s Jefferson Fellowship each year takes 10-12 journalists from the Asia Pacific region on a study and reporting tour. The fellows’ previous stops this month were in Honolulu and Jakarta, Indonesia.

During their visit to Chiang Rai and Bangkok, the fellows visited:

--A CP Foundation school where the students learn not only the three R’s but also self sufficiency through raising chickens and selling their eggs;

--Several organizations that work with farmers on sustainable, organic agricultural practices; 

In Northern Thailand, visiting a greenhouse
tended by a local farmer.

--APTERR, which hosts a strategic rice reserve for ASEAN nations plus China, Japan, and South Korea. Since 2011, they’ve distributed 60,000 metric tons of rice to needy countries, primarily Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Cambodia.

--Bangkok Rooftop Farming, which has a large urban farming and compost production facility on top of a shopping mall;

--Farmers who have transitioned from producing opium to producing agricultural products like peaches and coffee. The farmers insist that they make more money now producing coffee than they did with opium. Interesting.

The fellows also visited with UN officials from the Food and Agriculture Organization, where officials emphasized the outsize role of affordability on food security. In this region, 36% can’t afford a healthy diet. We also visited with the World Food Programme in Bangkok, where we heard a fascinating presentation on food security particularly as it relates to refugees and internally displaced persons. In short, there is a malnutrition crisis impacting 1.3 million migrants in the region. The food security situation is especially dire, according to WFP Regional Director Samir Wanmali, when food is used as a weapon of war.

All three stops have been interesting, stimulating, and surprising. Next week, I’ll wrap up my columns on the Jefferson Fellowship with some conclusions and reflections.

Near Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand, journalists interview
a farmer who has switched from growing opium to growing coffee.