ARI conducts evacuation drills three times a year for the entire community.For many international participants and volunteers, this is their first experience with disaster preparedness training.Therefore, learning how to respond when a disaster strikes is critically important. That day, following
The summer donation campaign, Peace from Food, that started on August 1 has come to an end today.
ARI has had the opportunity to think and share about peace with many people through the familiar theme of “food,” which ARI holds dear to its heart!
We sincerely appreciate your warm support.
At ARI, the rice harvest has begun. And next month on the 18th and 19th, we are going to have the Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration (HTC).
Please come to ARI and spend a moment with us as we celebrate and give thanks for our daily labor and the blessings of nature!
Peace from Food Campaign in Review: https://ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025/en
When I heard the theme “Cooking for Peace,” the image that came to mind was “hands.”
Hands sowing seeds in the fields, hands harvesting, hands cooking, hands serving food—
ARI’s self-sufficient lifestyle makes me truly appreciate how our meals pass through so many hands before reaching us.
In Parts 1 through 3, we interviewed kitchen members, hearing their thoughts on “food” and “peace.”
Now, in Part 4, it’s my turn as the writer (Konoha Yamanaka) to share my thoughts.
Actually, I am also a member of the kitchen team. Through my interviews, I was reminded that each member, while bringing their own background and feelings toward the act of “food,” somehow shares a sense of resonance with one another. In the life at ARI, “food” and “peace” are inseparable.
The casual conversations exchanged in the kitchen, sharing our unique experiences —I believe these everyday moments, one by one, form the foundation of a gentle peace.
Written by Konoha Yamanaka (ARI Volunteer)
Click here to read the series of articles
“Peace from Food” Cooking for Peace Vol. 1
“Peace from Food” Cooking for Peace Vol. 2
“Peace from Food” Cooking for Peace Vol. 3
“Peace from Food” Cooking for Peace Vol. 4 ← Now, you’re here.
Preamble
In 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Asian Rural Institute hereby reaffirms its commitment to peace.
As the number of war survivors and atomic bomb victims dwindles each year, the responsibility for those living today to convey the horrors of war and nuclear weapons to the next generation grows ever more important. The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo) in 2024 symbolizes the importance of this task. Furthermore, violence and conflict continue around the world. This includes the home countries of ARI participants and graduates as well as places like Gaza and Ukraine. Amid this situation, we believe that building reconciliation and a culture of peace is an urgent and vital mission entrusted to us.
To further advance the fundamental hopes and aspirations of “Peace from the Soil,” born from ARI’s longstanding pursuit of reconciliation with nature, neighbors, oneself, and God, we hereby proclaim the following Peace Declaration.
Never Forgetting the Mistakes of History, Raising Our Voice Against All Forces that Threaten Peace
Eighty years after the war is not a license to forget the past. We believe that inheriting memory and honestly facing the pains of history is the very foundation of building peace. We will never forget the profound suffering and destruction inflicted by Japan’s wars of aggression and colonial rule upon the peoples of Asia—countless lives lost, and many communities devastated. The churches in Japan, too, failed to raise their voices strongly against war and, at times, even played a role in justifying it. We humbly acknowledge this past, repent deeply, and pledge never again to repeat such mistakes.
We remember the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and strongly call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Security doctrines based on nuclear deterrence do not bring true peace. We declare a clear “No” to nuclear weapons, which threaten all life.
Building a Society of Peace Rooted in Freedom, Justice, and the Overcoming of Discrimination
Today, the world faces global crises: cycles of war and violence, the threat of nuclear weapons, climate change, food insecurity, and spiritual disconnection. Yet we believe in the possibility of creating a society based on freedom, justice, and the overcoming of discrimination.
We seek to overcome discrimination based on physical and social attributes, and we aspire to a world where harmony, coexistence, and cooperation replace military power and domination by force. The Asian Rural Institute places importance on peace beginning in the family and resolves to be an instrument of peace. Cultivating peace within ourselves, our households, and our communities – this is the work of advancing peace and justice in the world.
Even in the face of political exclusion, gender-based violence, and the pressures of militarization, we will raise our voices in solidarity at the local level. We will promote peacebuilding, conflict resolution, mediation, and nonviolent communication, encouraging people to make peace the foremost priority in their lives. We believe that new technologies must be used for the cause of peace, striving for the free and fair flow of information so that it may contribute to peace at both the community and individual levels.
Nurturing Leaders Who Serve Their Communities, Becoming Vessels of Peace Together
Through the training of grassroots leaders, the Asian Rural Institute pledges to address inequality, injustice, and the challenges faced by vulnerable communities. We uphold land and food rights and community-led development as pillars of peacebuilding, fostering resilience and disaster preparedness in the face of economic instability and climate change. We are committed to providing holistic educational opportunities for all, contributing to societies that are physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. Furthermore, by sharing the values of the Asian Rural Institute through a global network, we will broaden our contribution to peace.
Peace from the Soil
When we till the soil, produce food, and gather joyfully around the table, we learn that all life is sustained by mutual support. We become deeply aware that we live as part of the natural ecosystem, and we earnestly desire to live together with all of creation.
A self-centered way of life that exploits and destroys nature threatens life itself and even leads to the extinction of species. War, too, arises from this same self-centeredness that disregards the dignity of life. Both environmental destruction and war share the same root. That is why those who seek peace must be reconciled with nature, with their neighbors, with themselves, and with God.
Peace begins within ourselves. When there is food on the table, peace and happiness become possible in the community. Protecting seed sovereignty and cultivating food without destroying the soil form the foundation of peace and security. A way of life in harmony with nature is the firm basis upon which peace can grow.
The Asian Rural Institute seeks to sow and spread this seed of “Peace from the Soil.”
Conclusion
Peace is not something given, but something built through daily choices and practices. Guided by our founding vision, the Asian Rural Institute will continue walking the path of creating peace—from the soil, from community, and from the depths of the human heart. On this 80th anniversary of the end of the war, we renew our pledge of peace: to repent of the past and to pass on hope for the future.
On September 16, the 54th anniversary of ARI’s founding, a commemorative service was held at ARI. Following a program featuring stories from the early days by Mrs. Shinko Takami, a wife of one of the founders, Toshihiro Takami, the ARI Peace Declaration was presented by our director, Osamu Arakawa.
After lunch, we held a community event at a nearby park, where we divided ourselves into groups to express peace through music, poetry, dance, and drama. To deepen mutual understanding and our friendships, we also enjoyed playing games together.
The Asian Rural Institute Peace Declaration was drafted based on the joint resolution and declaration on peace presented at the 2007 symposium themed “Peace from the Soil.” It incorporates the views of this year’s community members and reflects recent global circumstances. The declaration clarifies ARI’s stance on war responsibility by adding perspectives on “Peace from the Soil”—one of the Institute’s core themes—and responsibilities regarding nuclear weapons.
For ARI, which annually accepts participants from areas invaded by Japan during World War II, war responsibility is a theme from which we cannot escape with any reasons.
25 years ago, Osamu got a big shock by the words of an Indonesian participant. While visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum with participants, he told to an atomic bomb survivor, “Because the atomic bombs were dropped, my country was saved.” These words came from the memory of a family deeply scarred by the Japanese invasion. For that participant, the war’s end meant the restoration of life and dignity.
Justifying the atomic bombings is never permissible, yet we must never forget the tragedies experienced by all sides nor the historical truth. Therefore, we believe it is of great significance for ARI, where members from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds gather, to clarify its approach to confronting the history of war.
Arakawa says;
“I wish to oppose war itself from the standpoint of protecting life and dignity, against the prevailing atmosphere of war and arguments justifying nuclear deterrence. Peace is not merely the absence of conflict; we must face each other’s differences and pain, and build relationships with sincerity. I believe this attitude is the basis for a society where may we live together.”
Read the ARI Peace Declaration — On the 80th Anniversary of the End of World War II : https://ari.ac.jp/en/asian-rural-institute-peace-declaration/
Peace from Food Summer Donation Campaign – Special Gift
Until Sunday, September 21, anyone who signs up as a new monthly supporter through the campaign site will receive a limited-edition T-shirt
This year’s design features a corn motif on a golden harvest background. It’s an original design that reflects the season here at the Asian Rural Institute.
Its natural tone makes the T-shirt easy to wear in everyday life and is suitable for all ages!
Available sizes: S, M, L, XL
In the photos…
We invite you to join us as a monthly supporter and help us cultivate “Peace from Food” together.
Learn more here:
https://ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025?ari=news
※ For those who are already monthly supporters, the T-shirt is also available at ¥1,500 + shipping.
Please contact us at:
[email protected]
Please note: We are unable to ship internationally.
Once a week, as a special feature, we will share messages from supporters of ARI.
In this fifth installment, we introduce a “Food is …” message from Mr. Toru Sakawa of the Natural Farm Ureshipa Moshiri
“Food is… Source of Life”
As organic farmers, we strive to work alongside our crops and livestock, allowing each to fully express their innate power and shine with life. We believe that receiving these vibrant beings as the “nourishment of life” gives us more than just physical nutrition. We believe that their radiant life force becomes the energy that allows us to live with love and peace, and to be our true selves.
Natural Farm Ureshipa Moshiri: https://www.instagram.com/ureshipa_moshiri/
Ureshipamoshiri is an Ainu word that means “the natural world itself… the real world where all living beings nurture each other.”
For 30 years, we have been practicing permaculture, organic farming, and agroecology in the mountains of Iwate, aiming to create a farm where we can truly feel the connections of “nurturing each other.” Forty years have passed since I first encountered the Asian Rural Institute in high school, and I continue to seek what I can do to “live together.”
As organic farmers, we strive to work alongside our crops and livestock, allowing each to fully express their innate power and shine with life. We believe that receiving these vibrant beings as the “nourishment of life” gives us more than just physical nutrition. We believe that their radiant life force becomes the energy that allows us to live with love and peace, and to be our true selves.
Peace from Food Donation Campaign
August 1(Fri) – September 21(Sun), 2025
Campaign site: https://ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025/en?ari=news
From August 1, Asian Rural Institute is running the “Peace from Food” Donation Campaign.
Throughout the month of August and September, we are sharing voices from our community members and supporters on Instagram and Facebook Stories, centered around the theme “What does food mean to you?”
All past stories can also be viewed on our Instagram Highlights.
Each year’s Rural Leaders Training Program hosts new participants, with unique backgrounds and incredible dreams of rural transformation. Our staff visit ARI graduates in the field, seeing the fruits of their labor. Now, the work of our participants and graduates from 2024 is available to read in our 2024 Annual Report.
Learn more about our most recent year of successes and challenges by following the link below. Available in English and Japanese.
Downloads – Asian Rural Institute
Today was our 54th Foundation Day. We will report on it later, so please look forward!
Sharing a meal around the round tables at Koinonia Dining Hall is a precious time here at ARI. We share the fruits of our daily labor at every meal, express gratitude for each other’s work, and celebrate the bountiful harvest.
Would you like to join us at our table and share moments of fellowship?
During the campaign period, those who make a donation to ARI via the special campaign page can participate free of charge in a mini eco-tour program with lunch, held in September 27 (Sat) or November 22 (Sat).
(Please note that transportation costs to ARI are the responsibility of each participant.)
For details, please visit the special campaign website: https://ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025/en
Watch all our online events again!
Join the ARI life with family and friends!
We're looking for on-campus volunteers
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