RECONSIDERING PEACE IN LIBERAL ARTS A collaboration between Middlebury and ICU Held in January 2020 and hosted by the International Christian University (ICU) in Mitaka, Tokyo, the three-day workshop titled “Reconsidering Peace in Liberal Arts” attracted twenty high school students from multiple high schools to gather on ICU campus. The workshop was a collaboration between the Middlebury School Abroad in Japan and ICU. The 2020 workshop was also a pilot program of something that ICU hopes to make happen annually. Critically thinking about peace in English Drawing inspiration from the Critical Issues Forum (CIF) coordinated by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute in Monterey, the workshop was intended to foster critical thinking in high school students, focusing on the theme of “peace.” Held entirely in English, students participated in a variety of activities aimed to enhance their English communication skills, while simultaneously preparing these high school students for university life. JANUARY 11-13, 2020 A weekend of peacefull discussions Throughout three days of the workshop, students were divided into teams of four or five led by a current ICU Student Ambassador. On the first day, students participated in a discussion about peace from a liberal arts perspective. Following a keynote lecture by Professor Katsuhiko Mori, students explored the roles of art, music, literature, and technology and how they affect peace. Students also toured ICU campus through a fun scavenger hunt competition against other teams, and finished the first day off with the popular Paprika song by Kenshi Yonezu. The workshop continued early Sunday morning with a keynote lecture from Professor Jeremiah Alberg, examining the causes of conflicts. Students then enjoyed a series of activities - a physical game involving solving a human knot with their teammates, a mini charade in which teams were required to act out a household appliance, and a conversation with new friends to learn about the story of their names. After lunch, the five ICU Student Ambassadors and the workshop coordinator Linny Tran hosted a world-cafe style presentation and discussion on five topics: nuclear power, sustainability, global warming, equality and equity, and immigration. The last day of the workshop consisted of teams showcasing their creative projects on the theme of “peace.” Groups put together a variety of projects, such as a play, a dance, a game, a song, and an artwork, all of which displayed not only their creativity but also their critical thinking about the theme. After the project showcase, ICU Student Ambassadors talked about their experiences with university life, advising and encouraging their underclassmen. The workshop ended with a meaningful reflection and a pizza party for lunch before everyone headed home to enjoy the rest of the three-day holiday weekend. Organizers of the workshop received positive feedback from students that participated in the workshop. In an evaluation survey, students wrote that they were able to not only utilize, but also improve their English skills. ICU hopes to host another workshop next year for students to continue having meaningful conversations about critical topics. LINNY TRAN Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey