However, globalization has brought about issues such as diversity within traditional culture and values which have been long maintained by nations or ethnic groups. Ethnic conflicts have escalated, reflecting the differences between religion and values, making it more difficult to achieve world peace. After the worldwide efforts to fight terrorism after the "September 11th" incident, cultural diversity barriers are one of the reasons the international community is having difficulties in upholding peace and human security.

Within the rapid trend of globalization, Japan is also facing difficulties in changing the traditional ways of thinking and social practice; it appears that Japanese society is struggling with the conflicts between traditional and global mentality. Examples include: the recent split in views regarding sending the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to Iraq, sensitive feelings about acceptance of international refugees or immigrants, attitudes towards liberalizing import restrictions on rice. These issues can be looked at as a phenomenon in the discrepancy between global and Japanese traditional values.

In these ways, it is a challenge for both Japan and the United Nations System to make peace become a reality and for all of us to live together while keeping diversity in our culture and values as part of our identity. In the era of changes in the information revolution, we are facing all kinds of changes in our daily life. How can youth live in the reality of globalization without losing their own identity? How can you have cultural diversity in your daily campus life or business life? The theme of this Global Seminar has global implications which each one of us must tackle seriously.

At this seminar, we are planning to invite scholars, researchers and policy makers from within Japan, Asia and the world to hold discussions with the participants.