UNIPEACE is a peace group that has over 170 chapters in universities nationwide. Members of UNIPEACE hold exhibitions, seminars, and panel discussions on various topics concerning peace. KAIST UNIPEACE has been organizing such events for the past 10 years, promoting diverse themes of peace to more than 500 students and faculty members annually. On May 28 and 29, this year’s exhibition was held at the first floor lobby of the Creative Learning Building (E11) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This year’s topic was “A World Without Nuclear Weapons,” and the goal set by UNIPEACE for this exhibition was to “alarm individuals about the tolerance of humanity on nuclear weapons, and bolster the thought that each and every one of our perceptions and actions can pave the way to a world without a single nuclear warhead.”

Visitors were led through the compilation of panels by a volunteer docent, who gave a detailed explanation about each panel. The exhibition started off with the first panel, which showed the current status of nuclear weapons on Earth - enough to destroy humanity hundreds of times. Fittingly, the docent quoted Albert Einstein, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” The next few panels revealed what kind of actions people, ranging from scientists and politicians to an ordinary girl, took to secure a world without nuclear weapons. Visitors had the chance to hear the story of Samantha Smith, a ten-year old American girl who wrote a letter to the Soviet leader in 1982, when nuclear war seemed imminent. Her small act of courage led to her invitation to the Soviet Union, reducing the tension between the superpowers. This showed that even ordinary people could make a difference. The exhibition ended with a message from Daisaku Ikeda, the president of the Buddhist movement Soka Gakkai International, who said, “The real threat to humanity is the idea that nuclear weapons are a necessary evil.”

About directing the exhibition, Hyun Jun Na, the president of KAIST UNIPEACE, commented, “I have been studying my major at KAIST, but every once in a while, I find it rewarding to head something like this, as it gives us a chance to think about peace.”