Notes from the President's Office No. 6: The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword—On the Situation in Ukraine

2022/03/04 (Updated)

2022/02/28

Kohei Itoh

President Putin has launched a military invasion of Ukraine. It is unforgivable to use military force to invade another country's territory and to kill and injure innocent people, and my heart truly aches for the people of Ukraine. As of February 27, when I am writing this, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has stated, "We will not lay down our arms. We will defend our country." I sincerely hope that the damage in Ukraine will be kept to a minimum, that peace will come to the people of Ukraine, and that Ukraine's independence will be preserved through the cooperation of the international community.

This military invasion is a most alarming situation for the young people who will live in the world of tomorrow, that is, for Keio students. The beginning of the use of armed force, which is always the same in the end, signifies the defeat of diplomacy based on negotiation and persuasion. This is extremely regrettable for Keio University, which upholds the motto "The pen is mightier than the sword (Calamvs Gladio Fortior)." President Putin has threatened that "anyone who tries to interfere with us... will face consequences you have never seen in your history," while suggesting he would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons. If Ukraine is occupied by this method, more people will come to believe that "in the end, military power is everything." Defense is important, but if countries around the world rapidly build up their military strength in the name of defense, it is feared that various forms of propaganda will be deployed to justify this, and that even the slightest fraying in the international situation could lead to a domino effect.

In a previous installment of Notes from the President's Office, I introduced a passage written by Yukichi Fukuzawa in "Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)" (Part Nine): "In general, what we call scholarship, industry, politics, and law are all for the sake of jinkan kosai (society), and without jinkan kosai, they would all be useless... The broader the kosai, the more harmonious human feelings become... and the less likely it is that war will be rashly started." It is the mission of Keio University to avoid war through diplomacy that makes full use of scholarship and jinkan kosai, and to aim to create a society that develops in peace.

The privilege of youth is to set forth and pursue ideals. Peace, sustainability, human rights, and a prosperous life. I hope that you will be optimistic and forward-looking. However, things do not always go according to our ideals. The ability to anticipate various worst-case scenarios is necessary, and this is one of the important elements required of modern scholarship. It is essential to advance scholarship that ensures security based on facts and science, in both the physical and cyber spaces. Discussions on security are often avoided in educational and research settings, but diplomacy cannot be conducted that way. Engage in repeated discussions even with colleagues who have different ways of thinking, and even if you do not reach an agreement, shake hands with a smile when you part, saying, "Let's continue this discussion again." Actively interact with people who have different opinions to hone your diplomatic skills (negotiating ability and humanity). I believe this is one of the ways of learning that leads to "the pen is mightier than the sword."

Even now, on the fourth day since the invasion, Ukraine's resistance is remarkable, and contrary to some pessimistic predictions, they continue to defend major cities such as the capital, Kyiv. However, President Putin will likely continue to commit more forces. That is why the international community is continuing its diplomatic efforts. I hope that peace will come to the people of Ukraine as soon as possible.

At Keio University, students and researchers from Ukraine and Russia are also diligently pursuing their studies and research. We will strive to ensure that their human rights are respected and that they can continue their studies and research with peace of mind.

*Postscript added on 2022/03/04

A video of the seminar [ Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI) Virtual Seminar Series: "The Ukraine Crisis and the World Order" ], which was urgently recorded on 2022/03/02, is now available.