Presidential Statement
Dr. Uttam Gaulee, President, STAR Scholars Network
On the International Day of Peace – 21 September 2025
On this International Day of Peace, with the United Nations theme for 2025 calling us to “Act Now for a Peaceful World,” I join people everywhere in renewing our shared commitment to peace, justice, tolerance, and dialogue.
Today, as we observe this day of reflection and action, I am proud to recognize the 2025 co-recipients of the Award: O. P. Jindal Global University (India) and The American University in the Emirates (UAE). These institutions embody the principles we must all embrace: ethical leadership, community engagement, inclusive learning, and a deep sense of responsibility toward resolving conflict through education.
Since its launch in 2024, the STAR Scholars Network Global Education for Peace Award has been at the heart of my vision: to shape a humane world by cultivating a community of peace builders through education. In 2024, Algoma University set the standard as the inaugural award winner, demonstrating how a higher education institution can integrate global citizenship, intercultural dialogue, and peace-centered curricula.
Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is the presence of justice, empathy, respect for difference, and opportunities for all. To act now means to embed peace into what we teach, how we teach, and how we live together in our classrooms, our communities, and across borders. It means that students graduating from universities must not only carry knowledge, but also the ability to listen, the courage to stand for equality, and the wisdom to seek reconciliation.
As President of STAR Scholars Network, I believe that education is the most sustainable instrument for peace. Our award program—started in 2024—is more than a recognition. It is a call to action: for institutions, faculty, students, and communities to join together in building a future where peace is cultivated daily, not simply commemorated annually.
Let us today, and every day, act now for a peaceful world—through learning, through kindness, through courageous scholarship—and through living out the values that unite us in our shared humanity.
Dr. Uttam Gaulee
President, STAR Scholars Network