Southlands College was proud to welcome Dr Maki Saionji Kawamura to Southlands College on the 29th of January, 2026. The day prior, Dr Kawamura had been the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of Roehampton.
A palliative care physician and peace advocate, Dr Kawamura’s work bridges inner transformation and global peacebuilding. Alongside her medical practice, she serves as Vice President of the Goi Peace Foundation, where she has helped create spaces in which peace is lived, shared and practised across cultures. One of the initiatives of the Goi Peace Foundation are the planting of ‘Peace Poles‘ around the world, inscribed with the universal prayer “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in several languages.
Southlands College is proudly home to one of these Peace Poles. The Southlands Methodist Trust provided a grant to Southlands College to support its construction in 2024. At the 2024 Susanna Wesley Foundation conference, Tazim Fatima shared with attendees more on the connection between the Peace Pole initiative and its impact on Southlands College.
On January 29th, Dr Kawamura also gave a talk, alongside her daughter Miki, in the Southlands College chapel. Both Dr Kawamura and Miki engaged with the gathered group of students and staff. Dr Kawamura explored her philosophy on peace and discussed how individuals can maintain hope during global conflict. Miki highlighted her own experiences of the unique social pressures found in Japan that affect the younger generation and the importance of gratitude. Central to Dr Kawamura’s message was the idea that true peace begins with internal contentment rather than just the absence of war.
