On Peace Day, worrying about a polarized US
On International Peace Day Sept. 21, my thoughts were here at home, in the U.S., where we are collectively still processing the murder of Charlie Kirk.

I think you’d be hard pressed to find any American in either political tribe who hasn't experienced powerful emotions about Kirk’s life and death the last few weeks. The emotions, powered by social and traditional media echo chambers, are the fuel for partisanship and division—the very antithesis of peace.

I’m left depressed, and wondering if there's anything remaining that can bring us together. Do the warring factions in the U.S. (and elsewhere, I might add) even want peace? Probably not, especially when conflict and war serve their selfish interests.

What’s the solution? The first step away from polarization in the U.S. begins with media literacy education that can equip media consumers with the tools to analyze and reject hate speech and partisan misinformation. Politically, it’s time for an effective third party in the middle of the political spectrum, one that eschews the rhetoric and extremism of both the right and the left. 

If we are to be a nation drowning in demagoguery, then at least let it be demagoguery for peace.

Young leaders, experienced journalists
22 Young Southeast Asian Leaders (YSEALIs) are descending upon the East-West Center in Honolulu next week for a program to study environmental resources and design projects to mitigate resource depletion and mismanagement. I’m privileged to be working with the leaders ages 20-25 during several sessions on storytelling.

Then Oct. 5, 11 regional journalists will come to Honolulu for the Jefferson Fellowships. The fellows’ study and reporting tour will journey to Indonesia and Thailand after Hawaii to report about food security.

I’ll be writing about both these initiatives in the coming days. Stay tuned.

In Palau, I met a distinguished visitor (middle, wearing pink/peach)

 
Serious fun, serious discussions at media workshops in Palau
In Palau, I was in the middle of presenting some material about social media in a conference room in the government building complex. Suddenly, the back door to the conference room flies open, a man swoops in, and begins to make his way around the table, smiling warmly and shaking hands with each of the participants in my seminar. I stood like a pillar, not sure what to make of the scene. The swooping man finally made his way to me, shook my hand, and thanked me for conducting the training. The seminar organizer then suggested that we take a picture. If I look confused in the picture, it’s because I was.

After the photo, just as quickly as he arrived, the energetic man disappeared through the rear door. When I was sure he was gone, I asked the seminar attendees, “Who was that?” This question triggered a tsunami of uproarious laughter. After a minute or so, one person composed herself enough to answer, “That was the president (Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr.)." My jaw dropped, and I responded loudly, “The PRESIDENT??!!,” precipitating more waves of laughter.

This was a fun group, though my visit to Palau had a more serious side, too. I was there working with journalists and PR/public affairs professionals discussing peace journalism, writing for social media, and combating mis and disinformation. 

At media seminar, Kokor, Palau

Among the most important things the seminars accomplished was getting journalists and PR people in the same room, discussing each other’s respective roles to play, and their common goals in disseminating credible information.

The 15 communications professionals had some interesting feedback about peace journalism. Unlike most groups I’ve taught, they were unanimous in agreeing that bloody photos of victims should never be shown, which is understandable given the small town, conservative culture here. In other countries, usually about half of the journalists say they’d show such photos under the right circumstances. The journalists also said that they need to be more self-critical, and not be as quick to “write with our emotions.”

At the end of my session, seminar convener/organizer extraordinaire Oyaol Ngirairikl led the group in a discussion about what comes next. They said they would like a more regional focus on media, perhaps by creating an organization that would facilitate cross-border exchanges and encourage an ongoing discussion of ethics--something along the lines of the Public Relations Society of America and the Society of Professional Journalists, both of which publish respected codes of ethics (SPJ, PRSA). They’re also very interested in creating a structure that encourages and support young journalists.

A meeting to brainstorm about what this organization might look like will be held this week. I was humbled by Oyaol’s invitation to take part in the discussion via Zoom. I eagerly anticipate this meeting, and can’t wait to see what comes next for my Palauan media colleagues.

One final big thanks to the sponsors of my workshops in Guam and Palau:
The East-West Center, Glimpses Media, Sentry Hospitality, Wyndham Garden Hotel Guam, Subway Restaurants, United Airlines, the University of Guam, Tumon Sands Plaza, Chili's Grill and Bar, GFS Group, the Embassy of the United States of America in Palau, the Palasia Hotel Palau, the Palau Ministry of State, Office of the President of Palau, Sam's Tours, and Surangel & Sons.

Event organizer Oyaol Ngirairikl (in white) leads a discussion at the
media workshop in Koror, Palau.