Building Peace, Building Myself
Produced by Elena Bell, UWCSEA Multimedia Content Creator, with Jovenia, Grade 11, UWCSEA East
Step inside the conference doors in Dili, Timor-Leste, with Jovenia, Grade 11, UWCSEA East as she joins the Initiative For Peace (IfP) on a mission to champion leadership and collaborative action.
Jovenia (Abuy)
"When I first joined the Initiative for Peace as a delegate, I came to experience the activities. This year, I returned as a facilitator and that completely changed my perspective."
Known to her friends as Abuy, Jovenia is a Grade 11 student from Timor-Leste currently attending UWCSEA. Her connection to IfP started right here, when she attended this conference as a delegate before continuing her studies abroad in Singapore.
The Core Mission
Education as a Force for Peace
IfP is a year-long UWCSEA programme designed to align with the mission of promoting peace through education. Jovenia and her fellow Grade 11 students spent months training in topics like peace-building, sustainability, and gender empowerment, learning directly from the experience of other peace advocates.
This preparation culminated in a four-day trip to Timor-Leste, where these student peace advocates facilitated the conference for Timorese youth.
"The goal is to empower students to realise that the small things they do change the world around them."
Karina Oliveira
Initiative for Peace Staff Facilitator, UWCSEA Dover
From Planning to Action
The preparation was rigorous. Jovenia and the team laid the groundwork for this conference through months of detailed planning and collaboration. They designed sessions that invited deep reflection on identity, conflict, sustainability, and equality, alongside hands-on service activities such as turtle conservation and a beach clean-up.
Seeing those months of preparation come to life is always deeply rewarding for students. Ideas that once lived in planning documents became real conversations, shared experiences, and moments of connection. Each session, activity, and discussion reflected the care, intention, and adaptability of the student leaders behind it.
For Jovenia, the experience reinforced that leadership is about acting first, showing the way, and being prepared with a plan B, C, and even D!
|
Understanding Conflict |
Duration (mins) |
|---|---|
|
Warmup Games |
10 - 15 |
|
Structural Violence Discussion |
20 - 25 |
|
Gallery Walk |
5 - 10 |
|
Break |
5 |
|
Four Corners Activity |
10 - 15 |
|
Peacebuilding in Action |
25 - 20 |
Example of the students planning and timetables
The beach clean-up transformed discussions about sustainability into immediate action. Working side by side, students and delegates experienced how collective responsibility and small, purposeful acts can contribute to environmental care.
"You can’t just Google or chat prompt how to build peace. You have to really listen to people to understand what they need."
Jovenia on collaborative action
For Jovenia, true peacebuilding demands active listening and a genuine understanding of community needs. Through the IfP experience, she realised that real peacebuilding cannot be found online or in the textbooks; it requires personal, on-the-ground human connection and dialogue.
"The UWCSEA students created a space where we felt safe to speak openly and be ourselves. They listened without judgement and made sure everyone felt included, which allowed real trust and learning to happen.”
Finding Their Voice
One of the most gratifying outcomes of the conference for Jovenia was seeing once-reserved delegates step forward and grow in confidence. As the days unfolded, participants who initially held back began to share their perspectives, ask questions, and take ownership of discussions.
These personal transformations were made possible by the safe and supportive environment created throughout the conference. For Jovenia, it was in these quiet but powerful moments of growth that the true impact of the experience became clear. Beyond the sessions and activities, it was the confidence built, the trust formed, and the empowered voices found, that proved to be the most meaningful outcomes of all.
Reciprocal Learning
The IfP is fundamentally a reciprocal learning experience. Through collaboration and shared dialogue, UWCSEA students and Timorese delegates learned alongside one another, exchanging perspectives shaped by different cultures, experiences, and lived realities.
For many Timorese delegates, this was their first time engaging closely with international students. In turn, UWCSEA students developed deeper empathy and understanding as they listened, reflected, and learned from voices beyond their own context. This mutual exchange reinforced the idea that learning for peace is not one directional, but built through shared experience, openness, and respect.
Mission In Action
UWCSEA’s mission to use education as a force for peace and sustainability truly came to life in Timor-Leste. For a year, the conference existed only on paper; on the ground, it finally found its heartbeat. Ideas moved into action, and abstract plans became lived experiences shared with the local community.
By working side-by-side in service, participants saw firsthand how values translate into practice. These moments reinforced a powerful truth: meaningful change doesn’t always require grand gestures. When fueled by intention and collaboration, even the smallest actions create a lasting impact.
Connections Forged in Peace
The IfP builds more than skills. It builds lasting connections. Through shared experiences, dialogue, and collaboration, delegates form relationships that extend well beyond the conference itself.
Many participants go on to join the Timor-Leste Youth for Peace network, a growing community of young leaders who continue the work through smaller conferences, workshops, and local initiatives throughout the year. These ongoing connections ensure that the impact of the conference is not temporary, but sustained, supporting young people as they continue to learn, lead, and contribute to peace building within their own communities.
Looking Ahead
Building on the success and lessons from Dili, Jovenia believes there is a clear opportunity to expand the IfP model across Timor-Leste. This growth aims to reach more young people, providing them with platforms to develop their voices, leadership skills, and confidence to engage with issues that matter in their local contexts.
This vision is reflected in the growing network of Timorese youth connected through UWC experiences around the world. Alongside Jovenia are alumni who have studied at different UWC schools globally and returned home, bringing with them diverse perspectives, shared values, and a commitment to positive change.
By nurturing a wider network of connected youth leaders, the initiative demonstrates its long term impact. It is not only about a single conference, but about cultivating a nationwide community of changemakers committed to peace, dialogue, and positive action within their communities.
The final goodbye was marked by gratitude, connection, and emotion. Having navigated this journey together, students and delegates parted ways with full hearts, carrying the shared stories and learning forward.
"Peace isn’t just a dream. It’s something we can build together."
Jovenia
A Legacy of Peacebuilding
IfP is secured for the future through the Kaira Karmakar Memorial Endowment at UWCSEA.
More About IfP
Peace in Practice
Read more about the the IfP Conference 2025 from a staff facilitator's perspective on our UWCSEA Spotlight page.
Educating For Peace
Learn more about the wider educational approach at UWCSEA and the principles that guide our efforts to educate for peace and a sustainable future. Read more
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