The international conference of the Asia Pacific Association of Methodist Educational Institutions (APAMEI) is being held in Manila, Philippines, starting with meetings of the APAMEI Board of Directors on January 18, 2026. The leadership of APAMEI includes Bishop Emerito Nacpil (UMC, Philippines), Dr. Florita Miranda (Wesley College of Manila, Philippines), Dr. Ken Yamada (formerly at GBHEM), Dr. Young Min Paik (Yonsei University, South Korea), Dr. Paul Shew (Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan), and others. Under the leadership of Dr. Miranda, APAMEI brought together more than 150 participants who gather to discuss the theme “Making Peace Peacefully in a Multicultural World.”
(Photo courtesy: APAMEI)
Bishop Nacpil gave the opening sermon, focusing his message on the relationship between “Grace and Peace” as an antidote to several forms of violence that disturb life: illness, poverty, military interventions, enslavement, and many other forms of oppression. He reflected on Jesus’s consistent message of peace, even though he was himself a victim of violence, so he concluded that through Jesus’s example, peace is available to all, and we ought to offer this peace to others.
Dr. Florita Miranda gave her “Presidential Message” in which she shared various stations in the development of APAMEI since its foundation during a first conference held a Yonsei University (South Korea) in 2012. She then referred to the various APAMEI conferences since then: in 2015 at Yonsei University (South Korea), in 2018 at Isabella Thoburn College (India), and now the fourth conference sponsored by the Wesleyan College of Manila and the Philippines Christian University (PCU) in Manila (Philippines). She also reported on the yearly meetings of the APAMEI Board of Directors, the various events in partnership with IAMSCU and its research network on Ethics and the research network on AI (sponsored by Aoyama Gakuin University). She then expressed her thanks to Bishop Nacpil for proposing the theme “Making peace peacefully” as early as 2016, which has been guiding the activities of the association since then. She reminded participants that APAMEI initiated a “Global Education Forum” which was held annually and influenced the inclusion of new national curricular components focusing on peace education in the Philippines. She also thanked Southern Methodist University (USA) for encouraging APAMEI to engage more fully with online education, which prepared the association very well for the COVID-19 global pandemic, during which APAMEI held monthly virtual meetings involving hundreds of students from various countries in Asia Pacific. Concluding her presentation, she gave thanks to various partners who made possible the fourth conference.
Dr. Amos Nascimento and Dr. Kenjiro Yamada brought greetings on behalf of the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU), representing Adriana Murriello, the IAMSCU President.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Roland Fernandes, General Secretary of GBHEM, GBGM, and UMCOR, opened the conference with a lecture on “Education and Peace in Asia Pacific: Prospects for Partnership.” Drawing on his ties to India and the Philippines as well as on his international work, he offered seven major points for reflections on global injustices, theological foundations for peace, practical strategies for action, APAMEI’s role, evolving relationships with Methodist agencies, and opportunities for deeper collaboration. He recognized that the current global context is marked by severe conflicts facing regions such as the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, Kashmir, Ukraine, Gaza, the Philippines, and Venezuela, noting that Asia Pacific – home to nearly 60% of the world’s population – faces geopolitical tensions between Hindu nationalism and Sinocentrism while Christians remain a persecuted minority. Fernandes also explained that Methodist agencies are adapting to these new times and facing new challenges by proposing aligned strategic priorities and focusing on five areas of response: education, food security, health, migration, and peace. Based on his experience leading the general agencies in this new era, he urged APAMEI to cultivate new leaders, innovate programs, collect data, and strengthen fundraising to equip the association for the future. He concluded by calling APAMEI to deepen partnerships across Methodist and ecumenical networks to advance peace with justice and promote “making peace peacefully” through faith-rooted education, dialogue, spirituality, and transformative action.
(Photo courtesy: APAMEI)
The APAMEI announcement and the APAMEI Conference program provide information on many other speakers who were scheduled to give presentations on various topics related to peace education. The conference will conclude with visits to Methodist educational institutions in the Philippines and opportunities for exchanges and collaboration with them.
(Photo courtesy: APAMEI)
For more details on APAMEI, its conference, and its plans for the future, please contact APAMEI: flormir2000@yahoo.com